त्यजति ब्राह्मणः शिष्यान्देवयान्या प्रचोदितः। सायं कामयते कां स कार्योऽद्य त्वयाऽनघे
The Brahmin, urged by Devayani, is abandoning his disciples; whatever desire she has this evening, O blameless one, you must fulfill today.
यं सा कामयते कां करवाण्यहमद्य तम्। यद्येवमाह्वयेच्छुक्रो देवयानीकृते हि माम्। मद्दोषान्मागमच्छुक्रो देवयानी च मत्कृते
Whatever she desires, I shall do that today; if Shukra summons me for Devayani's sake, let not Shukra nor Devayani be blamed on my account.
ततः कन्यासहस्रेण वृता शिबिकया तदा। पितुर्नियोगात्त्वरिता निश्चक्राम पुरोत्तमात्
Then, chosen with a thousand maidens, she swiftly departed from the splendid palace in a palanquin, by her father's command.
अहं दासीसहस्रेण दासी ते परिचारिका। अनु त्वां तत्र यास्यामि यत्र दास्यति ते पिता
With a thousand maidservants, I shall be your attendant; I will follow you wherever your father gives you.
स्तुवतो दुहिताऽहं ते याचतः प्रतिगृह्णतः। स्तूयमानस्य दुहिता कथं दासी भविष्यसि
I am the daughter of one who praises, who asks, who receives; how can the daughter of one who is praised become a maidservant?
येनकेनचिदार्तानां ज्ञातीनां सुखमावहेत्। अतस्त्वामनुयास्यामि तत्र दास्यति ते पिता
Whoever brings happiness to afflicted kin in any way, for that reason I shall follow you wherever your father gives you.
प्रतिश्रुते दासभावे दुहित्रा वृषपर्वणः। देवयानी नृपश्रेष्ठ पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
When the servitude was promised by the daughter of Vrishaparvan, Devayani, O best of kings, spoke these words to her father.
प्रविशामि पुरं तात तुष्टाऽस्मि द्विजसत्तम। अमोघं तव विज्ञानमस्ति विद्याबलं च ते
I shall enter the city, father; I am satisfied, O best of Brahmins. Your knowledge is unfailing, and your power of learning is great.
एवमुक्तो दुहित्रा स द्विजश्रेष्ठो महायशाः। प्रविवेश पुरं हृष्टः पूजितः सर्वदानैवः
Thus addressed by his daughter, that illustrious best of twice-born men entered the city, delighted and honored with every kind of gift.
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य देवयानी नृपोत्तम। वनं तदेव निर्याता क्रीडार्थं वरवर्णिनी
Then, after a long time, Devayani, O best of kings, that splendid maiden, went out to that very forest to play.
तेन दासीसहस्रेण सार्धं शर्मिष्ठया तदा। तमेव देशं संप्राप्ता यथाकामं चचार सा
Accompanied by a thousand maidservants and Sharmishtha, she arrived at that same place and wandered there as she pleased.
ताभिः सखीभिः सहिता सर्वाभिर्मुदिता भृशम्। क्रीडन्त्योऽभिरताः सर्वाः पिबन्त्यो मधुमाधवीं
Together with all her joyful companions, she and the others played, delighting in drinking honeyed spring wine.
खादन्त्यो विविधान्भक्ष्यान्विदशन्त्यः फलानि च। पुनश्च नाडुषो राजा मृगलिप्सुर्यदृच्छया
They ate various delicacies and bit into fruits; meanwhile, by chance, the king, desiring to hunt, again entered that region.
तमेव देशं संप्राप्तो जलार्थी श्रमकर्शितः। ददर्श देवयानीं स शर्मिष्ठां ताश्च योषितः
Arriving at that very place, seeking water and weary from exertion, he saw Devayani, Sharmishtha, and those maidens.
पिबन्तीर्ललमानाश्च दिव्याभरणभूषिताः। आसनप्रवरे दिव्ये सर्वरत्नविभूषिते। उपविष्टां च ददृशे देवयानीं शुचिस्मिताम्
He saw them drinking and sporting, adorned with divine ornaments, seated on a splendid seat decorated with every jewel, and he beheld Devayani with her pure smile sitting there.
रूपेणाप्रतिमां तासां स्त्रीणां मध्ये वराङ्गनम्। `आसनाच्च ततः किंचिद्विहीनां हेमभीषिताम्
Among those women, he saw the incomparable beauty, the best of maidens, slightly apart from her golden seat.
असुरेन्द्रसुतां चापि निषण्णां चारुहासिनीम्। ददर्श पादौ विप्रायाः संवहन्तीमनिन्दिताम्
He also saw the blameless daughter of the lord of the Asuras, with lovely smile, sitting and massaging the feet of the Brahmin maiden.
गायन्त्योऽथ प्रनृत्यन्त्यो वादयन्त्योऽथ भारत। दृष्ट्वा ययातिमतुलं लज्जयाऽवनताः स्थिताः
Singing, dancing, and playing instruments, O Bharata, upon seeing the illustrious Yayati, they stood bashfully with lowered heads.
द्वाभ्यां कन्यासहस्राभ्यां द्वे कन्ये परिवारिते। गोत्रे च नामनी चैव द्वयोः पृच्छाम्यहं शुभे
Surrounded by two thousand maidens, with two girls beside you, I ask, O beautiful one, your lineage and names.
आख्यास्याम्यहमादत्स्व वचनं मे नराधिप। शुक्रो नामासुरगुरुः सुतां जानीहि तस्य माम्
I will tell you—listen to my words, O king: Know me as the daughter of Shukra, the preceptor of the Asuras.
इयं च मे सखी दासी यत्राहं तत्र गामिनी। दुहिता दानवेन्द्रस्य शर्मिष्ठा वृषपर्वणः
And this is my companion and maid; wherever I go, she follows. She is Sharmishtha, daughter of the lord of the Danavas, Vrishaparvan.
कथं तु ते सखी दासी कन्येयं वरवर्णिनी। असुरेन्द्रसुता सुभ्रूः परं कौतूहलं हि मे
But how is your companion, this beautiful maiden, your maid, O lovely-browed one, daughter of the lord of the Asuras? I am greatly curious.
नैव देवी न गन्धर्वी न यक्षी न च किन्नरी। नैवंरूपा मया नारी दृष्टपूर्वा महीतले
Neither goddess, nor Gandharvi, nor Yakshi, nor Kinnari—never before have I seen a woman of such form upon the earth.
श्रीरिवायतपद्माक्षी सर्वलक्षणशोभना। असुरेन्द्रसुता कन्या सर्वालङ्कारभूषिता
With eyes like lotus petals, radiant as Shri herself, adorned with all auspicious marks, this daughter of the lord of the Asuras is decked in every ornament.
दैवेनोपहता सुभ्रूरुताहो तपसापि वा। अन्यथैषाऽनवद्याङ्गी दासी नेह भविष्यति
Surely, by fate or perhaps by ascetic power, O lovely-browed one, she has been brought low; otherwise, with her flawless limbs, she would not be a maid here.
अस्या रूपेण ते रूपं न किंचित्सदृशं भवेत्। पुरा दुश्चरितेनेयं तव दासी भवत्यहो
In beauty, none of yours matches hers; surely, due to some misdeed in the past, she has become your maid—how astonishing!
सर्व एव नरश्रेष्ठ विधानमनुवर्तते। विधानविहितं मत्वा मा विचित्राः कथाःकृथाः
All indeed, O best of men, follow the prescribed order; considering what is enjoined by ordinance, do not engage in strange discussions.
राजवद्रूपवेषौ ते ब्राह्मीं वाचं बिभर्षि च। को नाम त्वं कुतश्चासि कस्य पुत्रश्च शस मे
You have the appearance and attire of a king, yet you speak with the voice of a Brahmin; tell me, who are you, where do you come from, and whose son are you?
ब्रहमचर्येण वेदो मे कृत्स्रः श्रुतिपथं गतः। राजाहं राजपुत्रश्च ययातिरिति विश्रुतः
Through brahmacharya I have mastered the entire Veda along the path of hearing; I am a king, the son of a king, renowned as Yayati.
केनास्यर्थेन नृपते इमं देशमुपागतः। जिघृक्षुर्वारिजं किंचिदथवा मृगलिप्सया
For what purpose, O king, have you come to this place? Is it to seize some water, or perhaps with the desire to hunt?