सर्वमेव नरव्याघ्र विधानमनुवर्तते विधिना विहितं ज्ञात्वा मा विचित्रं मनः कृथाः
Everything, O tiger among men, proceeds according to destiny; knowing it is ordained by fate, do not let your mind be perplexed.
राजवद्रूपवेषौ ते ब्राह्मीं वाचं बिभर्षि च किंनामा त्वं कुतश्चासि कस्य पुत्रश्च शंस मे
You appear in royal form and dress, yet you speak with a Brāhmin's voice. Tell me your name, your origin, and whose son you are.
ब्रह्मचर्येण वेदो मे कृत्स्नः श्रुतिपथं गतः राजाहं राजपुत्रश्च ययातिरिति विश्रुतः
By celibacy I have mastered the entire Veda. I am a king and prince, renowned as Yayāti.
केन चार्थेन नृपते ह्य् एनं देशं समागतः जिघृक्षुर्वारि यत्किंचिद् अथवा मृगलिप्सया
For what purpose, O king, have you come to this place? Is it to take water, or perhaps seeking game?
मृगलिप्सुरहं भद्रे पानीयार्थम् इहागतः बहुधाप्यनुयुक्तो ऽस्मि त्वम् अनुज्ञातुमर्हसि
Desiring game, O gentle one, I have come here for water. Though you question me in many ways, you should grant me leave.
द्वाभ्यां कन्यासहस्राभ्यां दास्या शर्मिष्ठया सह त्वदधीनास्मि भद्रं ते सखे भर्ता च मे भव
With two thousand maidens and the maid Śarmiṣṭhā, I am under your authority. Blessings to you, friend—be my husband.
विद्ध्यौशनसि भद्रं ते न त्वदर्हो ऽस्मि भामिनि अविवाह्याः स्म राजानो देवयानि पितुस्तव
Know, O auspicious one, that I am not worthy, O beautiful lady; kings are not to be married, Devayani, by your father.
संसृष्टं ब्रह्मणा क्षत्रं क्षत्रं ब्रह्मणि संश्रितम् ऋषिश्च ऋषिपुत्रश्च नाहुषाद्य भजस्व माम्
The kshatriya and the brahmin orders are joined together by Brahma; kshatriya is established in brahmin, and brahmin in kshatriya; O son of Nahusha, neither sage nor sage’s son should you choose me.
एकदेहोद्भवा वर्णाश् चत्वारो ऽपि वरानने पृथग्धर्माः पृथक्छौचास् तेषां वै ब्राह्मणो वरः
The four classes, O lovely-faced one, are born from one body, each with its own duties and its own purity; among them, the brahmin is the highest.
पाणिग्रहो नाहुषायं न पुंभिः सेवितः पुरा त्वं पाणिमग्रहीदग्रे वृणोमि त्वामहं ततः
The taking of the hand by Nahusha’s son was not practiced by men before; you took my hand first, therefore I choose you.
कथं तु मे मनस्विन्याः पाणिमन्यः पुमान्स्पृशेत् गृहीतमृषिपुत्रेण स्वयं वाप्यृषिणा त्वया
How could another man touch the hand of one whose mind is steadfast, when it has been taken by a sage’s son, or by a sage himself, or by you?
क्रुद्धादाशीविषात् सर्पाज् ज्वलनात्सर्वतोमुखात् दुराधर्षतरो विप्रः पुरुषेण विजानता
A brahmin, when angered, is more difficult to withstand than a serpent with deadly poison or fire with mouths on every side, especially by a man of understanding.
कथमाशीविषात् सर्पाज् ज्वलनात् सर्वतोमुखात् दुराधर्षतरो विप्र इत्यात्थ पुरुषर्षभ
How is a brahmin more difficult to withstand than a serpent with deadly poison or fire with mouths on every side? Thus you ask, O best of men.
दशेदाशीविषस्त्वेकं शस्त्रेणैकश्च वध्यते हन्ति विप्रः सराष्ट्राणि पुराण्यपि हि कोपितः
A serpent with deadly poison bites only one; a weapon kills only one; but an angered brahmin destroys entire kingdoms, even ancient ones.
दुराधर्षतरो विप्रस् तस्माद्भीरु मतो मम अतो ऽदत्तां च पित्रा त्वां भद्रे न विवहाम्यहम्
Therefore, I consider a brahmin more difficult to withstand, O timid one; for this reason, your father did not give you to me, and so I do not marry you.
दत्तां वहस्व पित्रा मां त्वं हि राजन्वृतो मया अयाचतो भयं नास्ति दत्तां च प्रतिगृह्णतः
Bear me as given by your father; you, O king, have been chosen by me; there is no fear for one who receives a maiden given, nor for the one who accepts her.
त्वरितं देवयान्याथ प्रेषिता पितुरात्मनः सर्वं निवेदयामास धात्री तस्मै यथातथम्
Then, at Devayani’s command, her nurse quickly went and reported everything, just as it was, to her father.
श्रुत्वैव च स राजानं दर्शयामास भार्गवः दृष्ट्वैवम् आगतं विप्रं ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः
Hearing this, the Bhargava showed the king; seeing the brahmin thus arrived, Yayati, lord of the earth, beheld him.
ववन्दे ब्राह्मणं काव्यं प्राञ्जलिः प्रणतः स्थितः तं चाप्यभ्यवदत्काव्यः साम्ना परमवल्गुना
With joined palms, Yayati, standing bowed, saluted the brahmin Kavi; and Kavi addressed him with words most gentle and pleasing.
राजायं नाहुषस्तात दुर्गमे पाणिमग्रहीत् नमस्ते देहि मामस्मै लोके नान्यं पतिं वृणे
This king, O father, son of Nahusha, has taken my daughter’s hand in a difficult situation; I salute you, give me to him, I choose no other husband in the world.
वृतो ऽनया पतिर्वीर सुतया त्वं ममेष्टया गृहाणेमां मया दत्तां महिषीं नहुषात्मज
You, O hero, have been chosen as husband by this daughter of mine, whom I desire; accept her, given by me, as your queen, O son of Nahusha.
अधर्मो मां स्पृशेदेवं पापम् अस्याश्च भार्गव वर्णसंकरतो ब्रह्मन्न् इति त्वां प्रवृणोम्यहम्
If I were to act otherwise, O Bhargava, sin would touch me and her, O brahmin, due to the mixing of classes; therefore, I choose you.
अधर्मात्त्वां विमुञ्चामि वरं वरय चेप्सितम् अस्मिन्विवाहे त्वं श्लाघ्यो रहः पापं नुदामि ते
From unrighteousness I release you; choose whatever boon you desire; in this marriage you are to be praised, and I remove your secret sin.
वहस्व भार्यां धर्मेण देवयानीं शुचिस्मिताम् अनया सह सम्प्रीतिम् अतुलां समवाप्नुहि
Take Devayani, pure-smiling, as your wife in righteousness; with her, attain incomparable happiness.
इयं चापि कुमारी ते शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी संपूज्या सततं राजन् न चैनां शयने ह्वय
And this maiden, Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, must always be honored by you, O King, but do not summon her to your bed.
एवमुक्तो ययातिस्तु शुक्रं कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम् जगाम स्वपुरं हृष्टः सो ऽनुज्ञातो महात्मना
Thus addressed, Yayāti, having circumambulated Śukra, departed joyfully to his own city, having been permitted by the great-souled one.
ययातिः स्वपुरं प्राप्य महेन्द्रपुरसंनिभम् प्रविश्यान्तःपुरं तत्र देवयानीं न्यवेशयत्
Yayāti, having reached his own city, which resembled the city of Indra, entered his inner chambers and there settled Devayānī.
देवयान्याश्चानुमते सुतां तां वृषपर्वणः अशोकवनिकाभ्याशे गृहं कृत्वा न्यवेशयत्
With Devayānī’s consent, he built a house for the daughter of Vṛṣaparvan near the Aśoka grove and settled her there.
वृतां दासीसहस्रेण शर्मिष्ठाम् आसुरायणीम् वासोभिरन्नपानैश्च संविभज्य सुसंवृताम्
Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of the Asura, attended by a thousand maidservants, was well provided with garments, food, and drink, and was well cared for.
देवयान्या तु सहितः स नृपो नहुषात्मजः विजहार बहूनब्दान् देववन्मुदितो भृशम्
Then the king, son of Nahusha, together with Devayānī, spent many years joyfully, like in the garden of the gods.