सतां सकाशे पतितो ऽसि राजंश् च्युतः प्रतिष्ठां यत्र लब्धासि भूयः एवं विदित्वा तु पुनर्ययाते न ते ऽवमान्याः सदृशः श्रेयसे च
You have fallen among the virtuous, O King, losing your position, but here you may regain it. Knowing this, O Yayati, do not disdain those who are equal or superior.
ततः पपातामरराजजुष्टात् पुण्याल्लोकात्पतमानं ययातिम् सम्प्रेक्ष्य राजर्षिवरो ऽष्टकस् तम् उवाच सद्धर्मविधानगोप्ता
Then Yayati fell from the blessed world enjoyed by the king of immortals. Seeing him fall, the foremost royal sage, Ashtaka, protector of righteous conduct, spoke to him.
कस्त्वं युवा वासवतुल्यरूपः स्वतेजसा दीप्यमानो यथाग्निः पतस्युदीर्णाम्बुधरप्रकाशः खे खेचराणां प्रवरो यथार्कः
Who are you, young man, whose form equals that of Vasava, shining with your own brilliance like fire, falling like a radiant cloud, foremost among sky-dwellers like the sun?
दृष्ट्वा च त्वां सूर्यपथात्पतन्तं वैश्वानरार्कद्युतिमप्रमेयम् किंनुस्विद् एतत् पततीव सर्वे वितर्कयन्तः परिमोहिताः स्मः
Seeing you fall from the path of the sun, possessing immeasurable brilliance like fire and the sun, what is this that seems to be falling? All are bewildered, speculating about you.
दृष्ट्वा च त्वाधिष्ठितं देवमार्गे शक्रार्कविष्णुप्रतिमप्रभावम् प्रत्युद्गतास्त्वां वयमद्य सर्वे तस्मात्पाते तव जिज्ञासमानाः
Seeing you established on the divine path, with a glory equal to Indra, the sun, and Vishnu, we have all come forth to meet you, wishing to know the reason for your fall.
न चापि त्वां धृष्णवः प्रष्टुम् अग्रे न च त्वमस्मान्पृच्छसि के वयं स्म तत्त्वां पृच्छामि स्पृहणीयरूपं कस्य त्वं वा किंनिमित्तं त्वमागाः
None of us dares to question you directly, nor do you ask us who we are. I ask you, whose form is desirable: who are you, and for what reason have you come?
भयं तु ते व्येतु विषादमोहौ त्यजाशु देवेन्द्रसमानरूप त्वां वर्तमानं हि सतां सकाशे शक्रो न सोढुं बलहापि शक्तः
Let your fear depart, abandon sorrow and confusion, you whose form equals Indra. Even Indra, though powerful, could not endure you among the virtuous.
सन्तः प्रतिष्ठा हि सुखच्युतानां सतां सदैवामरराजकल्प ते संगताः स्थावरजङ्गमेशाः प्रतिष्ठितस्त्वं सदृशेषु सत्सु
The virtuous are always a refuge for those who have lost happiness; among the virtuous, you are like the king of immortals. All beings, moving and unmoving, are gathered here; you are established among those who are equal.
प्रभुरग्निः प्रतपने भूमिरावपने प्रभुः प्रभुः सूर्यः प्रकाशाच्च सतां चाभ्यागतः प्रभुः
Fire is master in burning, earth in receiving, the sun in shining, and among the virtuous, the one who arrives is master.
अहं ययातिर्नहुषस्य पुत्रः पूरोः पिता सर्वभूतावमानात् प्रभ्रंशितो ऽहं सुरसिद्धलोकात् परिच्युतः प्रपताम्यल्पपुण्यः
I am Yayati, son of Nahusha, father of Puru. Because I disrespected all beings, I have fallen from the world of gods and perfected ones, cast down, with little merit.
अहं हि पूर्वो वयसा भवद्भयस् तेनाभिवादं भवतां न युञ्जे यो विद्यया तपसा जन्मना वा वृद्धः स वै सम्भवति द्विजानाम्
I am older than you in age, and therefore I do not offer you greeting. Among twice-born, he who is elder by knowledge, austerity, or birth is honored.
अवादीस्त्वं वयसास्मि प्रवृद्ध इति वै राजन्न् अधिकः कथंचित् यो वै विद्वांस्तपसा सम्प्रवृद्धः स एव पूज्यो भवति द्विजानाम्
You spoke, 'I am elder by age,' O King, but one who is advanced in knowledge and austerity is truly honored among the twice-born.
प्रतिकूलं कर्मणां पापमाहुस् तद्वर्तिनां प्रवणं पापलोकम् सन्तो ऽसतो नान्ववर्तन्त ते वै यदात्मनैषां प्रतिकूलवादी
They say that acting against righteousness is sinful, and those who follow such a path fall into evil worlds. The virtuous do not follow the unvirtuous; you spoke against their nature.
अभूद्धनं मे विपुलं महद्वै विचेष्टमानो ऽधिगन्ता तदस्मि एवं प्रधार्यात्महिते निविष्टो यो वर्तते स विजानाति धीरः
I had abundant wealth, great indeed, but striving, I have attained this state. Thus, one who acts with resolve for self-benefit understands, and the wise follow this path.
नानाभावा बहवो जीवलोके दैवाधीना नष्टचेष्टाधिकाराः तत्तत्प्राप्य न विहन्येत धीरो दिष्टं बलीय इति मत्वात्मबुद्ध्या
In the world of living beings, there are many diverse forms, all subject to destiny, their power of action lost; having attained whatever is allotted, the wise man should not be disturbed, thinking with his own understanding that fate is stronger.
सुखं हि जन्तुर्यदि वापि दुःखं दैवाधीनं विन्दति नात्मशक्त्या तस्माद्दिष्टं बलवन्मन्यमानो न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत्कदाचित्
Indeed, whether happiness or sorrow, a creature experiences it by destiny, not by its own power; therefore, considering fate to be powerful, one should neither grieve nor ever exult.
दुःखे न तप्येत सुखे न हृष्येत् समेन वर्तेत सदैव धीरः दिष्टं बलीय इति मन्यमानो न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत् कदाचित्
In suffering, one should not be tormented; in happiness, one should not rejoice; the wise should always remain even-minded, thinking fate is powerful, and should neither be distressed nor ever delighted.
भये न मुह्याम्यष्टकाहं कदाचित् संतापो मे मनसो नास्ति कश्चित् धाता यथा मां विदधाति लोके ध्रुवं तथाहं भवितेति मत्वा
In fear, I am never bewildered, O Ashtaka; no distress arises in my mind; as the Creator ordains for me in the world, so surely shall I become—thus I reflect.
संस्वेदजा ह्य् अण्डजा ह्य् उद्भिदश्च सरीसृपाः कृमयो ऽप्य् अप्सु मत्स्याः तथाश्मानस्तृणकाष्ठं च सर्वं दिष्टक्षये स्वां प्रकृतिं भजन्ते
Those born of sweat, of eggs, of sprouts, reptiles, worms, and fish in the waters, as well as stones, grass, and wood—all, when their destined end arrives, return to their own nature.
अनित्यतां सुखदुःखस्य बुद्ध्वा कस्मात् संतापमष्टकाहं भजेयम् किं कुर्यां वै किंच कृत्वा न तप्ये तस्मात्संतापं वर्जयाम्यप्रमत्तः
Recognizing the impermanence of happiness and sorrow, why should I, O Ashtaka, be distressed? What could I do, or having done, not be afflicted? Therefore, being vigilant, I avoid sorrow.
एवं ब्रुवाणं नृपतिं ययातिम् अथाष्टकः पुनरेवान्वपृच्छत् मातामहं सर्वगुणोपपन्नं यत्र स्थितं स्वर्गलोके यथावत्
Thus, as King Yayati was speaking, Ashtaka again questioned him: 'Grandfather, endowed with all virtues, tell me truly how you resided in the world of heaven.'
ये ये लोकाः पार्थिवेन्द्र प्रधानास् त्वया भुक्ता यं च काले यथा च तन्मे राजन्ब्रूहि सर्वं यथावत् क्षेत्रज्ञवद्भाषसे त्वं हि धर्मम्
O king of kings, tell me in detail about all those principal worlds you enjoyed, and at what times and in what manner; speak to me of all this, O king, as one who knows the field, for you speak of dharma.
राजाहमासं त्व् इह सार्वभौमस् ततो लोकान्महतश् चाजर्यं वै तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकान्परमानभ्युपेतः
Here, I was a universal monarch; then I attained great worlds and dwelled there for a thousand years; after that, I reached even higher worlds.
ततः पुरीं पुरुहूतस्य रम्यां सहस्रद्वारां शतयोजनान्ताम् अध्यावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकान्परमानभ्युपेतः
Then I dwelled in the delightful city of Puruhuta, with a thousand gates, extending a hundred yojanas, for a thousand years; after that, I attained even higher worlds.
ततो दिव्यमजरं प्राप्य लोकं प्रजापतेर् लोकपतेर्दुरापम् तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं ततो लोकान्परमानभ्युपेतः
Then, having attained the divine, ageless world of the Lord of Creatures, difficult to reach even for the lord of the world, I dwelled there for a thousand years; after that, I attained even higher worlds.
देवस्य देवस्य निवेशने च विजित्य लोकान्न्यवसं यथेष्टम् सम्पूज्यमानस्त्रिदशैः समस्तैस् तुल्यप्रभावद्युतिरीश्वराणाम्
In the abode of the god of gods, having conquered the worlds, I dwelled as I wished, honored by all the gods, possessing splendor and power equal to the lords.
तथावसं नन्दने कामरूपी संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम् सहाप्सरोभिर्विचरन्पुण्यगन्धान् पश्यन्नगान् पुष्पितांश्चारुरूपान्
In the same way, I dwelled in Nandana, assuming forms at will, for a hundred thousand years, moving with the Apsarases, enjoying fragrant breezes, and beholding beautiful, blossoming trees.
तत्र स्थितं मां देवसुखेषु सक्तं काले ऽतीते महति ततो ऽतिमात्रम् दूतो देवानामब्रवीदुग्ररूपो ध्वंसेत्युच्चैस्त्रिः प्लुतेन स्वरेण
There, as I remained, attached to the pleasures of the gods, after a long time had passed, a fierce messenger of the gods spoke loudly to me, saying three times with a raised voice, 'Be destroyed!'
एतावन्मे विदितं राजसिंह ततो भ्रष्टो ऽहं नन्दनात्क्षीणपुण्यः वाचो ऽश्रौषं चान्तरिक्षे सुराणाम् अनुक्रोशाच्छोचतां मां नरेन्द्र
This much, O lion among kings, is known to me; then, fallen from Nandana, my merit exhausted, I heard the voices of the gods in the sky, lamenting me with compassion, O king.
अकस्माद्वै क्षीणपुण्यो ययातिः पतत्यसौ पुण्यकृत्पुण्यकीर्तिः तानब्रुवं पतमानस्तदाहं सतां मध्ये निपतेयं कथं नु
Suddenly, Yayati, whose merit was exhausted, fell—he who had performed meritorious deeds and was famed for virtue; as I was falling, I said to them, 'How can I, among the virtuous, fall down?'