अधर्मो न स्पृशेदेष महान्मामिह भार्गव। वर्णसंकरजो ब्रह्मन्निति त्वां प्रवृणोम्यहम्
O great Bhargava, let not this great sin of caste-mixing touch me. O Brahmin, for this reason I give her to you.
अधर्मात्त्वां विमुञ्चामि शृणु त्वं वरमीप्सितम्। अस्मिन्विवाहे मा म्लासीरहं पापं नुदामि ते
I release you from wrongdoing—hear the boon you desire. In this marriage, do not be disheartened; I remove your sin.
वहस्व भार्यां धर्मेण देवयानीं सुमध्यमाम्। अनया सह संप्रीतिमतुलां समवाप्नुहि
Take Devayani, of lovely form, as your wife in righteousness. With her, attain incomparable happiness.
इयं चापि कुमारी ते शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी। संपूज्या सततं राजन्मा चैनां शयने ह्वयेः
And this maiden, Sharmishtha, daughter of Vrishaparvan, is also yours. Always honor her, O King, but do not summon her to your bed.
रहस्येनां समाहूय न वदेर्न च संस्पृशेः। वहस्व भार्यां भद्रं ते यथा काममवाप्स्यसि
Call her in private, but do not speak to her or touch her. Take your wife—may good be yours—and you will obtain your desires.
एवमुक्तो ययातिस्तु शुक्रं कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम्। शास्त्रोक्तविधिना राजा विवाहमकरोच्छुभम्
Thus addressed, Yayati circumambulated Shukra and, following the prescribed rites, performed the auspicious marriage.
लब्ध्वा शुक्रान्महद्वित्तं देवयानीं तदोत्तमाम्। द्विसहस्रेण कन्यानां तथा शर्मिष्ठया सह
Having received great wealth from Shukra and the noble Devayani, along with two thousand maidens and Sharmishtha herself,
संपूजितश्च शुक्रेण दैत्यैश्च नृपसत्तमः। जगाम स्वपुरं हृष्टोऽनुज्ञातोऽथ महात्मना
Honored by Shukra and the Daityas, the best of kings, permitted by the great-souled one, joyfully returned to his own city.
ययातिः स्वपुरं प्राप्य महेन्द्रपुरसंनिभम्। प्रविश्यान्तःपुरं तत्र देवयानीं न्यवेशयत्
Yayati, reaching his own city, which rivaled the city of Indra, entered the inner chambers and settled Devayani there.
देवयान्याश्चानुमते सुतां तां वृषपर्वणः। अशोकवनिकाभ्याशे गृहं कृत्वा न्यवेशयत्
With Devayani's consent, he built a house for Vrishaparvan's daughter near the Ashoka grove and settled her there.
वृतां दासीसहस्रेण शर्मिष्ठां वार्षपर्वणीम्। वासोभरन्नपानैश्च संविभज्य सुसत्कृताम्
Sharmishtha, daughter of Vrishaparvan, attended by a thousand chosen maidservants, was provided with clothing, food, and drink, and was duly honored.
देवयान्या तु सहितः स नृपो नहुषात्मजः। `प्रीत्या परमया युक्तो मुमुदे शाश्वतीः समाः
Together with Devayani, the son of Nahusha, filled with supreme joy, enjoyed lasting happiness for many years.
अशोकवनिकामध्ये देवयानी समागता। शर्मिष्ठया सा क्रीडित्वा रमणीये मनोरमे
In the midst of the Ashoka grove, Devayani gathered together, having played with Sharmishtha in that delightful and charming place.
तत्रैव तां तु निर्दिश्य राज्ञा सह ययौ गृहम्। एवमेव सह प्रीत्या बहु कालं मुमोद च
There, having indicated her to the king, she went home with him; and in this way, with affection, she rejoiced for a long time.
विजहार बहूनब्दान्देववन्मुदितः सुखी
He spent many years joyfully and happily in the divine grove.
ऋतुकाले तु संप्राप्ते देवयानी वराङ्गना। लेभे गर्भं प्रथमतः कुमारं च व्यजायत
When her season arrived, Devayani, the excellent woman, first conceived and gave birth to a son.
गते वर्षसहस्रे तु शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी। ददर्श यौवनं प्राप्ता ऋतुं सा चान्वचिन्तयत्
After a thousand years had passed, Sharmishtha, daughter of Vrishaparvan, attained youth and began to reflect upon her season.
शुद्धा स्नाता तु शर्मिष्ठा सर्वालङ्कारशोभिता। अशोकशाखामालम्ब्य सुपुष्पस्तबकैर्वृताम्
Pure and bathed, adorned with all ornaments, Sharmishtha grasped a branch of the Ashoka tree, covered with clusters of splendid blossoms.
आदर्शे मुखमुद्वीक्ष्य भर्तुर्दर्शनलालसा। शोकमोहसमाविष्टा वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
Gazing at her face in a mirror, longing for her husband's presence, overcome by grief and delusion, she spoke these words.
अशोक शोकापनुद शोकोपहतचेतसाम्। त्वन्नामानं कुरुष्वाद्य प्रियसंदर्शनेन माम्। एवमुक्तवती सा तु शर्मिष्ठा पुनरब्रवीत्
"Ashoka, dispeller of sorrow, for one whose heart is afflicted by grief, today let your name be true for me by granting me the sight of my beloved." Thus spoke Sharmishtha, and again she said:
ऋतुकालश्च संप्राप्तो न च मेऽस्ति वृतः पतिः। किं प्राप्तं किं नु कर्तव्यं किं वा कृत्वा सुखं भवेत्
"My season has come, yet I have no chosen husband. What has come to me? What should I do? Or, by doing what might I find happiness?"
देवयानी प्रजाताऽसौ वृथाऽहं प्राप्तयौवना। यथा तया वृतो भर्ता तथैवाहं वृणोमि तम्
"Devayani has borne a child; I have reached youth in vain. As she chose her husband, so too do I choose him."
राज्ञा पुत्रफलं देयमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः। अपीदानीं स धर्मात्मा ईयान्मे दर्शनं रहः
"It is my firm resolve that the king should grant me the fruit of a son; perhaps now that righteous one will come to me in secret."
केशैर्बध्या तु राजानं याचेऽहं सदृशं पतिम्। स्पृहेदिदं देवयानी पुत्रमीक्ष्य पुनःपुनः। क्रीडन्नन्तःपुरे तस्याः क्वचित्क्षणमवाप्य च
"Bound by her hair, I ask the king for a husband equal to myself. Seeing Devayani's son again and again, desire arises in me while he plays in her inner chambers, and sometimes I catch a glimpse."
अथ निष्क्रम्य राजाऽसौ तस्मिन्काले यदृच्छया। अशोकवनिकाभ्याशे शर्मिष्ठां प्राप तिष्ठतीम्
Then, at that time, the king happened to come out and, near the Ashoka grove, found Sharmishtha standing there.
तमेकं रहिते दृष्ट्वा शर्मिष्ठा चारुहासिनी। प्रत्युद्गम्याञ्जलिं कृत्वा राजानं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Seeing him alone in a secluded place, Sharmishtha, with a lovely smile, approached, made an offering with joined palms, and spoke to the king.
सोमस्येन्द्रस्य विष्णोर्वा यमस्य वरुणस्य वा। तव वा नाहुष गृहे कः स्त्रियं द्रष्टुमर्हति
"In the house of Soma, Indra, Vishnu, Yama, Varuna, or yours, O Nahusha, who is worthy to behold a woman?"
रूपाभिजनशीलैर्हि त्वं राजन्वेत्थ मां सदा। सा त्वां याचे प्रसाद्याहमृतुं देहि नराधिप
"By beauty, lineage, and character, O king, you have always known me; therefore, I beseech you, grant me my season, O lord of men."
वेद्मि त्वां शीलसंपन्नां दैत्यकन्यामनिन्दिताम्। रूपं च ते न पश्यामि सूच्यग्रमपि निन्दितम्
"I know you to be endowed with virtue, a blameless daughter of the Daityas; and in your form I do not see even a needle-point of fault."
तदाप्रभृति दृष्ट्वा त्वां स्मराम्यनिशमुत्तमे'। अब्रवीदुशना काव्यो देवयानीं यदाऽवहम्। नेयमाह्वयितव्या ते शयने वार्षपर्वणी
"From that time, having seen you, I remember you always, O excellent one. Ushanas Kavi said to Devayani when I understood: 'This daughter of Vrishaparvan must not be summoned to your bed.'"