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.
यो ऽसौ देवैर्हतान् दैत्यान् उत्थापयति विद्यया तस्य शुक्रस्य कन्याहं त्वं मां नूनं न बुध्यसे
I am the daughter of Shukra, who by his knowledge revives the Daityas slain by the gods; surely you do not recognize me.
एष मे दक्षिणो राजन् पाणिस् ताम्रनखाङ्गुलिः समुद्धर गृहीत्वा मां कुलीनस्त्वं हि मे मतः
Here is my right hand, O king, with copper-colored nails; lift me out, holding me, for you are considered noble by me.
जानामि त्वां च संशान्तं वीर्यवन्तं यशस्विनम् तस्मान्मां पतितां कूपाद् अस्माद् उद्धर्तुमर्हसि
I know you to be calm, powerful, and renowned; therefore, you ought to lift me out of this well, where I have fallen.
तामथ ब्राह्मणीं स्त्रीं च विज्ञाय नहुषात्मजः गृहीत्वा दक्षिणे पाणाव् उज्जहार ततो ऽवटात्
Then, recognizing her as a Brahmin woman, the son of Nahusha took her by the right hand and lifted her out of the pit.
उद्धृत्य चैनां तरसा तस्मात्कूपान्नराधिपः आमन्त्रयित्वा सुश्रोणीं ययातिः स्वपुरं ययौ
Then King Yayāti swiftly lifted her out of that well, and after addressing the lovely-hipped woman, he returned to his own city.
गते तु नाहुषे तस्मिन् देवयान्यपि निन्दिता उवाच शोकसंतप्ता घूर्णिकामागतां पुनः
When Nahusha's descendant had departed, Devayānī, scorned and tormented by grief, spoke again to Ghūrṇikā, who had come back.
त्वरितं घूर्णिके गच्छ सर्वमाचक्ष्व मे पितुः नेदानीं तु प्रवेक्ष्यामि नगरं वृषपर्वणः
Quickly go, Ghūrṇikā, and tell my father everything; I will not now enter the city of Vṛṣaparvan.
सा तु वै त्वरितं गत्वा घूर्णिकासुरमन्दिरम् दृष्ट्वा काव्यमुवाचेदं कम्पमाना विचेतना
So Ghūrṇikā hurried to the asura's palace, and, seeing Kāvya, she spoke these words, trembling and distraught.
आचख्यौ च महाभागा देवयानी वने हता शर्मिष्ठया महाप्राज्ञ दुहित्रा वृषपर्वणः
The blessed one reported: 'Devayānī has been killed in the forest by Śarmiṣṭhā, the wise daughter of Vṛṣaparvan.'
श्रुत्वा दुहितरं काव्यस् तदा शर्मिष्ठया हताम् त्वरया निर्ययौ दुःखान् मार्गमाणः सुतां वने
Hearing that his daughter had been killed by Śarmiṣṭhā, Kāvya at once went out in haste, searching for his daughter in the forest, stricken with grief.