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.
ळशक्तस्तु क्षमते नित्यमशक्तः क्रुध्यते नरः। दुर्जनः सुजनं द्वेष्टि दुर्बलो बलवत्तरम्
He who is strong always forgives; the weak man becomes angry. The wicked hate the good, and the powerless hate the powerful.
रूपवन्तमरूपी च धनवन्तं च निर्धनः। अकर्मी कर्मिणं द्वेष्टि धार्मिकं च नधार्मिकः
The ugly hate the beautiful, the poor hate the wealthy; the idle hate the active, and the unrighteous hate the righteous.
निर्गुणो गुणवन्तं च पुत्रैतत्कलिलक्षणम्। विपरीतं च राजेन्द्र एतेषु कृतलक्षणम्
The unvirtuous hate the virtuous—this, my son, is the mark of the wicked; the opposite is the mark of the good, O king.
ब्राह्मणो वाथ वा राजा वैश्यो वा शूद्र एव वा। प्रशस्तेषु प्रसक्ताश्चेत्प्रशस्यन्ते यशस्विनः
Whether a Brahmin, king, merchant, or even a servant—if they are devoted to the noble, they are praised as illustrious.
तस्मात्प्रशस्ते राजेन्द्र नरः सक्तमना भवेत्। अलोकज्ञा ह्यप्रशस्ता भ्रातरस्ते ह्यबुद्धयः
Therefore, O king, a man should set his mind on the noble; those not devoted to the noble are ignorant, as are your brothers.
त्वं हि धर्मविदो राजन्कत्थसे धर्मसुत्तमम्। कथयस्व पुनर्मेऽद्य लोकवृत्तान्तमुत्तमम्
You, O king, know the law and boast of supreme righteousness; tell me again today the highest tale of worldly conduct.
अक्रोधनः क्रोधनेभ्यो विशिष्ट- स्तथा तितिक्षुरतितिक्षोर्विशिष्टः। अमानुषेभ्यो मानुषाश्च प्रधाना विद्वांस्तथैवाविदुषः प्रधानः
He who does not get angry is superior to the angry; likewise, the patient is superior to the impatient. Among non-humans, humans are foremost; the learned are foremost among the unlearned.
आक्रुश्यमानो नाकोशेन्मन्युरेव तितिक्षतः। आक्रोष्टारं निर्दहति सुकृतं चास्य विन्दति
When insulted, the patient man does not respond with harsh words; he burns the abuser and attains merit.
नारुन्तुदः स्यान्न नृशंसवादी न हीनतः परमभ्याददीत। ययाऽस्य वाचा पर उद्विजेत न तां वदेद्रुशतीं पापलोक्याम्
One should not be a reviler nor speak cruel words; nor should one take from those who are inferior. If one's speech causes another to be disturbed, one should not utter such harsh, blameworthy words.
अरुन्तुदं पुरुषं तीक्ष्णवाचं वाक्कण्टकैर्वितुदन्तं मनुष्यन्। विद्यादलक्ष्मीकतमं जनानां मुखे निबद्धां निर्ऋतिं वहन्तम्
A person who is a reviler, whose words are sharp, who wounds others with verbal thorns, who is the most devoid of fortune among people, bears ruin bound upon his mouth.