विजातिश्चेति षडिमे सर्वे प्रख्यातकीर्तयः यतिर्ज्येष्ठश् च तेषां वै ययातिस्तु ततो ऽवरः
And Vijati—these six, all of famed renown; among them, Yati was the eldest, and Yayati was next after him.
ज्येष्ठस्तु यतिर्मोक्षार्थो ब्रह्मभूतो ऽभवत्प्रभुः तेषां ययातिः पञ्चानां महाबलपराक्रमः
The eldest, Yati, seeking liberation, became one with Brahman, O lord; among the five, Yayati was of great strength and valor.
देवयानीमुशनसः सुतां भार्यामवाप सः शर्मिष्ठामासुरीं चैव तनयां वृषपर्वणः
He obtained Devayani, the daughter of Ushanas, as his wife, and also Sharmishtha, the Asura maiden, daughter of Vrishaparvan.
यदुं च तुर्वसुं चैव देवयानी व्यजायत तावुभौ शुभकर्माणौ स्तुतौ विद्याविशारदौ
Devayani bore him Yadu and Turvasu, both of virtuous deeds, praised and skilled in knowledge.
द्रुह्यं चानुं च पूरुं च शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी ययातये रथं तस्मै ददौ शुक्रः प्रतापवान्
Sharmishtha, daughter of Vrishaparvan, bore him Druhyu, Anu, and Puru; to Yayati, Shukra, of great splendor, gave a chariot.
तोषितस्तेन विप्रेन्द्रः प्रीतः परमभास्वरम् सुसंगं काञ्चनं दिव्यम् अक्षये च महेषुधी
Pleased by him, the foremost of Brahmins, delighted, gave a most radiant, well-made, golden, divine, inexhaustible great chariot.
युक्तं मनोजवैर् अश्वैर् येन कन्यां समुद्वहन् स तेन रथमुख्येन षण्मासेनाजयन्महीम्
It was yoked with horses swift as the mind, by which, carrying the maiden, he, with that foremost chariot, conquered the earth in six months.
ययातिर्युधि दुर्धर्षो देवदानवमानुषैः भवभक्तस्तु पुण्यात्मा धर्मनिष्ठः समञ्जसः
Yayati was invincible in battle by gods, demons, and men; devoted to Bhava, he was pure-souled, steadfast in righteousness, and upright.
यज्ञयाजी जितक्रोधः सर्वभूतानुकम्पनः कौरवाणां च सर्वेषां स भवद्रथ उत्तमः
He performed sacrifices, subdued anger, and was compassionate to all beings; among all the Kauravas, Bhavadratha was the foremost.
यावन्नरेन्द्रप्रवरः कौरवो जनमेजयः पूरोर्वंशस्य राज्ञस्तु राज्ञः पारिक्षितस्य तु
Until the eminent king, the Kaurava Janamejaya, there were kings of the line of Puru, and of King Parikshit.
जगाम स रथो नाशं शापाद्गर्गस्य धीमतः गर्गस्य हि सुतं बालं स राजा जनमेजयः
That chariot was destroyed by the curse of the wise Garga; for King Janamejaya killed Garga’s young son.
अक्रूरं हिंसयामास ब्रह्महत्यामवाप सः स लोहगन्धी राजर्षिः परिधावन्नितस्ततः
He harmed Akrura and incurred the sin of killing a Brahmin; that royal sage, bearing the scent of iron, wandered here and there.
पौरजानपदैस्त्यक्तो न लेभे शर्म कर्हिचित् ततः स दुःखसंतप्तो न लेभे संविदं क्वचित्
Abandoned by the citizens and country folk, he never found peace; afflicted by sorrow, he found no solace anywhere.
जगाम शौनकमृषिं शरण्यं व्यथितस्तदा इन्द्रेतिर् नाम विख्यातो यो ऽसौ मुनिरुदारधीः
Then, distressed, he approached the sage Shaunaka for refuge; Indreti, renowned and noble-minded, was that sage.
याजयामास चेन्द्रेतिस् तं नृपं जनमेजयम् अश्वमेधेन राजानं पावनार्थं द्विजोत्तमाः
Indreti caused King Janamejaya to perform an ashvamedha sacrifice for purification, with the foremost Brahmins.
स लोहगन्धान्निर्मुक्त एनसा च महायशाः यज्ञस्यावभृथे मध्ये यातो दिव्यो रथः शुभः
Freed from the scent of iron and from sin, that illustrious king, in the midst of the sacrificial bath, ascended a divine and splendid chariot.
तस्माद्वंशात्परिभ्रष्टो वसोश्चेदिपतेः पुनः दत्तः शक्रेण तुष्टेन लेभे तस्माद् बृहद्रथः
From that lineage, Vasu, king of the Cedis, was cast out; but, given again by Indra who was pleased, Brihadratha obtained it.
ततो हत्वा जरासंधं भीमस्तं रथमुत्तमम् प्रददौ वासुदेवाय प्रीत्या कौरवनन्दनः
Then Bhima, having slain Jarasandha, gave that excellent chariot to Vasudeva out of affection, O joy of the Kurus.
अभ्यषिञ्चत्पुरुं पुत्रं ययातिर्नाहुषः प्रभुः कृतोपकारस्तेनैव पुरुणा द्विजसत्तमाः
Yayati, the mighty descendant of Nahusha, anointed his son Puru as king; thus, the best of Brahmins, he was repaid by Puru.
अभिषेक्तुकामं च नृपं पुरुं पुत्रं कनीयसम् ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णा इदं वचनमब्रुवन्
Desiring to anoint the youngest son Puru as king, the Brahmins, led by their chief, spoke these words.
कथं शुक्रस्य नप्तारं देवयान्याः सुतं प्रभो ज्येष्ठं यदुमतिक्रम्य कनीयान्राज्यमर्हति
How can the grandson of Shukra, the son of Devayani, O lord, deserve the kingdom, surpassing the eldest, Yadu, for the youngest?
एते संबोधयामस्त्वां धर्मं च अनुपालय
We instruct you thus; uphold righteousness.
ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णाः सर्वे शृण्वन्तु मे वचः ज्येष्ठं प्रति यथा राज्यं न देयं मे कथञ्चन
Let all the Brahmins, led by their chief, listen to my words: the kingdom must never be given to the eldest in my case.
मम ज्येष्ठेन यदुना नियोगो नानुपालितः प्रतिकूलमतिश्चैव न स पुत्रः सतां मतः
My eldest, Yadu, did not obey my command; his mind was contrary, and he is not considered a son by the virtuous.
मातापित्रोर्वचनकृत् सद्भिः पुत्रः प्रशस्यते स पुत्रः पुत्रवद् यस् तु वर्तते मातृपितृषु
A son who acts according to the words of his parents is praised by the good; he is truly a son who behaves as a son towards his mother and father.
यदुनाहमवज्ञातस् तथा तुर्वसुनापि च द्रुह्येन चानुना चैव मय्यवज्ञा कृता भृशम्
Yadu disregarded me, as did Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu; they all greatly disrespected me.
पुरुणा च कृतं वाक्यं मानितश् च विशेषतः कनीयान्मम दायादो जरा येन धृता मम
But Puru fulfilled my words and especially honored me; though he is the youngest, he is my heir, for my old age was sustained by him.
शुक्रेण मे समादिष्टा देवयान्याः कृते जरा प्रार्थितेन पुनस्तेन जरा संचारिणी कृता
Shukra instructed me, and for Devayani’s sake, old age was sought; thus, again, by him, old age was made to pass to another.
शुक्रेण च वरो दत्तः काव्येनोशनसा स्वयम् पुत्रो यस्त्वनुवर्तेत स ते राज्यधरस्त्विति
And Śukra himself granted a boon to Kāvya Uśanas: 'That son of yours who follows you shall be the ruler of your kingdom.'
भवन्तो ऽप्यनुजानन्तु पूरू राज्ये ऽभिषिच्यते यः पुत्रो गुणसम्पन्नो मातापित्रोर्हितः सदा
You all should also consent: let that son who is endowed with virtues and always devoted to his mother and father be anointed as king.