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.
यदुं च तुर्वसुं चोभौ द्रुह्युं चैव सहानुजम्। अन्तेषु स विनिक्षिप्य नाहुषः स्वात्मजान्सुतान्
Yadu, Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu with their younger brothers—Nahusha assigned them to the outer regions, his own sons.
दत्त्वा च पूरवे राज्यं वनवासाय दीक्षितः। पुरात्स निर्ययौ राजा ब्राह्मणैस्तापसैः सह
Having given the kingdom to Puru, the king undertook the vow of forest life; he departed from the city, accompanied by Brahmanas and ascetics.
देवयान्या च सहितः शर्मिष्ठया च भारत। अकरोत्स वने राजा सभार्यस्तप उत्तमम्
O Bhārata, the king, together with Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā, performed supreme austerities in the forest with his wives.
यदोस्तु यादवा जातास्तुर्वसोर्यवनाः स्मृताः। द्रुह्योः सुतास्तु वै भोजा अनोस्तु म्लेच्छजातयः
From Yadu came the Yādavas; from Turvasu, those known as Yavanas; from Druhyu, indeed, the Bhojas; and from Anu, the tribes called Mlecchas.
पूरोस्तु पौरवो वंशो यत्र जातोऽसि पार्थिव। इदं वर्षसहस्राणि राज्यं कारयितुं वशी
From Pūru arose the Paurava lineage, O king, from which you were born; it is said that this dynasty ruled the kingdom for thousands of years.
एवं स नाहुषो राजा ययातिः पुत्रमीप्सितम्। राज्येऽभिषिच्य मुदितो वानप्रस्थोऽभवन्मुनिः
Thus, King Yayāti, son of Nahusha, joyfully installed his desired son on the throne and, entering the forest, became an ascetic sage.
उषित्वा च वने वासं ब्राह्मणैः संशितव्रतः। फलमूलाशनो दान्तस्ततः स्वर्गमितो गतः
Having dwelt in the forest, observing strict vows with the Brāhmaṇas, eating only fruits and roots, self-controlled, he then departed to heaven.
स गतः स्वर्निवासं तं निवसन्मुदितः सुखी। कालेन नातिमहता पुनः शक्रेण पातितः
He, having reached the celestial abode, lived there joyfully and happily, but after not a very long time, was cast down again by Śakra.
स्वर्गतश्च पुनर्ब्रह्मन्निवसन्देववेश्मनि। कालेन नातिमहता कथं शक्रेण पातितः
O Brāhmaṇa, having gone to heaven and residing in the house of the gods, after not a very long time, how was he cast down by Śakra?
निपतन्प्रच्युतः स्वर्गादप्राप्तो मेदिनीतलम्। स्थित आसीदन्तरिक्षे स तदेति श्रुतं मया
Falling, expelled from heaven, not reaching the earth, he remained suspended in the sky; this is what I have heard.