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.
सद्भिः पुरस्तादभिपूजितः स्या- त्सद्भिस्तथा पृष्ठतो रक्षितः स्यात्। सदाऽसतामतिवादांस्तितिक्षे- त्सतां वृत्तं चाददीतार्यवृत्तः
He should be honored by the virtuous from the front, and protected by the virtuous from behind. He should always endure the excessive words of the wicked, and adopt the conduct of the virtuous, following the noble path.
वाक्सायका वदनान्निष्पतन्ति यैराहतः शोचति रात्र्यहानि। परस्य ये मर्मसु संपतन्ति तान्पण्डितो नावसृजेत्परेषु
Words like arrows emerge from mouths; those struck by them grieve day and night. Those that strike another's vital points, a wise person should not release upon others.
नहीदृशं संवननं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते। दया मैत्री च भूतेषु दानं च मधुरा च वाक्
Nowhere in the three worlds is there such harmony as this: compassion, friendship toward beings, generosity, and sweet speech.
तस्मात्सान्त्वं सदा वाच्यं न वाच्यं परुषं क्वचित्। पूज्यान्संपूजयेद्दद्यान्न च याचेत्कदाचन
Therefore, one should always speak soothing words, never harsh words anywhere. One should honor those worthy of honor, give to others, and never beg from anyone.
सर्वाणि कर्माणि समाप्य राजन् गृहं परित्यज्य वनं गतोऽसि। तत्त्वां पृच्छामि नहुषस्य पुत्र केनासि तुल्यस्तपसा ययाते
Having completed all duties, O King, you have left your home and gone to the forest. I ask you, son of Nahusha, by what austerity are you equal to Yayati?
नाहं देवमनुष्येषु गन्धर्वेषु महर्षिषु। आत्मनस्तपसा तुल्यं कंचित्पश्यामि वासव
Among gods, humans, gandharvas, and great sages, I do not see anyone equal to myself in austerity, O Vasava.
यदाऽवमंस्थाः सदृशः श्रेयसश्च अल्पीयसश्चाविदितप्रभावः। तस्माल्लोकास्त्वन्तवन्तस्तवे मे क्षीणे पुण्ये पतिताऽस्यद्य राजन्
When you disregarded those who were your equals, superior, or inferior, whose power was unknown, therefore your worlds have come to an end; with your merit exhausted, you have fallen today, O King.
सुरर्षिगन्धर्वनरावमाना- त्क्षयं गता मे यदि शक्रलोकाः। इच्छाम्यहं सुरलोकाद्विहीनः सतां मध्ये पतितुं देवराज
Because my heavenly realms have perished due to disrespecting gods, sages, gandharvas, and men, I wish, deprived of the world of the gods, to fall among the virtuous, O king of the gods.
सतां सकाशे पतिताऽसि राजं- श्च्युतः प्रतिष्ठां यत्र लब्धासि भूयः। एतद्विदित्वा च पुनर्ययाते त्वं माऽवमंस्थाः सदृशः श्रेयसश्च
You have fallen among the virtuous, O King, where you have regained your standing. Knowing this, O Yayati, do not again disregard those who are your equals or superiors.
ततः प्रहायामरराजजुष्टा- न्पुण्याँल्लोकान्पतमानं ययातिम्। संप्रेक्ष्य राजर्षिवरोऽष्टकस्त- मुवाच सद्धर्मविधानगोप्ता
Then, seeing Yayati falling from the blessed worlds enjoyed by the king of the immortals, the foremost royal sage Ashtaka, protector of righteous conduct, spoke to him.