यदर्होऽहं तद्यतध्वं सन्तः सत्याभिनन्दिनः। अहं तन्नाभिजानामि यत्कृतं न मया पुरा
Whatever I am worthy of, let that be given, O virtuous ones who rejoice in truth. I do not know of anything done by me before that would entitle me to this.
कस्यैते प्रतिदृश्यन्ते रथाः पञ्च हिरण्मयाः। यानारुह्य नरो लोकानभिवाञ्छति शाश्वतान्
To whom do these five golden chariots appear? Mounting them, a man desires the eternal worlds.
युष्मानेते वहिष्यन्ति रथाः पञ्च हिरण्मयाः। उच्चैः सन्तः प्रकाशन्ते ज्वलन्तोऽग्निशिखा इव
These five golden chariots are for you; they shine high and bright, blazing like tongues of fire.
अश्वमेधे महायज्ञे स्वयंभुविहिते पुरा। हयस्य यानि चाङ्गानि संनिकृत्य यथाक्रमम्
In the great sacrifice of the horse, the Aśvamedha, ordained of old by the Self-born, all the limbs of the horse are gathered together in due order.
होताऽध्वर्युरथोद्गाता ब्रह्मणा सह भारत। अग्नौ प्रास्यन्ति विधिवत्समस्ताः षोडशर्त्विजः
O Bharata, the Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, Udgātṛ, and Brahman, together with all sixteen officiating priests, duly offer oblations into the fire.
धूमगन्धं च पापिष्ठा ये जिघ्रन्ति नरा भुवि। विमुक्तपापाः पूतास्ते तत्क्षणेनाभवन्नराः
Those most sinful men on earth who inhale the scent of the smoke become purified and freed from sin in that very instant.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे चैव माधवी सा तपोधना। मृगचर्मपरीताङ्गी परिधाय मृगत्वचम्
Meanwhile, Mādhavī, rich in austerity, having covered her body with a deerskin, wrapped herself in the hide.
मृगैः परिचरन्ती सा मृगाहारविचेष्टिता। यज्ञवाटं मृगगणैः प्रविश्य भृशविस्मिता
Moving about with the deer, living as they did, she entered the sacrificial enclosure with the herds of deer, greatly astonished.
आघ्रायन्ती धूमगन्धं मृगैरेव चचार सा। यज्ञवाटमटन्ती सा पुत्रांस्तानपराजितान्
Smelling the scent of the smoke, she wandered there with the deer, roaming the sacrificial ground, and saw her sons, now defeated.
पश्यन्ती यज्ञमाहात्म्यं मुदं लेभे च माधवी। असंस्पृशन्तं वसुधां ययातिं नाहुषं यदा
Seeing the greatness of the sacrifice, Mādhavī felt joy, and saw Yayāti, son of Nahusha, not touching the earth.
दिविष्ठं प्राप्तमाज्ञाय ववन्दे पितरं तदा। तदा वसुमनापृच्छन्मातरं वै तपस्विनीम्
Realizing that he had attained the heavens, she then bowed to her father, and after that, Mādhavī, the ascetic, addressed her mother.
भवत्या यत्कृतमिदं वन्दनं पादयोरिह। कोयं देवोपमो राजा याऽभिवन्दसि मे वद
Mother, whose feet you have just worshipped here—who is this king, equal to the gods, whom you have greeted? Tell me.
शृणुध्वं सहिताः पुत्रा नाहुषोयं पिता मम। ययातिर्मम पुत्राणां मातामह इति स्मृतः
Hear, my sons, all together: this is Nahusha, my father. Yayāti is remembered as the maternal grandfather of my sons.
पूरुं मे भ्रातरं राज्ये समावेश्य दिवं गतः। केन वा कारणेनैवमिह प्राप्तो महायशाः
Having installed my brother Pūru in the kingdom, he went to heaven. For what reason has this illustrious one come here?
तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा स्वर्गाद्भ्रष्टेति चाब्रवीत्। सा पुत्रस्य वचः श्रुत्वा संभ्रमाविष्टचेतना
Hearing her words, she said, 'He has fallen from heaven.' Hearing her son's words, Mādhavī's mind was seized by agitation.
माधवी पितरं प्राह दौहित्रपरिवारितम्। तपसा निर्जिताँल्लोकान्प्रतिगृह्णीष्व मामकान्
Mādhavī spoke to her father, surrounded by her grandsons: 'By my austerities I have conquered worlds—accept them from me.'
पुत्राणामिव पौत्राणां धर्मादधिगतं धनम्। स्वार्थणेव वदन्तीह ऋषयो धर्मपाठकाः। तस्माद्दानेन तपसा चास्माकं दिवमाव्रज
Just as wealth gained by sons is inherited by grandsons through righteousness, so say the sages who know dharma; therefore, by gift and austerity, ascend to heaven through us.
यदि धर्मफलं ह्येतच्छोभनं भविता तव। दुहित्रा चैव दौहित्रैस्तारितोऽहं महात्मभिः
If this is indeed the excellent fruit of righteousness for you, then I have been carried across by my daughter and grandsons, who are great-souled.
तस्मात्पवित्रं दौहित्रमद्यप्रभृति पैतृके। त्रीणि श्राद्धे पवित्राणि दौहित्रः कुतपस्तिलाः
Therefore, from this day forward, the relationship with a daughter's son is pure in matters of ancestors; in the śrāddha, three things are pure: the daughter's son, the kutapa time, and sesame seeds.
त्रीणि चात्र प्रशंसन्ति शौचमक्रोधमत्वराम्। भोक्तारः परिवेष्टारः श्रावितारः पवित्रकाः
Here, three things are praised: purity, absence of anger, and absence of haste; those who eat, those who serve, and those who recite are purifiers.
दिवसस्याष्टमे भागे मन्दीभवति भास्करे। स कालः कुतपो नाम पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयम्
When the sun is in the eighth part of the day, its light is subdued; that time is called kutapa, and what is given then to the ancestors is imperishable.
तिलाः पिशाचाद्रक्षन्ति दर्भा रक्षन्ति राक्षसात्। रक्षन्ति श्रोत्रियाः पङ्क्तिं यतिभिर्भुक्तमक्षयम्
Sesame seeds protect from evil spirits, darbha grass protects from demons, and the learned Brahmins protect the line; what is eaten by ascetics is imperishable.
लब्ध्वा पात्रं तु विद्वांसं श्रोत्रियं सुव्रतं शुचिम्। स कालः कालतो दत्तं नान्यथा काल इष्यते
Having found a worthy recipient—learned, versed in the Veda, of good vows, and pure—one should give at the proper time; no other time is considered right.
एवमुक्त्वा ययातिस्तु पुनः प्रोवाच बुद्धिमान्। सर्वे ह्यवभृथस्नातास्त्वरध्वं कार्यगौरवात्
Having spoken thus, the wise Yayāti again said: All of you, having completed the concluding bath, hasten now out of respect for the importance of the task.
आतिष्ठ स्वरथं राजन्विक्रमस्व विहायसम्। वयमप्यनुयास्यामो यदा कालो भविष्यति
Mount your chariot, O King, and ascend to the sky; we too shall follow when the time comes.
सर्वैरिदानीं गन्तव्यं सह स्वर्गजितो वयम्। एष नो विरजाः पन्था दृश्यते देवसद्मनः
Now we must all go together, we who have won heaven; this is the stainless path we see leading to the abode of the gods.
अष्टकश्च शिबिश्चैव काशेयश्च प्रतर्दनः। ऐक्ष्वाकवो वसुमनाश्चत्वारो भूमिपास्तदा। सर्वे ह्यवभृथस्नाताः स्वर्गताः साधवः सह
Aṣṭaka, Śibi, Kāśeya, and Pratardana—the four kings of the Ikṣvāku line, Vasumanas—all these, having bathed after the sacrifice, have gone to heaven together, noble ones.
तेऽधिरुह्य रथान्सर्वे प्रयाता नृपस्तमाः। आक्रमन्तो दिवं भाभिर्धर्मेणावृत्य रोदसी
All of them mounted their chariots and departed, those best of kings, ascending to heaven in radiance, enveloping earth and sky with righteousness.
अहं मन्ये पूर्वमेकोऽस्मि गन्ता सखा चेन्द्रः सर्वथा मे महात्मा। कस्मादेवं शिबिरौशीनरोऽय- मेकोऽत्यगात्सर्ववेगेन वाहान्
I thought I alone would go first, and that my friend Indra, the great soul, would certainly be with me; but why did Śibi, the king of the Uśīnaras, surpass us all, urging his steeds with all his might?
अददद्याचमानाय यावद्वित्तमविन्दत। उशीनरस्य पुत्रोऽयं तस्माच्छ्रेष्ठोहि वः शिबिः
He gave to all who asked, as much wealth as he found; this is the son of Uśīnara—therefore, Śibi is the best among you.