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.
तत एव पुनश्चापि गतः स्वर्गमिति श्रुतम्। राज्ञा वसुमता सार्धमष्टकेन च वीर्यवान्
From there, it is said, he again attained heaven, together with King Vasumat and the valiant Ashtaka.
प्रतर्दनेन शिविना समेत्य किल संसदि। कर्मणा केन स दिवं पुनः प्राप्तो महीपतिः
Having assembled with Pratardana and Śivi in the assembly, by what deed did that king again reach heaven?
सर्वमेतदशेषेण श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः। कथ्यमानं त्वया विप्र विप्रर्षिगणसंनिधौ
I wish to hear all this in full detail and truth, as you recount it, O Brāhmaṇa, in the presence of the assembly of sages.
देवराजसमो ह्यासीद्ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः। वर्धनः कुरुवंशस्य विभावसुसमद्युतिः
King Yayāti, equal to the lord of the gods, was the enhancer of the Kuru lineage, shining with the radiance of fire.
तस्य विस्तीर्णयशसः सत्यकीर्तेर्महात्मनः। चरितं श्रोतुमिच्छामि दिवि चेह च सर्वशः
I wish to hear the deeds of that great-souled one, whose fame was vast and whose renown was true, both in heaven and here, in their entirety.
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि ययातेरुत्तरां कथाम्। दिवि चेह च पुण्यार्थां सर्वपापप्रणाशिनीम्
Indeed, I will tell you the further story of Yayāti, both in heaven and here, which brings merit and destroys all sins.
ययातिर्नाहुषो राजा पूरुं पुत्रं कनीयसम्। राज्येऽभिषिच्य मुदितः प्रावव्राज वनं तदा
King Yayāti, son of Nahusha, joyfully installed his youngest son Pūru on the throne and then departed to the forest.
अन्त्युषे स विनिक्षिप्य पुत्रान्यदुपुरोगमान्। फलमूलाशनो राजा वने संन्यवसच्चिरम्
Having entrusted his elder sons to Pūru, the king lived for a long time in the forest, subsisting on fruits and roots.
शंसितात्मा जितक्रोधस्तर्पयन्पितृदेवताः। अग्नींश्च विधिवज्जुह्वन्वानप्रस्थविधानतः
With self restrained and anger conquered, he satisfied the ancestors and gods, offering oblations to the fires according to the rule of forest-dwelling ascetics.
अथितीन्पूजयामास वन्येन हविषा विभुः। शिलोञ्छवृत्तिमास्थाय शेषान्नकृतभोजनः
He honored guests with offerings from the forest, adopting the gleaner's way of life, eating only what remained after others.
पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं च एवंवृत्तिरभून्नृपः। अब्भक्षः शरदस्त्रिंशदासीन्नियतवाङ्मनाः
For a full thousand years, the king lived in this way; for thirty autumns, he subsisted on air alone, with his speech and mind restrained.
ततश्च वायुभक्षोऽभूत्संवत्सरमतन्द्रितः। तथा पञ्चाग्निमध्ये च तपस्तेपे स वत्सरम्
Then, for a year, he lived on wind, untiring; likewise, he performed austerity for a year amidst five fires.
एकपादः स्तितश्चासीत्षण्मासाननिलाशनः। पुण्यकीर्तिस्ततः स्वर्गे जगामावृत्य रोदसी
He stood on one foot for six months, sustained by air; then, famed for his virtue, he ascended to heaven, traversing earth and sky.
स्वर्गतः स तु राजेन्द्रो निवसन्देववेश्मनि। पूजितस्त्रिदशैः साध्यैर्मरुद्भिर्वसुभिस्तथा
That king, having gone to heaven, dwelt in the abode of the gods, honored by the Thirty, the Sādhyas, the Maruts, and the Vasus.
देवलोकं ब्रह्मलोकं संचरन्पुण्यकृद्वशी। अवसत्पृथिवीपालो दीर्घकालमिति श्रुतिः
Roaming the worlds of the gods and of Brahma, the virtuous and self-controlled king dwelt there for a long time—so it is said.
स कदाचिन्नृपश्रेष्ठो ययातिः शक्रमागमत्। कथान्ते तत्र शक्रेण स पृष्टः पृथिवीपतिः
Once, that foremost of kings, Yayāti, came to Indra; at the end of their conversation, Indra questioned the lord of the earth.
यदा स पूरुस्तव रूपेण राज- ञ्जरां गृहीत्वा प्रचचार भूमौ। तदा च राज्यं संप्रदायैव तस्मै त्वया किमुक्तः कथयेह सत्यम्
When your son Puru, taking on your form, bore your old age and ruled the earth, and you gave him the kingdom, what did you say to him? Tell me truly.
गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये कृत्स्नोयं विषयस्तव। मध्ये पृथिव्यास्त्वं राजा भ्रातरोऽन्त्याधिपास्तव
Between the Ganges and Yamuna, this entire realm is yours; in the middle of the earth you are king, and your brothers are rulers of the outer lands.
न च कुर्यान्नरो दैन्यं शाठ्यं क्रोधं तथैव च। जैहयं च मत्सरं वैरं सर्वत्रेदं न कारयेत्
A man should not act out of dejection, deceit, or anger; nor should he cause defeat, envy, or enmity anywhere.
मातरं पितरं ज्येष्ठं विद्वांसं च तपोधनम्। क्षमावन्तं च राजेन्द्र नावमन्येत बुद्धिमान्
O king, the wise should never despise their mother, father, elder, learned man, ascetic, or the patient one.