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.
ऋतुकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते देवयानी वराङ्गना लेभे गर्भं प्रथमतः कुमारश्च व्यजायत
When the proper season arrived, Devayānī, the lovely woman, first conceived, and a son was born.
गते वर्षसहस्रे तु शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी ददर्श यौवनं प्राप्ता ऋतुं सा कमलेक्षणा
After a thousand years had passed, Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, reached youth and, lotus-eyed, attained her season.
चिन्तयामास धर्मज्ञा ऋतुप्राप्तौ च भामिनी ऋतुकालश्च सम्प्राप्तो न कश्चिन्मे पतिर्वृतः
The virtuous and radiant Śarmiṣṭhā reflected: ‘My season has come, but I have no husband.’
किं प्राप्तं किंच कर्तव्यं कथं कृत्वा सुखं भवेत् देवयानी प्रसूतासौ वृथाहं प्राप्तयौवना
‘What has come to pass? What should be done? How can I find happiness? Devayānī has given birth, while I have reached youth in vain.’
यथा तया वृतो भर्ता तथैवाहं वृणोमि तम् राज्ञा पुत्रफलं देयम् इति मे निश्चिता मतिः अपीदानीं स धर्मात्मा रहो मे दर्शनं व्रजेत्
‘As she chose a husband, so too will I choose him. The king should grant me the fruit of a son—this is my firm resolve. Perhaps now that righteous one will come to me in private.’
अथ निष्क्रम्य राजासौ तस्मिन्काले यदृच्छया अशोकवनिकाभ्याशे शर्मिष्ठां प्राप्य विस्मितः
Then, as the king happened to go out at that time, he came upon Śarmiṣṭhā near the Aśoka grove and was astonished.
तमेकं रहसि दृष्ट्वा शर्मिष्ठा चारुहासिनी प्रत्युद्गम्याञ्जलिं कृत्वा राजानं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Seeing the king alone in private, Śarmiṣṭhā, with a lovely smile, approached him, made reverence with joined palms, and spoke these words:
सोमश्चेन्द्रश्च वायुश्च यमश्च वरुणश्च वा तव वा नाहुष गृहे कः स्त्रियं द्रष्टुमर्हति
‘O son of Nahusha, who in your house—be it Soma, Indra, Vāyu, Yama, or Varuṇa—has the right to look upon a woman?’
रूपाभिजनशीलैर्हि त्वं राजन्वेत्थ मां सदा सा त्वां याचे प्रसाद्येह रन्तुमेहि नराधिप
‘O king, you have always known me by my beauty, lineage, and character. Therefore, I beseech you, be gracious and unite with me here, O lord of men.’
वेद्मि त्वां शीलसम्पन्नां दैत्यकन्यामनिन्दिताम् रूपं तु ते न पश्यामि सूच्यग्रमपि निन्दितम्
‘I know you to be a virtuous daughter of the Daityas, blameless in conduct. I do not see even a needle-point’s fault in your beauty.’