कस्त्वं युवा वासवतुल्यरूपः स्वतेजसा दीप्यमानो यथाऽग्निः। पतस्युदीर्णाम्बुधरान्धकारा- त्खात्खेचराणां प्रवरो यथाऽर्कः
Who are you, young man, equal in form to Vasava, shining with your own brilliance like fire? You fall from the darkness of the storm clouds, the foremost among sky-dwellers, like the sun.
दृष्ट्वा च त्वां सूर्यपथात्पतन्तं वैश्वानरार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम्। किं नु स्विदेतत्पततीति सर्वे वितर्कयन्तः परिमोहिताः स्मः
Seeing you falling from the path of the sun, with immeasurable radiance like fire and the sun, all of us are bewildered, wondering what it is that is falling.
दृष्ट्वा च त्वां धिष्ठितं देवमार्गे शक्रार्कविष्णुप्रतिमप्रभावम्। अभ्युद्गतास्त्वां वयमद्य सर्वे तत्त्वं प्रपाते तव जिज्ञासमानाः
Seeing you standing on the path of the gods, with a splendor equal to Indra, the sun, and Vishnu, we have all approached you today, eager to know the truth of your descent.
न चापि त्वां धृष्णुमः प्रष्टुमग्रे न च त्वमस्मान्पृच्छसि ये वयं स्मः। तत्त्वां पृच्छामि स्पृहणीयरूप कस्य त्वं वा किंनिमित्तं त्वमागाः
Nor do we dare to ask you first, nor do you ask us who we are. Therefore, I ask you, O one of desirable form, whose are you, or for what reason have you come?
भयं तु ते व्येतु विषादमोहौ त्यजाशु चैवेन्द्रसमप्रभाव। त्वां वर्तमानं हि सतां सकाशे नालं प्रसोढुं बलहाऽपि शक्रः
Let your fear depart, abandon sorrow and confusion at once, O one of Indra-like splendor. Even Indra, though powerful, could not endure you dwelling among the virtuous.
सन्तः प्रतिष्ठा हि सुखच्युतानां सतां सदैवामरराजकल्प। ते सङ्गताः स्थावरजङ्गमेशाः प्रतिष्ठितस्त्वं सदृशेषु सत्सु
The virtuous are the refuge for those deprived of happiness, always like the king of the immortals among the good. Gathered together, whether stationary or moving, you are established among those who are your equals, among the virtuous.
प्रभुरग्निः प्रतपने भूमिरावपने प्रभुः। प्रभुः सूर्यः प्रकाशित्वे सतां चाभ्यागतः प्रभुः
Agni is sovereign in burning, the earth is sovereign in sustaining, the sun is sovereign in shining, and among the virtuous, the guest is sovereign.
अहं ययातिर्नहुषस्य पुत्रः पूरोः पिता सर्वभूतावमानात्। प्रभ्रंशितः सुरसिद्धर्षिलोका- त्परिच्युतः प्रपताम्यल्पपुण्यः
I am Yayati, son of Nahusha, father of Puru, cast down from the world of gods, siddhas, and sages, fallen because I disrespected all beings, now descending, my merit exhausted.
अहं हि पूर्वो वयसा भवद्भ्य- स्तेनाभिवादं भवतां न प्रयुञ्जे। यो विद्यया तपसा जन्मना वा वृद्धः स पूज्यो भवति द्विजानाम्
Indeed, I am older than you in age, and so I do not offer you my salutation; among twice-born, one is honored who is elder by knowledge, austerity, or birth.
अवादीस्त्वं वयसा यः प्रवृद्धः स वै राजन्नाभ्यधिकः कथ्यते च। यो विद्यया तपसा संप्रवृद्धः स एव पूज्यो भवति द्विजानाम्
You have spoken, and he who is advanced in age is called superior, O King; but among twice-born, only he who is advanced in knowledge and austerity is truly worthy of honor.
प्रतिकूलं कर्मणां पापमाहु- स्तद्वर्ततेऽप्रवणे पापलोक्यम्। सन्तोऽसतां नानुवर्तन्ति चैत- द्यथा चैषामनुकूलास्तथाऽऽसन्
They say that acting against righteousness is sinful; such conduct leads to evil realms; the good do not follow the ways of the wicked, but act as is proper for the virtuous.
अभूद्धनं मे विपुलं गतं त- द्विचेष्टमानो नाधिगन्ता तदस्मि। एवं प्रधार्यात्महिते निविष्टो यो वर्तते स विजानाति जीवः
Once I had great wealth, now it is gone; though I strive, I cannot regain it; thus, one who is steadfast in seeking his own good, and acts accordingly, truly understands life.
महाधनो यो यजते सुयज्ञै- र्यः सर्वविद्यासु विनीतबुद्धिः। वेदानधीत्य तपसा योज्य देहं दिवं स यायात्पुरुषो वीतमोहः
He who performs great sacrifices with abundant wealth, whose mind is disciplined in all branches of knowledge, who studies the Vedas and dedicates his body to austerity, that man, free from delusion, attains heaven.
दिष्टं बलीय इति मत्वाऽऽत्मबुद्ध्या
Thinking that destiny is powerful, one should act with understanding.
सुखं हि जन्तुर्यदि वाऽपि दुःखं दैवाधीनं विन्दते नात्मशक्त्या। तस्माद्दिष्टं बलवन्मन्यमानो न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत्कथंचित्
Indeed, whether happiness or sorrow, a creature experiences it by fate, not by his own power; therefore, considering destiny to be strong, one should neither grieve nor rejoice excessively.
दुःखैर्न तप्येन्न सुखैः प्रहृष्ये- त्समेन वर्तेत सदैव धीरः। दिष्टं बलीय इति मन्यमानो न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत्कथंचित्
Let one not be tormented by sorrow nor exult in happiness; the wise should always remain even-minded, thinking that destiny is powerful, and should neither grieve nor rejoice excessively.
भये न मुह्याम्यष्टकाहं कदाचि- त्सन्तापो मे मानसो नास्ति कश्चित्। धाता यथा मां विदधीत लोके ध्रुवं तथाऽहं भवितेति मत्वा
O Ashtaka, I am never bewildered by fear, nor do I suffer any mental distress; as the Creator has ordained for me in this world, so surely shall I become, thinking thus.
संस्वेदजा अण्डजाश्चोद्भिदश्च सरीसृपाः कृमयोऽथाप्सु मत्स्याः। तथाश्मनस्तृणकाष्ठं च सर्वे दिष्टक्षये स्वां प्रकृतिं भजन्ति
Those born from sweat, from eggs, from sprouts, reptiles, worms, and fish in the waters, as well as all stones, grass, and wood—when their allotted time ends, all return to their own nature.
अनित्यतां सुखदुःस्वस्य बुद्ध्वा कस्मात्संतापमष्टकाहं भजेयम्। किं कुर्यां वै किं च कृत्वा न तप्ये तस्मात्सन्तापं वर्जयाम्यप्रमत्तः
Knowing the impermanence of happiness and suffering, O Ashtaka, why should I be distressed? What should I do, or not do, that would cause me pain? Therefore, I avoid sorrow, remaining attentive.
एवं व्रुवाणं नृपतिं ययाति- मथाष्टकः पुनरेवान्वपृच्छत्। मातामहं सर्वगुणोपपन्नं तत्रस्थितं स्वर्गलोके यथावत्
As King Yayati was speaking thus, Ashtaka again questioned him: 'Grandfather, endowed with all virtues, as you dwell there in heaven, tell me as it truly is.'
ये ये लोकाः पार्थिवेन्द्रप्रधाना- स्त्वया भुक्ता यं च कालं यथावत्। तान्मे राजन्ब्रूहि सर्वान्यथाव- त्क्षेत्रज्ञवद्भाषसे त्वं हि धर्मान्
O King, tell me of all those worlds, chief among earthly rulers, which you enjoyed, and for how long; speak of them all as they are, for you explain dharma like one who knows the field.
राजाऽहमासमिह सार्वभौम- स्ततो लोकान्महतश्चाजयं वै। तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकं परमस्म्यभ्युपेतः
I was once a universal monarch here, and then I conquered great worlds; there I dwelt for a thousand years, and after that, I attained a higher world.
ततः पुरीं पुरुहूतस्य रम्यां सहस्रद्वारां शतयोजनायताम्। अध्यावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकं परमस्म्यभ्युपेतः
Then I dwelt in the delightful city of Indra, with a thousand gates and a hundred yojanas in extent, for a thousand years, and after that, I attained a higher world.
ततो दिव्यमजरं प्राप्य लोकं प्रजापतेर्लोकपतेर्दुरापम्। तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकं परमस्म्यभ्युपेतः
Then, attaining the divine, ageless world of the Lord of Creatures, difficult to reach even for the ruler of the worlds, I dwelt there for a thousand years, and after that, I attained a higher world.
स देवदेवस्य निवेशने च विहृत्य लोकानवसं यथेष्टम्। संपूज्यमानस्त्रिदशैः समस्तै- स्तुल्यप्रभावद्युतिरीश्वराणाम्
There, in the abode of the god of gods, he enjoyed himself freely among the worlds as he wished, being honored by all the gods, his splendor and power equal to that of the lords of the gods.
तथाऽऽवसं नन्दने कामरूपी संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम्। सहाप्सरोभिर्विहरन्पुण्यगन्धा- न्पश्यन्नगान्पुष्पितांश्चारुरूपान्
In the same way, in Nandana, able to assume any form at will, he spent a hundred thousand years, delighting with the Apsarases, beholding fragrant, blossoming, and beautiful trees.
तत्र स्थितं मां देव सुखेषु सक्तं कालेऽतीते महति ततोऽतिमात्रम्। दूतो देवानामब्रवीदुग्ररूपो ध्वंसेत्युच्चैस्त्रिः प्लुतेन स्वरेण
While I remained there, attached to pleasures, after a very long time had passed, a fierce messenger of the gods spoke loudly to me, shouting three times in a thunderous voice: 'Fall!'
एतावन्मे विदितं राजसिंह ततो भ्रष्टोऽहं नन्दनात्क्षीणपुण्यः। वाचोऽश्रौषं चान्तरिक्षे सुराणां सानुक्रोंशाः शोचतां मां नरेन्द्र
This much I know, O lion among kings: then, fallen from Nandana, my merit exhausted, I heard the compassionate voices of the gods in the sky, lamenting for me, O king.
अहो कष्टं क्षीणपुण्यो ययातिः पतत्यसौ पुण्यकृत्पुण्यकीर्तिः। तानब्रुवं पतमानस्ततोऽहं सतां मध्ये निपतेयं कथं नु
Alas, how terrible! Yayati, whose deeds and fame were righteous, now falls, his merit spent. As I was falling, I said: 'How can I, among the virtuous, fall down in their midst?'
तैराख्याता भवतां यज्ञभूमिः समीक्ष्य चेमां त्वरितमुपागतोऽस्मि। हविर्गन्धं देशिकं यज्ञभूमे- र्धूमापाङ्गं प्रतिगृह्य प्रतीतः
They told me of your sacrificial ground, and seeing it, I quickly came here. Perceiving the fragrance of the offerings, the smoke rising from the altar, I arrived with certainty.