दैत्यैः प्राह यदि स्वामी वो भवामि ततस्त्वलम् नासुरैः प्रतिपन्नं तत् प्रतिपन्नं सुरैस्तथा
The Daityas said, 'If you become our lord, then enough with the Asuras; what has been accepted by the Asuras, let that be accepted by the Devas as well.'
स्वामी भव त्वमस्माकं संग्रामे नाशय द्विषः ततो विनाशिताः सर्वे ये ऽवध्या वज्रपाणिना
'Be our lord in battle and destroy our enemies; then all those who were invincible even to the wielder of the thunderbolt were slain.'
पुत्रत्वमगमत्तुष्टस् तस्येन्द्रः कर्मणा विभुः दत्त्वेन्द्राय तदा राज्यं जगाम तपसे रजिः
Indra, pleased by his actions, accepted him as a son; granting the kingdom to Indra, Raji then departed to practice austerities.
रजिपुत्रैस्तदाच्छिन्नं बलादिन्द्रस्य वैभवम् यज्ञभागं च राज्यं च तपोबलगुणान्वितैः
Then, by force, Raji’s sons took away Indra’s splendor, his share of the sacrifice, and his kingdom, being endowed with the power of asceticism.
राज्यभ्रष्टस्तदा शक्रो रजिपुत्रैर्निपीडितः प्राह वाचस्पतिं दीनः पीडितो ऽस्मि रजेः सुतैः
Deprived of his kingdom and oppressed by Raji’s sons, Indra, afflicted and miserable, spoke to Brihaspati:
न यज्ञभागो राज्यं मे निर्जितश्च बृहस्पते राज्यलाभाय मे यत्नं विधत्स्व धिषणाधिप
'I have neither the share of the sacrifice nor the kingdom, and I have been defeated, O Brihaspati; strive for me, lord of wisdom, so that I may regain my kingdom.'
ततो बृहस्पतिः शक्रम् अकरोद्बलदर्पितम् ग्रहशान्तिविधानेन पौष्टिकेन च कर्मणा
Then Brihaspati made Indra proud and strong again through rites for pacifying hostile influences and nourishing rituals.
गत्वाथ मोहयामास रजिपुत्रान्बृहस्पतिः जिनधर्मं समास्थाय वेदबाह्यं स वेदवित्
Then Brihaspati went and deluded Raji’s sons, adopting the doctrine of the Jinas, which is outside the Vedas, though he himself was learned in the Vedas.
वेदत्रयीपरिभ्रष्टांश् चकार धिषणाधिपः वेदबाह्यान्परिज्ञाय हेतुवादसमन्वितान्
The lord of wisdom caused them to fall away from the three Vedas, recognizing them as outside the Vedas and filled with disputatious reasoning.
जघान शक्रो वज्रेण सर्वान्धर्मबहिष्कृतान् नहुषस्य प्रवक्ष्यामि पुत्रान्सप्तैव धार्मिकान्
Indra then struck down all those excluded from dharma with his thunderbolt; I will now tell you of Nahusha’s seven righteous sons.
यतिर्ययातिः संयातिर् उद्भवः पाचिरेव च शर्यातिर्मेघजातिश्च सप्तैते वंशवर्धनाः
Yati, Yayati, Samyati, Udbhava, Puru, Sharyati, and Meghajati—these seven increased the lineage.
यतिः कुमारभावे ऽपि योगी वैखानसो ऽभवत् ययातिश्चाकरोद्राज्यं धर्मैकशरणः सदा
Even in his youth, Yati became a yogi and a forest-dweller; Yayati, always devoted to righteousness, ruled the kingdom.
शर्मिष्ठा तस्य भार्याभूद् दुहिता वृषपर्वणः भार्गवस्यात्मजा तद्वद् देवयानी च सुव्रता
Sharmishtha, daughter of Vrishaparvan, became his wife; likewise, Devayani, the virtuous daughter of the Bhargava, was his wife.
ययातेः पञ्च दायादास् तान्प्रवक्ष्यामि नामतः देवयानी यदुं पुत्रं तुर्वसुं चाप्यजीजनत्
Yayati had five heirs; I will tell you their names: Devayani bore him the sons Yadu and Turvasu.
तथा द्रुह्युमनुं पूरुं शर्मिष्ठाजनयत्सुतान् यदुः पूरुश्चाभवतां तेषां वंशविवर्धनौ
In the same way, Sharmishtha bore him Druhyu, Anu, and Puru; among them, Yadu and Puru became the enhancers of the lineage.
ययातिर्नाहुषश्चासीद् राजा सत्यपराक्रमः पालयामास स महीम् ईजे च विधिवन्मखैः
Yayati, son of Nahusha, was a king of true valor; he protected the earth and performed sacrifices according to rule.
अतिभक्त्या पितॄनर्च्य देवांश्च प्रयतः सदा अथाजयत्प्रजाः सर्वा ययातिरपराजितः
With great devotion, he always worshipped the ancestors and the gods with care; and Yayati, unconquered, subdued all his subjects.
स शाश्वतीः समा राजा प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् जराम् आर्छन् महाघोरां नाहुषो रूपनाशिनीम्
That king, protecting his people with righteousness for many ages, Nahusha’s son Yayati, was afflicted by terrible old age, which destroys beauty.
जराभिभूतः पुत्रान् स राजा वचनमब्रवीत् यदुं पूरुं तुर्वसुं च द्रुह्युं चानुं च पार्थिवः
Afflicted by old age, the king addressed his sons—Yadu, Puru, Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu.
यौवनेन चलान्कामान् युवा युवतिभिः सह विहर्तुम् अहमिच्छामि साहाय्यं कुरुतात्मजाः
Desiring to indulge in pleasures with young women, I wish to enjoy youth; my sons, grant me your assistance.
तं पुत्रो देवयानेयः पूर्वजो यदुरब्रवीत् साहाय्यं भवतः कार्यम् अस्माभिर्यौवनेन किम्
Then Yadu, the eldest son born of Devayani, replied: What need have we to assist you with our youth?
ययातिरब्रवीत् पुत्राञ् जरा मे प्रतिगृह्यताम् यौवनेनाथ भवतां चरेयं विषयानहम्
Yayati said to his sons: Take my old age upon yourselves, so that with your youth I may pursue pleasures.
यजतो दीर्घसत्त्रैर्मे शापाच्चोशनसो मुनेः कामार्थः परिहीनो मे ऽतृप्तो ऽहं तेन पुत्रकाः
Through long sacrifices and the curse of the sage Ushanas, my desire has been diminished; I am unsatisfied, my sons.
स्वकीयेन शरीरेण जरामेनां प्रशास्तु वः अहं तन्वाभिनवया युवा कामानवाप्नुयाम्
Let one of you restrain this old age with your own body, so that I, with a renewed form, may attain pleasures as a youth.
न ते ऽस्य प्रत्यगृह्णन्त यदुप्रभृतयो जराम् चतुरस्तान्स राजर्षिर् अशपच्चेति नः श्रुतम्
None of them, beginning with Yadu, accepted his old age; the royal sage cursed those four, as we have heard.
तमब्रवीत्ततः पूरुः कनीयान्सत्यविक्रमः जरां मा देहि नवया तन्वा मे यौवनात्सुखी
Then Puru, the youngest and steadfast in truth, spoke: Do not give me old age; let me be happy with youth and a new body.
अहं जरां तवादाय राज्ये स्थास्यामि चाज्ञया एवमुक्तः स राजर्षिस् तपोवीर्यसमाश्रयात्
I will take your old age and remain in the kingdom by your command; so spoke the royal sage, relying on the power of asceticism.
संस्थापयामास जरां तदा पुत्रे महात्मनि पौरवेणाथ वयसा राजा यौवनमास्थितः
He then transferred old age to his noble son Puru, and the king assumed youth through Puru's vigor.
ययातेश्चाथ वयसा राज्यं पूरुरकारयत् ततो वर्षसहस्रान्ते ययातिरपराजितः
With Puru's youth, Yayati ruled the kingdom; after a thousand years, Yayati remained undefeated.
अतृप्त इव कामानां पूरुं पुत्रमुवाच ह त्वया दायादवान् अस्मि त्वं मे वंशकरः सुतः
Still unsatisfied in desire, he addressed his son Puru: Through you I have obtained an heir; you are the maker of my lineage, my son.