विश्वाच्या सहितो रेमे व्यभ्राजन्नन्दने वने। अलकायां स कालं तु मेरुशृङ्गे तथोत्तरे
He enjoyed himself with Vishvachi, shining in the Nandana grove, and spent time in Alaka and on the northern peak of Meru.
यदा स पश्यते कालं धर्मात्मा तं महीपतिः। पूर्णं मत्वा ततः कालं पूरुं पुत्रमुवाच ह
When that righteous king saw that his time was fulfilled, considering it complete, he spoke to his son Puru.
यथाकामं यथोत्साहं यथाकालमरिन्दम। सेविता विषयाः पुत्र यौवनेन मया तव
O subduer of foes, I have enjoyed the pleasures as I wished, with all my energy, and at the proper time, through my youth, for your sake.
न जातु कामः कामानामुपभोगेन शाम्यति। हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते
Desire is never quenched by enjoyment of objects; like a fire fed with clarified butter, it only grows all the more.
यत्पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशवः स्त्रियः। एकस्यापि न पर्याप्तं तस्मान्नृष्णां परित्यजेत्
All the rice, barley, gold, cattle, and women on earth are not enough for even one man; therefore, one should abandon craving.
या दुस्त्यजा दुर्मतिभिर्या न जीर्यति जीर्यतः। योऽसौ प्राणान्तिको रोगस्तांतृष्णां त्यजतः सुखम्
That craving, hard to abandon by the foolish, which does not age even as the body ages, is the fatal disease—happiness comes to one who gives it up.
पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं मे विषयासक्तचेतसः। तथाप्यनुदिनं तृष्णा ममैतेष्वभिजायते
For a full thousand years, my mind was attached to pleasures, yet every day my craving for these only increased.
तस्मादेनामहं त्यक्त्वा ब्रह्मण्याधाय मानसम्। निर्द्वन्द्वो निर्ममो भूत्वा चरिष्यामि मृगैः सह
Therefore, giving this up, I will set my mind on Brahman, becoming free from duality and possessiveness, and will live with the deer.
पूरो प्रीतोऽस्मि भद्रं ते गृहाणेदं स्वयौवनम्। राज्यं चेदं गृहाण त्वं `यावदिच्छसि यौवनम्। तावद्दीर्घायुषा भुङ्ख' त्वं हि मे प्रियकृत्सुतः
Puru, I am pleased with you—may good befall you! Take this, my youth, and also accept this kingdom; enjoy youth as long as you wish, and rule with long life, for you are my beloved son.
प्रतिपेदे जरां राजा ययातिर्नाहुषस्तदा। यौवनं प्रतिपेदे च पूरुः स्वं पुनरात्मवान्
Then King Yayati, son of Nahusha, accepted old age, and Puru, self-controlled, took back his own youth.
अभिषेक्तुकामं नृपतिं पूरुं पुत्रं कनीयसम्। ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णा इदं वचनमब्रुवन्
When they wished to anoint Puru, the youngest son, as king, the Brahmins and other orders spoke these words.
कथं शुक्रस्य नप्तारं देवयान्याः सुतं प्रभो। ज्येष्ठं यदुमतिक्रम्य राज्यं पूरोः प्रयच्छसि
O lord, how is it that, passing over Yadu, the eldest son of Devayani and grandson of Shukra, you give the kingdom to Puru?
यदुर्ज्येष्ठस्तव सुतो जातस्तमनु तुर्वसुः। शर्मिष्ठायाः सुतो द्रुह्युस्ततोऽनुः पूरुरेव च
Yadu, your eldest son, was born first, then Turvasu after him; from Sharmishtha came Druhyu, then Anu, and finally Puru.
कथं ज्येष्ठानतिक्रम्य कनीयान्राज्यमर्हति। एतत्संबोधयामस्त्वां धर्मं त्वं प्रतिपालय
How can the youngest deserve the kingdom, passing over the elders? We ask you to consider this—uphold righteousness.
ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णाः सर्वे शृण्वन्तु मे वचः। ज्येष्ठं प्रति यथा राज्यं न देयं मे कथंचन
Let all the orders, with the Brahmanas at their head, listen to my words: the kingdom must never, under any circumstance, be given to the eldest.
मम ज्येष्ठेन यदुना नियोगो नानुपालितः। प्रतिकूलः पितुर्यश्च न स पुत्रः सतां मतः
My eldest son, Yadu, did not obey my command; a son who acts contrary to his father is not regarded as a true son by the virtuous.
मातापित्रोर्वचनकृद्धितः पथ्यश्च यः सुतः। स पुत्रः पुत्रवद्यश्च वर्तते पितृमातृषु
A son who follows the words of his mother and father, who is devoted and acts for their welfare, is truly a son and behaves as a son should toward his parents.
पुदिति नरकस्याख्या दुःखं च नरकं विदुः। पुतस्त्राणात्ततः पुत्त्रमिहेच्छन्ति परत्र च
‘Puti’ is the name of hell; hell is known as suffering. Therefore, for protection from hell, people desire a son here and hereafter.
आत्मनः सदृशः पुत्रः पितृदेवर्षिपूजने। यो बहूनां गुणकरः स पुत्रो ज्येष्ठ उच्यते
A son who resembles himself, who honors father, gods, and sages, and who is a source of many virtues, he alone is called the eldest son.
मूकोऽन्धो बधिरः श्वित्री स्वधर्मं नानुतिष्ठति। चोरः किल्बिषिकः पुत्रो ज्येष्ठो न ज्येष्ठ उच्यते
A mute, blind, deaf, or leprous son, one who does not follow his own duty, a thief, or a sinful son—even if he is the eldest—is not called the eldest.
ज्येष्ठांशहारी गुणकृदिह लोके परत्र च। श्रेयान्पुत्रो गुणोपेतः स पुत्रो नेतरो वृथा। वदन्ति धर्मं धर्मज्ञाः पितॄणां पुत्रकारणात्
A virtuous son who possesses qualities, who brings honor both in this world and the next, who takes the share of the eldest, he alone is truly a son, not another who is unworthy. The knowers of dharma declare this as the law concerning sons for the sake of the ancestors.
वेदोक्तं संभवं मह्यमनेन हृदयोद्भवम्। तस्य जातमिदं कृत्स्नमात्मा पुत्र इति श्रुतिः
The Veda declares that the son is born from myself, from my heart; all this that is born from him is myself—thus says the scripture.
यदुनाऽहमवज्ञातस्तथा तुर्वसुनापि च। द्रुह्युना चानुना चैव मय्यवज्ञ कृता भृशम्
I was disrespected by Yadu, and likewise by Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu; they all greatly dishonored me.
पूरुणा तु कृतं वाक्यं मानितं च विशेषतः। कनीयान्मम दायादो धृता येन जरा मम
But Puru obeyed my command and honored me especially; though he is the youngest, he is my heir, by whom my old age is supported.
मम कामः स च कृतः पूरुणा मित्ररूपिणा। शुक्रेण च वरोदत्तः काव्येनोशनसा स्वयम्
My wish was fulfilled by Puru, who acted as a friend, and by the boon granted by Shukra, the sage Usanas himself.
पुत्रो यस्त्वाऽनुवर्तेत स राजा पृथिवीपतिः। `यो वानुवर्ती पुत्राणां स पुत्रो दायभाग्भवेत्
The son who follows his father is the king, the lord of the earth; among sons, the one who is obedient is the true son and inherits the share.
यः पुत्रो गुणसंपन्नो मातापित्रोर्हितः सदा
A son endowed with virtues, who always acts for the good of his mother and father—
सर्वमर्हति कल्याणं कनीयानपि सत्तमः। `वेद धमार्थशास्त्रेषु मुनिभिः कथितं पुरा
—even if he is the youngest and most excellent, deserves all prosperity; this has been declared by sages in the Vedas and in the treatises on dharma and artha.
अर्हः पूरुरिदं राज्यं यः सुतः प्रियकृत्तव। वरदानेन शुक्रस्य न शक्यं वक्तुमुत्तरम्
Puru is worthy of this kingdom, for he is a son who has acted kindly toward me; no answer can be given against the boon granted by Shukra.
पौरजानपदैस्तुष्टैरित्युक्तो नाहुषस्तदा। अभ्यषिञ्चत्ततः पूरुं राज्ये स्वे सुतमात्मनः
Then Nahusha, addressed thus by the satisfied citizens and countrymen, consecrated his own son Puru as king over his own realm.