तांस्ते ददामि पतमानस्य राजन् ये मे लोकास्तव ते वै भवन्तु यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रितास् तानाक्रम क्षिप्रमपेतमोहः
I give you those worlds as you fall, O king; let my worlds become yours. Whether they are established in the sky or in heaven, quickly ascend to them, your delusion dispelled.
नु तुल्यतेजाः सुकृतं हि कामये योगक्षेमं पार्थिवात्पार्थिवः सन् दैवादेशादापदं प्राप्य विद्वांश् चरेन्नृशंसं हि न जातु राजा
Indeed, I desire righteous merit equal to yours, for the security of a king comes from another king. When misfortune arises by divine will, a wise king should never act cruelly.
धर्म्यं मार्गं चिन्तयानो यशस्यं कुर्यात्तपो धर्ममवेक्षमाणः न मद्विधो धर्मबुद्धिर्हि राजा ह्य् एवं कुर्यात्कृपणं मां यथात्थ
Reflecting on the righteous path, one should perform penance for fame, observing dharma. A king of my understanding and sense of dharma would never act miserably toward me as you suggest.
कुर्यामपूर्वं न कृतं यदन्यैर् विवित्समानः किम् उ तत्र साधुः ब्रुवाणमेवं नृपतिं ययातिं नृपोत्तमो वसुमानब्रवीत् तम्
Should I do what has never been done by others, seeking to know—what virtue would there be in that? Thus spoke the best of kings, Vasumanas, to King Yayati.
पृच्छाम्यहं वसुमानौषदश्विर् यद्यस्ति लोको दिवि मह्यं नरेन्द्र यद्यन्तरिक्षे प्रथितो महात्मन् क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये
I ask you, Vasumanas, tamer of horses: if there is a world in heaven for me, O king, or if it is renowned in the sky, O great-souled one, I consider you the knower of the law concerning it.
यदन्तरिक्षं पृथिवी दिशश्च यत्तेजसा तपते भानुमांश्च लोकास् तावन्तो दिवि संस्थिता वै ते त्वां भवन्तं प्रतिपालयन्ति
As the sun shines upon the sky, earth, and directions by your radiance, so many worlds are established in heaven; they await you.
तांस् ते ददामि पत मां प्रपातं ये मे लोकास्तव ते वै भवन्तु क्रीणीष्वैनांस् तृणकेनापि राजन् प्रतिग्रहस्ते यदि सम्यक्प्रदुष्टः
I give you those worlds as you fall, O king; let my worlds become yours. Purchase them even with a blade of grass, if your acceptance is pure.
न मिथ्याहं विक्रयं वै स्मरामि मया कृतं शिशुभावे ऽपि राजन् कुर्यां न चैवाकृतपूर्वमन्यैर् विवित्समानो वसुमन्न साधु
I do not recall ever making a false sale, even in childhood, O king. Nor would I do what has never been done by others, seeking to know, O Vasumanas; that is not righteous.
तांस् त्वं लोकान्प्रतिपद्यस्व राजन् मया दत्तान्यदि नेष्टः क्रयस्ते नाहं तान्वै प्रतिगन्ता नरेन्द्र सर्वे लोकास्तावका वै भवन्तु
You should accept those worlds, O king, which I have given; if you do not desire to purchase them, I will not take them back, O king. Let all those worlds truly become yours.
पृच्छामि त्वां शिबिरौशीनरो ऽहं ममापि लोका यदि सन्ति तात यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रिताः क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये
I ask you, O Śibi, son of Uśīnara: if I too have worlds, dear one, whether they are established in the sky or in heaven, I consider you the knower of the law concerning them.
न त्वं वाचा हृदयेनापि राजन् परीप्समानो मावमंस्था नरेन्द्र तेनानन्ता दिवि लोकाः स्थिता वै विद्युद्रूपाः स्वनवन्तो महान्तः
You did not, O king, seek them with words or even with your heart, nor did you despise me, O king. Therefore, there are infinite worlds established in heaven, vast, resounding, and lightning-like.
तांस् त्वं लोकान्प्रतिपद्यस्व राजन् मया दत्तान्यदि नेष्टः क्रयस्ते न चाहं तान्प्रतिपद्य दत्त्वा यत्र त्वं तात गन्तासि लोकान्
You should accept those worlds, O king, which I have given; if you do not wish to purchase them, I will not reclaim them after giving. Go, dear one, to those worlds where you will go.
यथा त्वमिन्द्रप्रतिमप्रभावस् तेचाप्यनन्ता नरदेव लोकाः तथाद्य लोके न रमे ऽन्यदत्ते तस्माच्छिबे नाभिनन्दामि वाचम्
Just as you, with power like Indra, have infinite worlds, O king, so in this world today I do not delight in what is given by another. Therefore, O Śibi, I do not welcome your words.
न चेदेकैकशो राजंल् लोकान्नः प्रतिनन्दसि सर्वे प्रदाय तांल्लोकान् गन्तारो नरकं वयम्
If you, O king, do not accept each of our worlds, then, having given all those worlds, we shall go to hell.
यदर्हास् तद्वदध्वं वः सन्तः सत्यादिदर्शिनः अहं तु नाभिगृह्णामि यत्कृतं न मया पुरा
Do as you see fit, you who are virtuous and perceive truth and righteousness; but I do not accept what was not done by me in the past.
अलिप्समानस्य तु मे यदुक्तं न तत्तथास्तीह नरेन्द्रसिंह अस्य प्रदानस्य यदेव युक्तं तस्यैव चानन्तफलं भविष्यम्
For me, who remains untouched, what has been said does not apply here, O lion among kings; whatever is proper for this giving, that alone will yield endless fruit.
कस्यैते प्रतिदृश्यन्ते रथाः पञ्च हिरण्मयाः उच्चैः सन्तः प्रकाशन्ते ज्वलन्तो ऽग्निशिखा इव
Whose are these five golden chariots, which stand tall and shine, blazing like tongues of fire?
भवतां मम चैवैते रथा भान्ति हिरण्मयाः आरुह्यैतेषु गन्तव्यं भवद्भिश्च मया सह
These golden chariots shine for you and for me; you must ascend them and travel together with me.
आतिष्ठस्व रथं राजन् विक्रमस्व विहायसा वयमप्यनुयास्यामो यदा कालो भविष्यति
Take your place on the chariot, O king, and stride forth through the sky; we too will follow when the time comes.
सर्वैरिदानीं गन्तव्यं सह स्वर्गो जितो यतः एष वो विरजाः पन्था दृश्यते देवसद्मगः
Now all must depart together, for heaven has been won; this path, free from impurity, is seen leading to the abode of the gods.
ते ऽभिरुह्य रथान्सर्वे प्रयाता नृपते नृपाः आक्रामन्तो दिवं भान्ति धर्मेणावृत्य रोदसी
All the kings, O ruler, mounted the chariots and set forth, ascending to the heavens, shining as they cover earth and sky with righteousness.
अहं मन्ये पूर्वमेको ऽभिगन्ता सखा चेन्द्रः सर्वथा मे महात्मा कस्मादेवं शिबिरौशीनरो ऽयम् एको ऽत्ययात् सर्वं वेगेन वाहान्
I think I will be the first to go ahead, and Indra, my friend of great soul, will surely accompany me; but why did this Śibi, king of the Ushinaras, alone urge his steeds forward with such speed?
अददाद्देवयानाय यावद्वित्तमनिन्दितः उशीनरस्य पुत्रो ऽयं तस्माच्छ्रेष्ठो हि वः शिबिः
He gave to Devayāna all his wealth, blamelessly; this is the son of Ushinara, and thus Śibi is indeed the best among you.
दानं शौचं सत्यमथो ह्य् अहिंसा ह्रीः श्रीस्तितिक्षा समतानृशंस्यम् राजन्त्येतान्यथ सर्वाणि राज्ञि शिबौ स्थितान्यप्रतिमे सुबुद्ध्या एवं वृत्तं ह्रीनिषेवी बिभर्ति तस्माच्छिबिर् अभिगन्ता रथेन
Charity, purity, truth, nonviolence, modesty, fortune, patience, equanimity, and compassion—all these virtues, O king, are established in Śibi, unmatched in wisdom; thus, one who practices modesty and upright conduct bears these, and so Śibi will ascend the chariot.
अथाष्टकः पुनरेवान्वपृच्छन् मातामहं कौतुकादिन्द्रकल्पम् पृच्छामि त्वां नृपते ब्रूहि सत्यं कुतश्च कश्चासि कथं त्वमागाः कृतं त्वया यद्धि न तस्य कर्ता लोके त्वदन्यो ब्राह्मणः क्षत्रियो वा
Then Ashtaka again, out of curiosity, questioned his maternal grandfather, who was like Indra: 'I ask you, O king, tell me the truth—who are you, where do you come from, how did you arrive? What you have done, no other Brahmin or Kshatriya in the world could accomplish.'
ययातिरस्मि नहुषस्य पुत्रः पूरोः पिता सार्वभौमस्त्विहासम् गुह्यं मन्त्रं मामकेभ्यो ब्रवीमि मातामहो भवतां सुप्रकाशः
I am Yayāti, son of Nahusha, father of Puru, sovereign of the earth; I reveal to you, my grandsons, this secret teaching, O grandfather, which is well known among you.
सर्वाम् इमां पृथिवीं निर्जिगाय ऋद्धां महीमददां ब्राह्मणेभ्यः मेध्यानश्वान्नैकशस् तान्सुरूपांस् तदा देवाः पुण्यभाजो भवन्ति
I conquered all this earth, rich and abundant, and gave it to the Brahmins, along with pure horses, many beautiful ones; then the gods became recipients of merit.
अदामहं पृथिवीं ब्राह्मणेभ्यः पूर्णामिमामखिलान्नैः प्रशस्ताम् गोभिः सुवर्णैश्च धनैश्च मुख्यैर् अश्वाः सनागाः शतशस्त्वर्बुदानि
I gave the earth to the Brahmins, filled with all kinds of excellent food, praised cattle, gold, and chief treasures, horses with elephants by the hundreds and tens of thousands.
सत्येन मे द्यौश्च वसुंधरा च तथैवाग्निर्ज्वलते मानुषेषु न मे वृथा व्याहृतमेव वाक्यं सत्यं हि सन्तः प्रतिपूजयन्ति
By truth, both heaven and earth, and likewise fire, burn among men; not a single word of mine is spoken in vain, for the virtuous honor only truth.
यो नः सर्वजितं सर्वं यथावृत्तं निवेदयेत् अनसूयुर् द्विजाग्न्येभ्यः स भजेन्नः सलोकताम्
Whoever reports to the twice-born and to the sacred fires all our deeds, as they truly happened, without envy, shall share our world.