जातो दानपतिः पुत्रस्त्वया शूरस्तथाऽपरः। सत्यधर्मरतश्चान्यो यज्वा चापि तथाऽपरः
By you, a son has been born who is generous, another who is heroic, another devoted to truth and righteousness, and yet another who is a sacrificer.
तदागच्छ वरारोहे तारितस्ते पिता सुतैः । चत्वारश्चैव राजानस्तथा चाहं सुमध्यमे
So come, O beautiful one, your father has been rescued by your sons; four kings and I, O slender-waisted, have been saved.
गालवस्त्वभ्यनुज्ञाय सुपर्णं पन्नगाशनम् । पितुर्निर्यात्य तां कन्यां प्रययौ वनमेव ह
Gālava, having taken leave of Suparṇa, the serpent-eater, departed with the maiden from his father's house and went to the forest.
स तु राजा पुनस्तस्याः कर्तुकामः स्वयंवरम्। उपगम्याश्रमपदं गङ्गायामुनसङ्गमे
But the king, desiring to hold a svayaṃvara for her again, approached the hermitage at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna.
गृहीतमाल्यदामां तां रथमारोप्य माधवीम् । पूरुर्यदुश्च भगिनीमाश्रमे पर्यधावताम्
Having adorned her with garlands and cloths, Pururavas and Yadu placed their sister Madhavi upon the chariot and circled the hermitage.
नागयक्षमनुष्याणां गन्धर्वमृगपक्षिणाम् । शैलद्रुमवनौकानामासीत्तत्र समागमः
There gathered Nagas, Yakshas, humans, Gandharvas, beasts, birds, and those dwelling in mountains, trees, and forests.
नानापुरुषदेश्यानामीश्वरैश्च समाकुलम् । ऋषिभिर्ब्रह्मकल्पैश्च समन्तादावृतं वनम्
The forest was surrounded on all sides by sages of Brahma-like austerity, rulers, and people from many regions, making it crowded with lords.
निर्दिश्यमानेषु तु सा वरेषु वरवर्णिनी । वरानुत्क्रम्य सर्वास्तान्वरं वृतवती वनम्
As the illustrious maiden was being shown the suitors, she rejected them all and chose the forest as her husband.
अवतीर्य रथात्कन्या नमस्कृत्य च बन्धुषु। उपगम्य वनं पुण्यं तपस्तेपे ययातिजा
Descending from the chariot, the maiden bowed to her relatives, then entered the sacred forest and undertook austerities, being a descendant of Yayati.
उपवासैश्च विविधैर्दीक्षाभिर्नियमैस्तथा । आत्मनो लघुतां कृत्वा बभूव मृगचारिणी
Through various fasts, vows, and disciplines, she made herself light and became one who roamed like a deer.
वैदूर्याङ्कुरकल्पानि मृदूनि हरितानि च। चरन्ती श्लक्ष्णशष्पाणि तिक्तानि मधुराणि च
She ate tender, green shoots resembling emerald sprouts, as well as soft grasses, bitter and sweet ones alike.
स्रवन्तीनां च पुण्यानां सुरसानि सुचीनि च। पिबन्ती वारिमुख्यानि शीतानि विमलानि च
She drank pure, delicious, and cool waters from sacred streams, choosing the best and most pristine.
वनेषु मृगराजेषु व्याघ्रविप्रोषितेषु च । दावाग्निविप्रयुक्तेषु शून्येषु गहनेषु च
She wandered in forests where the king of beasts was absent, where tigers had departed, where wildfires had ceased, and in deserted, dense woods.
चरन्ती हरिणैः सार्धं मृगीव वनचारिणी । चचार विपुलं धर्मं ब्रह्मचर्येण संवृतम्
Roaming with deer like a wild doe, she practiced vast righteousness, enveloped in celibacy.
ययातिरपि पूर्वेषां राज्ञां वृत्तमनुष्ठितः। बहुवर्षसहस्रायुर्युयुजे कालधर्मणा
Yayati, too, having followed the conduct of former kings, lived for many thousands of years, then was joined to the law of time.
पुरुर्यदुश्च द्वौ वंशे वर्धमानौ नरोत्तमौ । ताभ्भां प्रतिष्ठितो लोके परलोके च नाहुषः
Pururavas and Yadu, two eminent men flourishing in their lineage, Nahusha was established among them in both this world and the next.
महीपते नरपतिर्ययातिः स्वर्गमास्थितः। महर्षिकल्पो नृपतिः स्वर्गाग्र्यफलभुग्विभुः
King Yayati, lord of the earth, attained heaven; the ruler, like a great sage, enjoyed the supreme fruit of heaven.
बहुवर्षसहस्राख्ये काले बहुगुणे गते। राजर्षिषु निषण्णेषु महीयःसु महर्धिषु
When a period of many thousands of years, rich in virtues, had passed, and royal sages, mighty and splendid, were established,
अवमेने नरान्सर्वान्देवानृषिगणांस्तथा। ययातिर्मूढविज्ञानो विस्मयाविष्टचेतनः
Yayati, his mind seized by wonder and lacking discernment, disregarded all men, the gods, and the hosts of sages.
ततस्तं बुबुधे देवः शक्रो बलनिषूदनः । ते च राजर्षयः सर्वे धिग्धिगित्येवमब्रुवन्
Then the god Shakra, destroyer of strength, perceived him, and all the royal sages exclaimed, 'Fie! Fie!'
विचारश्च समुत्पन्नो निरीक्ष्य नहुषात्मजम् । कोऽन्वयं कस्य वा राज्ञः कथं वा स्वर्गमागतः
A deliberation arose, observing the son of Nahusha: 'Who is this? Of which king is he? How did he come to heaven?'
कर्मणा केनसिद्धोऽयं क्व वाऽनेन तपश्चितम्। कथं वा ज्ञायते स्वर्गे केन वा ज्ञायतेऽप्युत
By what deed has he attained this? Where did he perform austerities? How is he recognized in heaven, and by whom is he known?'
एवं विचास्यन्तस्ते राजानं स्वर्गवासिनः । दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छुरन्योन्यं ययातिं नृपतिं प्रति
While they were thus deliberating, the kings who dwell in heaven, seeing the king, began to question one another about Yayati.
विमानपालाः शतशः स्वर्गद्वाराभिरक्षिणः । पृष्टा आसनपालाश्च न जानीमेत्यथाऽब्रुवन्
Hundreds of guardians of the celestial mansions, protectors of heaven's gates, and those in charge of the seats were asked, but they replied, 'We do not know.'
सर्वे ते ह्यावृतज्ञाना नाभ्यजानन्त तं नृपम् । स मुहूर्तादथ नृपो हतौजाश्चाभवत्तदा
All of them, their knowledge veiled, did not recognize that king; and in a moment, the king became bereft of his power.
अथ प्रचलितः स्थानादासनाच्च परिच्युतः। कम्पितेनेव मनसा धर्षितः शेकवाह्निना
Then, shaken from his place and cast down from his seat, with a mind agitated as if struck by a fierce wind, he was overcome.
म्लानस्रग्भ्रष्टविज्ञानः प्रभ्रष्टमुकुटाङ्गदः । विघूर्णन्स्रस्तसर्वाङ्गः प्रभ्रष्टाभरणाम्बरः
His garland faded, his understanding lost, his crown and armlets fallen, reeling, his limbs slack, his ornaments and garments slipping away.
अदृश्यमानस्तान्पश्यन्नपश्यंश्च पुनः पुनः । शून्यः शून्येन मनसा प्रपतिष्यन्महीतलम्
Invisible, yet seeing them, and again not seeing, empty, with a vacant mind, he began to fall toward the earth.
किं मया मनसा ध्यातमशुभं धर्मदूषणम् । येनाहं चलितः स्थानादिति राजा व्यचिन्तयत्
What impure or unrighteous thought have I harbored in my mind, by which I have been shaken from my place?—so the king pondered.
ते तु तत्रैव राजानः सिद्धाश्चाप्सरसस्तथा । अपश्यन्त निरालम्बं तं ययातिं परिच्युतम्
But the kings, the perfected beings, and the celestial nymphs there saw Yayati, unsupported, cast down.