Linga Purana

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.

सर्वमर्हति कल्याणं कनीयान् अपि स प्रभुः अर्हः पूरुरिदं राज्यं यः सुतो वाक्यकृत्तव

Even the youngest, if he is worthy, deserves all good fortune and lordship; Pūru is worthy of this kingdom, for he is the son who obeys commands.

वरदानेन शुक्रस्य न शक्यं कर्तुमन्यथा एवं जानपदैस्तुष्टैर् इत्युक्तो नाहुषस्तदा

By the boon given by Śukra, it cannot be otherwise; so said Nāhuṣa, pleased by the people of the realm.

अभिषिच्य ततो राज्यं पूरुं स सुतम् आत्मनः दिशि दक्षिणपूर्वस्यां तुर्वसुं पुत्रमादिशत्

Then he anointed his own son Pūru as king, and assigned his son Turvasu to the southeast direction.

दक्षिणायामथो राजा यदुं ज्येष्ठं न्ययोजयत् प्रतीच्यामुत्तरस्यां तु द्रुह्युं चानुं च तावुभौ

The king appointed his eldest son Yadu to the south, and to the west and north he assigned Druhyu and Anu, those two.

सप्तद्वीपां ययातिस्तु जित्वा पृथ्वीं ससागराम् व्यभजच्च त्रिधा राज्यं पुत्रेभ्यो नाहुषस्तदा

Having conquered the earth with its seven continents and oceans, Yayāti, son of Nāhuṣa, then divided the kingdom into three parts among his sons.

पुत्रसंक्रामितश्रीस्तु हर्षनिर्भरमानसः प्रीतिमानभवद्राजा भारम् आवेश्य बन्धुषु

Having transferred his royal splendor to his sons, the king, his heart full of joy, became content, entrusting the burden to his relatives.

अत्र गाथा महाराज्ञा पुरा गीता ययातिना याभिः प्रत्याहरेत् कामान् सर्वतो ऽङ्गानि कूर्मवत्

Here are the verses once sung long ago by the great king Yayāti, by which one may recall desires from all sides, as a tortoise draws in its limbs.

ताभिर् एव नरः श्रीमान् नान्यथा कर्मकोटिकृत् न जातु कामः कामानाम् उपभोगेन शाम्यति

By these alone, not by performing countless actions, does a fortunate man attain; desire is never quenched by the enjoyment of desires.

हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते यत्पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशवः स्त्रियः

Like fire fed by offerings, it grows ever more; whatever rice, barley, gold, cattle, or women there are on earth.

नालमेकस्य तत्सर्वम् इति मत्वा शमं व्रजेत् यदा न कुरुते भावं सर्वभूतेषु पापकम्

Thinking, 'All this is not enough for one person,' one should seek peace, when one no longer harbors evil intent toward any being.