यत्रोषितं विशालाक्षि त्वया चन्द्रनिभानने तत्राहमुषितो भद्रे कुक्षौ काव्यस्य भामिनि
Where you, O wide-eyed one, with a face like the moon, have dwelled, there I too have dwelled, O gentle lady, within the womb of Kavya, O radiant woman.
भगिनी धर्मतो मे त्वं मैवं वोचः शुभानने सुखेनाध्युषितो भद्रे न मन्युर्विद्यते मम
By dharma, you are my sister, O auspicious-faced one; do not speak thus. I have dwelled with you happily, O gentle lady, and I bear no anger.
आपृच्छे त्वां गमिष्यामि शिवमस्त्वथ मे पथि अविरोधेन धर्मस्य स्मर्तव्यो ऽस्मि कथान्तरे अप्रमत्तोद्यता नित्यम् आराधय गुरुं मम
I take leave of you; I shall depart. May my journey be auspicious. Without violating dharma, remember me in another tale. Always be vigilant and devoted, and worship my guru.
दैत्यैर्हतस्त्वं यद्भर्तृबुद्ध्या त्वं रक्षितो मया यदि मां धर्मकामार्थं प्रत्याख्यास्यसि धर्मतः
You were slain by the demons, yet I protected you with the resolve of a husband. If you reject me for the sake of dharma, desire, and wealth, then so be it.
ततः कच न ते विद्या सिद्धिमेषा गमिष्यति
Then, Kacha, this knowledge will not attain its fulfillment for you.
गुरुपुत्रीति कृत्वाहं प्रत्याख्यास्ये न दोषतः गुरुणा चाभ्यनुज्ञातः काममेव शपस्व माम्
Declaring myself as the guru's son, I shall reject you, not out of fault. Having been permitted by the guru, curse me as you wish.
आर्षं धर्मं ब्रुवाणो ऽहं देवयानि यथा त्वया शप्तुं नार्हो ऽस्मि कल्याणि कामतो ऽद्य च धर्मतः
I speak the ancient dharma, O Devayani, just as you do. I am not fit to be cursed by you, O blessed one, either by desire or by dharma today.
तस्माद्भवत्या यः कामो न तथा सम्भविष्यति ऋषिपुत्रो न ते कश्चिज् जातु पाणिं ग्रहीष्यति
Therefore, the desire you have will not be fulfilled. No son of a sage will ever take your hand in marriage.
फलिष्यति न मे विद्या त्वद्वचश्चेति तत्तया अध्यापयिष्यामि च यं तस्य विद्या फलिष्यति
My knowledge will not bear fruit, as you have said. Yet, I shall teach it to another, and for him, the knowledge will bear fruit.
एवमुक्त्वा नृपश्रेष्ठ देवयानीं कचस्तदा त्रिदशेशालयं शीघ्रं जगाम द्विजसत्तमः
Having spoken thus, O best of kings, Kacha then swiftly went to the abode of the lord of the gods, O best of twice-born.
तमागतमभिप्रेक्ष्य देवाः सेन्द्रपुरोगमाः बृहस्पतिं सभाज्येदं कचमाहुर्मुदान्विताः
Seeing him arrive, the gods, led by Indra, honored Kacha and joyfully spoke these words to Brihaspati.
त्वं कचास्मद्धितं कर्म कृतवान्महदद्भुतम् न ते यशः प्रणशिता भागभाक्च भविष्यसि
O Kacha, you have performed a great and wondrous deed for our benefit. Your fame will not perish, and you shall receive your share.
कृतविद्ये कचे प्राप्ते हृष्टरूपा दिवौकसः कचादवेत्य तां विद्यां कृतार्था भरतर्षभ
When Kacha had mastered the knowledge and returned, the gods were delighted; learning from Kacha that he had accomplished his purpose, O best of Bharatas.
सर्व एव समागम्य शतक्रतुमथाब्रुवन् कालस्त्वद्विक्रमस्याद्य जहि शत्रून्पुरंदर
All assembled together and addressed Shatakratu, saying: 'Now is the time for your valor; slay the enemies, O Purandara.'
एवमुक्तस्तु सह तैस् त्रिदशैर् मघवांस्तदा तथेत्युक्त्वोपचक्राम सो ऽपश्यद्विपिने स्त्रियः
Thus addressed by the gods, Maghavan then agreed and set forth; he saw women in the forest.
क्रीडन्तीनां तु कन्यानां वने चैत्ररथोपमे वायुर्भूतः स वस्त्राणि सर्वाण्येव व्यमिश्रयत्
As the maidens played in the forest, resembling Chaitraratha, the wind, taking form, scattered all their garments.
ततो जलात् समुत्तीर्य ताः कन्याः सहितास्तदा वस्त्राणि जगृहुस्तानि यथासंस्थान्यनेकशः
Then, having emerged from the water together, those maidens took up their garments, each as they were arranged, in various ways.
तत्र वासो देवयान्याः शर्मिष्ठा जगृहे तदा व्यतिक्रममजानन्ती दुहिता वृषपर्वणः
There, Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan, unknowingly took Devayani's garment, not realizing the transgression.
ततस्तयोर् मिथस्तत्र विरोधः समजायत देवयान्याश्च राजेन्द्र शर्मिष्ठायाश्च तत्कृते
Then, because of this, a conflict arose between Devayani and Sharmishtha, O king, concerning that matter.
कस्माद्गृह्णासि मे वस्त्रं शिष्या भूत्वा ममासुरि समुदाचारहीनाया न ते श्रेयो भविष्यति
Why do you take my garment, having become my disciple, O Asuri? Lacking proper conduct, you will not attain any good.
आसीनं च शयानं च पिता ते पितरं मम स्तौति पृच्छति चाभीक्ष्णं नीचस्थः सुविनीतवत्
Your father, sitting and lying, constantly praises and questions my father, behaving humbly and with great propriety.
याचतस्त्वं च दुहिता स्तुवतः प्रतिगृह्णतः सुताहं स्तूयमानस्य ददतो न तु गृह्णतः
You are the daughter of one who begs, praises, and accepts; I am the daughter of one who is praised and gives, but does not accept.
अनायुधा सायुधायाः किं त्वं कुप्यसि भिक्षुकि लप्स्यसे प्रतियोद्धारं न च त्वां गणयाम्यहम्
Why do you, unarmed, become angry with one who is armed? You are a beggar and will receive retaliation, but I do not regard you at all.
सा विस्मयं देवयानीं गतां सक्तां च वाससि शर्मिष्ठा प्राक्षिपत्कूपे ततः स्वपुरमाविशत्
Sharmishtha, seeing Devayani astonished and clinging to her garment, threw her into a well and then entered her own city.
हतेयमिति विज्ञाय शर्मिष्ठा पापनिश्चया अनवेक्ष्य ययौ तस्मात् क्रोधवेगपरायणा
Knowing, 'She is slain,' Sharmishtha, intent on evil, departed without looking back, driven by the force of anger.
अथ तं देशमभ्यागाद् ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः श्रान्तयुग्यः श्रान्तरूपो मृगलिप्सुः पिपासितः
Then Yayati, son of Nahusha, arrived at that place, his horses and himself weary, desiring game and thirsty.
नाहुषिः प्रेक्षमाणो हि स निपाने गतोदके ददर्श कन्यां तां तत्र दीप्तामग्निशिखाम् इव
Nahusha's son, looking at the watering place where the water had receded, saw that maiden there, radiant like a blazing flame.
तामपृच्छत्स दृष्ट्वैव कन्याममरवर्णिनीम् सान्त्वयित्वा नृपश्रेष्ठः साम्ना परमवल्गुना
Seeing that maiden of celestial beauty, the foremost king gently questioned and consoled her with the utmost kindness.
का त्वं चारुमुखी श्यामा सुमृष्टमणिकुण्डला दीर्घं ध्यायसि चात्यर्थं कस्माच्छ्वसिषि चातुरा
Who are you, O lovely-faced, dark-skinned maiden, adorned with well-polished jeweled earrings? Why do you meditate so deeply and sigh so cleverly?
कथं च पतिता ह्य् अस्मिन् कूपे वीरुत्तृणावृते दुहिता चैव कस्य त्वं वद सर्वं सुमध्यमे
How have you fallen into this well, covered with grass and creepers? Whose daughter are you? Tell me everything, O slender-waisted one.