पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु ते प्रदास्यामि यौवनम् स्वं चादास्यामि भूयो ऽहं पाप्मानं जरया सह
But when a thousand years are complete, I will give you back your youth, and I will again take on sin together with old age.
न राज्यं न रथं नाश्वं जीर्णो भुङ्क्ते न च स्त्रियम् न रागश्चास्य भवति तज्जरां ते न कामये
An old man enjoys neither kingdom, nor chariot, nor horse, nor woman; he feels no passion—such old age I do not desire.
यस्त्वं मे हृदयाज्जातो वयः स्वं न प्रयच्छसि तद्द्रुह्यो वै प्रियः कामो न ते सम्पत्स्यते क्वचित्
If you, born from my heart, do not give me your youth, then, Druhyu, you will never obtain what you love and desire.
नौर् उपप्लवसंचारो यत्र नित्यं भविष्यति अराज्यभोजशब्दं त्वं तत्र प्राप्स्यसि सान्वयः
Where travel is always by boat over floods, there you and your descendants will be known as those who do not enjoy sovereignty.
अनो त्वं प्रतिपद्यस्व पाप्मानं जरया सह एकं वर्षसहस्रं तु चरेयं यौवनेन ते
You, Anu, take upon yourself old age along with its affliction; let me live for a thousand years with your youth.
जीर्णः शिशुरिवादत्ते काले ऽन्नमशुचिर्यथा न जुहोति च काले ऽग्निं तां जरां नाभिकामये
A worn-out man, like a child, takes food at the wrong time, as if impure; he does not offer oblations into the fire at the proper time—such old age I do not desire.
यस्त्वं मे हृदयाज्जातो वयः स्वं न प्रयच्छसि जरादोषस्त्वयोक्तो यस् तस्मात्त्वं प्रतिपद्यसे
You, who are born from my heart, do not give me your youth; you have spoken of the fault of old age, and so you must accept it.
प्रजाश्च यौवनं प्राप्ता विनश्यन्ति ह्य् अनो तव अग्निप्रस्कन्दनगतस् त्वं चाप्येवं भविष्यसि
Your offspring, having attained youth, perish, O Anu; you too will become like this, when your fire is extinguished.
पूरो त्वं प्रतिपद्यस्व पाप्मानं जरया सह त्वं मे प्रियतरः पुत्रस् त्वं वरीयान् भविष्यसि
You, Puru, take upon yourself old age along with its affliction; you are dearer to me than a son, and you shall become greater.
जरा वली च मां तात पलितानि च पर्यगुः काव्यस्योशनसः शापान् न च तृप्तो ऽस्मि यौवने
Old age and wrinkles, dear child, and gray hairs have come upon me because of the curse of Kāvya Uśanas, and I am not yet satisfied with youth.
किंचित्कालं चरेयं वै विषयान्वयसा तव पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु प्रतिदास्यामि यौवनम् स्वं चैव प्रतिपत्स्ये ऽहं पाप्मानं जरया सह
Let me enjoy sensual pleasures for a little while with your vigor; when a thousand years are complete, I will return your youth and take back old age with its affliction.
एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच पूरुः पितरमञ्जसा यथात्थ त्वं महाराज तत्करिष्यामि ते वचः
Thus addressed, Puru replied straightforwardly to his father: 'As you say, great king, so I will do your bidding.'
प्रतिपत्स्यामि ते राजन् पाप्मानं जरया सह गृहाण यौवनं मत्तश् चर कामान् यथेप्सितान्
'I will take upon myself, O king, old age with its affliction; receive youth from me and enjoy pleasures as you desire.'
जरयाहं प्रतिच्छन्नो वयोरूपधरस्तव यौवनं भवते दत्त्वा चरिष्यामि यथेच्छया
'Covered by old age, I will bear your form and age; having given you my youth, I will live as you wish.'
पूरो प्रीतो ऽस्मि ते वत्स वरं चेमं ददामि ते सर्वकामसमृद्धार्था भविष्यति तव प्रजा
'Puru, I am pleased with you, my child; I grant you this boon: your progeny will be prosperous in all desires and wealth.'
एवमुक्तः स राजर्षिः काव्यं स्मृत्वा महाव्रतम् संक्रामयामास जरां तदा पुत्रे महात्मनि
Thus addressed, that royal sage, remembering the great vow of Kāvya, then transferred old age to his noble son.
पौरवेणाथ वयसा ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः प्रीतियुक्तो नरश्रेष्ठश् चचार विषयान्प्रियान्
Then Yayāti, son of Nahusha, endowed with Puru's youth, delighted, best of men, enjoyed his beloved pleasures.
यथाकामं यथोत्साहं यथाकालं यथासुखम् धर्माविरुद्धान्राजेन्द्रो यथार्हति स एव हि
As he wished, with enthusiasm, at the right time, and with happiness, the king enjoyed pleasures not opposed to righteousness, as was fitting for him.
देवान् अतर्पयद् यज्ञैः श्राद्धैरपि पितामहान् दीनाननुग्रहैरिष्टैः कामैश्च द्विजसत्तमान्
He satisfied the gods with sacrifices, his ancestors with offerings, the distressed with acts of compassion, and the best of twice-born with desired gifts.
अतिथीनन्नपानैश्च विशश्च प्रतिपालनैः आनृशंस्येन शूद्रांश्च दस्यून्निग्रहणेन च
He honored guests with food and drink, protected the people, showed kindness, and subdued the Shudras and robbers.
धर्मेण च प्रजाः सर्वा यथावद् अनुरञ्जयन् ययातिः पालयामास साक्षादिन्द्र इवापरः
By righteousness, Yayāti delighted all his subjects as was proper, ruling as another Indra in person.
स राजा सिंहविक्रान्तो युवा विषयगोचरः अविरोधेन धर्मस्य चचार सुखमुत्तमम्
That king, lion-like in stride, youthful and engaged in pleasures, enjoyed supreme happiness without violating righteousness.
स सम्प्राप्य शुभान्कामांस् तृप्तः खिन्नश्च पार्थिवः कालं वर्षसहस्रान्तं सस्मार मनुजाधिपः
Having attained his auspicious desires, the king was satisfied yet weary, and the lord of men remembered the time when a thousand years would end.
परिचिन्त्य स कालज्ञः कलाकाष्ठाश्च वीर्यवान् पूर्णम् मत्वा ततः कालं पूरुं पुत्रमुवाच ह
That powerful one, knowing the proper time and reflecting upon the divisions of time, considered the period to be complete and thus spoke to his son Puru.
न जातु कामः कामानाम् उपभोगेन शाम्यति हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते
Desire is never quenched by the enjoyment of objects; like fire fed with ghee, it only grows all the more.
यत्पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशवः स्त्रियः नालमेकस्य तत्सर्वम् इति मत्वा शमं व्रजेत्
Whatever rice, barley, gold, cattle, or women exist on earth—all of that is not enough for one man; considering this, one should seek contentment.
यथासुखं यथोत्साहं यथाकाममरिंदम सेविता विषयाः पुत्र यौवनेन मया तव
O subduer of foes, with joy, with vigor, and as I wished, I have enjoyed the pleasures of youth, my son, together with you.
पूरो प्रीतो ऽस्मि भद्रं ते गृहाणेदं स्वयौवनम् राज्यं चैव गृहाणेदं त्वं हि मे प्रियकृत्सुतः
Puru, I am pleased; blessings to you! Accept this, your own youth, and also accept this kingdom, for you are my beloved son.
प्रतिपेदे जरां राजा ययातिर्नाहुषस्तदा यौवनं प्रतिपेदे स पूरुः स्वं पुनरात्मनः
Then King Yayati, son of Nahusha, accepted old age, and Puru received back his own youth.
अभिषेक्तुकामं च नृपं पूरुं पुत्रं कनीयसम् ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णा इदं वचनमब्रुवन्
When the king wished to anoint his younger son Puru, the classes headed by the Brahmins spoke these words.