मामब्रवीत्तदा शुक्रो देवयानीं यदावहम् नेयम् आह्वयितव्या ते शयने वार्षपर्वणी
‘Śukra once told me, when I married Devayānī: This daughter of Vṛṣaparvan must not be summoned by you to your bed.’
न नर्मयुक्तं वचनं हिनस्ति न स्त्रीषु राजन् न विवाहकाले प्राणात्यये सर्वधनापहारे पञ्चानृतान्याहुर् अपातकानि
Words spoken in jest do not harm, O king, nor do they among women, nor at the time of marriage, in mortal danger, or when all wealth is lost; these five falsehoods are said to be without sin.
पृष्टास्तु साक्ष्ये प्रवदन्ति चान्यथा भवन्ति मिथ्यावचना नरेन्द्र ते एकार्थतायां तु समाहितायां मिथ्या वदन्तं ह्य् अनृतं हिनस्ति
When questioned as witnesses, they speak otherwise; their words become false, O King. But when united in purpose, one who speaks falsely injures truth.
राजा प्रमाणं भूतानां स विनश्येन्मृषा वदन् अर्थकृच्छ्रमपि प्राप्य न मिथ्या कर्तुमुत्सहे
The king is the authority among beings; he perishes if he speaks untruth. Even when facing hardship for wealth, he should not dare to act falsely.
समाव् एतौ मतौ राजन् पतिः सख्याश्च यः पतिः समं विवाह इत्याहुः सख्या मे ऽसि पतिर्यतः
These two opinions are held, O King: the husband is both a friend and a lord. They say marriage is equality; you are my friend because you are my husband.
दातव्यं याचमानस्य हीति मे व्रतमाहितम् त्वं च याचसि कामं मां ब्रूहि किं करवाणि तत्
It is my vow to give to one who asks; you are asking me for pleasure. Tell me, what shall I do for you?
अधर्मात्त्राहि मां राजन् धर्मं च प्रतिपादय त्वत्तो ऽपत्यवती लोके चरेयं धर्ममुत्तमम्
Save me from unrighteousness, O King, and establish righteousness. By you, may I bear offspring and practice the highest dharma in the world.
त्रय एवाधना राजन् भार्या दासस्तथा सुतः यत्ते समधिगच्छन्ति यस्य ते तस्य तद्धनम्
There are three who are without wealth, O King: wife, servant, and son. Whatever they acquire belongs to the one to whom they belong; that is his wealth.
देवयान्या भुजिष्यास्मि वश्या च तव भार्गवी सा चाहं च त्वया राजन् भरणीयां भजस्व माम्
I am to be enjoyed by you, O Bhārgava, and am under your control. Both Devayānī and I must be maintained by you, O King; accept me.
एवमुक्तस्तया राजा तथ्यम् इत्यभिजज्ञिवान् पूजयामास शर्मिष्ठां धर्मं च प्रतिपादयन्
Thus addressed by her, the king acknowledged the truth and honored Śarmiṣṭhā, establishing righteousness.
स समागम्य शर्मिष्ठां यथाकाममवाप्य च अन्योन्यं चाभिसंपूज्य जग्मतुस्तौ यथागतम्
He united with Śarmiṣṭhā, fulfilling his desire, and after mutually honoring each other, they departed as they had come.
तस्मिन्समागमे सुभ्रूः शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी लेभे गर्भं प्रथमतस् तस्मान्नृपतिसत्तमात्
In that union, Śarmiṣṭhā of beautiful brows, daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, first conceived from that foremost king.
प्रजज्ञे च ततः काले राज्ञी राजीवलोचना कुमारं देवगर्भाभम् आदित्यसमतेजसम्
Then, in due time, the lotus-eyed queen gave birth to a prince, resembling one born of the gods, equal in brilliance to the sun.
श्रुत्वा कुमारं जातं सा देवयानी शुचिस्मिता चिन्तयाविष्टदुःखार्ता शर्मिष्ठां प्रति भारत
Hearing that a prince was born, Devayānī of pure smile became distressed with anxious sorrow regarding Śarmiṣṭhā, O Bhārata.
ततो ऽभिगम्य शर्मिष्ठां देवयान्यब्रवीदिदम् किमर्थं वृजिनं सुभ्रूः कृतं ते कामलुब्धया
Then approaching Śarmiṣṭhā, Devayānī spoke: 'Why have you, beautiful-browed, acted wrongly out of desire?'
ऋषिर् अभ्यागतः कश्चिद् धर्मात्मा वेदपारगः स मया तु वरः कामं याचितो धर्मसंहतम्
A certain sage, righteous and learned in the Vedas, came to me. I requested him for a boon, in accordance with dharma.
नाहमन्यायतः कामम् आचरामि शुचिस्मिते तस्माद् ऋषेर् ममापत्यम् इति सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते
I do not act out of desire unrighteously, O pure-smiled one. Therefore, my child is from the sage; I speak the truth to you.
पद्येतदेवं शर्मिष्ठे न मन्युर्विद्यते मम अपत्यं यदि ते लब्धं ज्येष्ठाच्छ्रेष्ठाच्च वै द्विजात्
Let it be so, Śarmiṣṭhā; I bear no anger. If you have obtained offspring from a superior and elder twice-born, it is well.
शोभनं भीरु सत्यं चेत् कथं स ज्ञायते द्विजः गोत्रनामाभिजनतः श्रोतुमिच्छामि तं द्विजम्
If it is good and true, O timid one, how can that twice-born be known? I wish to hear his lineage, name, and origin.
ओजसा तेजसा चैव दीप्यमानं रविं यथा तं दृष्ट्वा मम संप्रष्टुं शक्तिर् नासीच्छुचिस्मिते
Radiant with vigor and brilliance like the sun, seeing him, O pure-smiled one, I had no power to question him.
अन्योन्यमेवम् उक्त्वा च सम्प्रहस्य च ते मिथः जगाम भार्गवी वेश्म तथ्यमित्यभिजानती
Having spoken thus to each other and laughing together, Bhārgavī, knowing the truth, went to her own dwelling.
ययातिर्देवयान्यां तु पुत्राव् अजनयन्नृपः यदुं च तुर्वसुं चैव शक्रविष्णू इवापरौ
King Yayāti then begot two sons on Devayānī: Yadu and Turvasu, who were like another Indra and Viṣṇu.
तस्मादेव तु राजर्षेः शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी द्रुह्यं चानुं च पूरुं च त्रीन्कुमारानजीजनत्
From that royal sage, Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of Vṛṣaparvan, gave birth to three sons: Druhyu, Anu, and Pūru.
ततः काले च कस्मिंश्चिद् देवयानी शुचिस्मिता ययातिसहिता राजञ् जगाम हरितं वनम्
Then, at some time, Devayānī of the bright smile, together with Yayāti, O King, went to a green forest.
ददर्श च तदा तत्र कुमारान्देवरूपिणः क्रीडमानान् तु विस्रब्धान् विस्मिता चेदमब्रवीत्
There she saw boys of divine appearance, playing freely, and, astonished, she spoke these words.
कस्यैते दारका राजन् देवपुत्रोपमाः शुभाः वर्चसा रूपतश्चैव दृश्यन्ते सदृशास्तव
Whose children are these, O King, who resemble sons of the gods, beautiful in form and radiance, and who look so much like you?
एवं पृष्ट्वा तु राजानं कुमारान्पर्यपृच्छत किं नामधेयगोत्रे वः पुत्रका ब्राह्मणः पिता
Having thus questioned the king, she asked the boys: 'What are your names and lineages? Is your father a brāhmaṇa, children?'
विब्रूत मे यथातथ्यं श्रोतुकामास्म्यतो ह्य् अहम् ते ऽदर्शयन्प्रदेशिन्या तमेव नृपसत्तमम्
Tell me the truth as it is; I wish to hear it. Then, by the guidance of the local woman, they showed her that excellent king.
शर्मिष्ठां मातरं चैव तस्या ऊचुः कुमारकाः इत्युक्त्वा सहितास्तेन राजानम् उपचक्रमुः
The boys said, 'Śarmiṣṭhā is our mother.' Having said this, together with him, they approached the king.
नाभ्यनन्दत तान्राजा देवयान्यास् तदान्तिके रुदन्तस्ते ऽथ शर्मिष्ठाम् अभ्ययुर् बालकास्तदा
The king did not welcome them in the presence of Devayānī; then, as the boys wept, they went to Śarmiṣṭhā.