तेषां नामानि वक्ष्यामि शृणुष्वैकाग्रमानसः । तस्यासीज्ज्येष्ठपुत्रस्तु रुरुर्नाम महाबलः
I will now speak their names; listen with focused mind. The eldest son of her was Ruru, mighty in strength.
पुरुर्नाम द्वितीयोऽभूत्कुरुश्चान्यस्तृतीयकः । यदुर्नाम स धर्मात्मा चतुर्थो नृपतेः सुतः
The second was named Puru, and the third was Kuru; the fourth son of the king was Yadu, righteous in nature.
एवं चत्वारः पुत्राश्च ययातेस्तु महात्मनः । तेजसा पौरुषेणापि पितृतुल्यपराक्रमाः
Thus, Yayati the great-souled had four sons, equal to their father in brilliance, courage, and valor.
एवं राज्यं कृतं तेन धर्मेणापि ययातिना । तस्य कीर्तिर्यशो भावस्त्रैलोक्ये प्रचुरोभवत्
In this way, Yayati established his rule through righteousness; his fame, glory, and reputation became widespread in the three worlds.
विष्णुरुवाच- एकदा तु द्विजश्रेष्ठो नारदो ब्रह्मनंदनः । एंद्रं लोकं गतो राजन्द्रष्टुं चैव पुरंदरम्
Viṣṇu said: Once, the foremost among twice-born, Nārada, son of Brahma, went to the realm of Indra to see Purandara.
सहस्राक्षस्ततोपश्यद्धुताशनसमप्रभम् । देवो विप्रं समायांतं सर्वज्ञं ज्ञानपंडितम्
There, the thousand-eyed Indra saw the sage approaching, radiant as fire, a wise and learned brāhmaṇa.
पूजितं मधुपर्काद्यैर्भक्त्या नमितकंधरः । निवेश्य चासने पुण्ये पप्रच्छ मुनिपुंगवम्
Honored with offerings like madhuparka, with devotion and bowed neck, Indra seated him on a sacred seat and questioned the eminent sage.
इंद्र उवाच- कस्मादागमनं तेद्य किमर्थमिह चागतः । किं ते हि सुप्रियं विप्र करोम्यद्य महामुने
Indra said: What is the reason for your coming today? Why have you arrived here? What dear thing may I do for you, O great sage?
नारद उवाच- देवराज कृतं सर्वं भक्त्या यच्च प्रभाषितम् । संतुष्टोस्मि महाप्राज्ञ प्रश्नोत्तरं वदाम्यहम्
Nārada said: O king of gods, all has been done with devotion, and your words are gracious. I am satisfied, O wise one; I will now answer your questions.
महीलोकात्सुसंप्राप्तः सांप्रतं तव मंदिरम् । त्वामन्वेष्टुं समायातो दृष्ट्वा नाहुषमेव च
I have come from the world of earth to your abode at this time, seeking you, and having seen Nahusha as well.
इंद्र उवाच- सत्यधर्मेण को राजा प्रजाः पालयते सदा । सर्वधर्मसमायुक्तः श्रुतवाञ्ज्ञानवान्गुणी
Indra said: Which king always protects his subjects with truth and righteousness, endowed with all virtues, learned, wise, and noble?
पृथिव्यामस्ति को राजा वेदज्ञो ब्राह्मणप्रियः । ब्रह्मण्यो वेदविच्छूरो यज्वा दाता सुभक्तिमान्
Who is the king on earth, learned in the Vedas, dear to brāhmaṇas, devoted to Brahman, skilled in Vedic knowledge, a sacrificer, a generous giver, and full of devotion?
नारद उवाच- एभिर्गुणैस्तु संयुक्तो नहुषस्यात्मजो बली । यस्य सत्येन वीर्येण सर्वे लोकाः प्रतिष्ठिताः
Nārada said: Endowed with these qualities is the powerful son of Nahusha, by whose truth and strength all worlds are established.
भवादृशो हि भूर्लोके ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः । भवान्स्वर्गे स चैवास्ति भूतले भूतिवर्धनः
On earth, Yayati, son of Nahusha, is like you; you are in heaven, and he is on earth, increasing prosperity.
पितुः श्रेष्ठो महाराज ह्यश्वमेधशतं तथा । वाजपेयशतं चक्रे ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः
Superior to his father, O great king, Yayati, lord of the earth, performed a hundred ashvamedha sacrifices and a hundred vājapeya sacrifices.
दत्तान्यनेकरूपाणि दानानि तेन भक्तितः । गवां लक्षसहस्राणि गवां कोटिशतानि च
He gave many kinds of gifts with devotion: hundreds of thousands of cows and tens of millions of cows.
कोटिहोमांश्चकाराथ लक्षहोमांस्तथैव च । भूमिदानादि दानानि ब्राह्मणेभ्योददाच्च यः
He performed millions of homa rituals and hundreds of thousands likewise; he gave gifts of land and other donations to brāhmaṇas.
सर्वं येन स्वरूपं हि धर्मस्य परिपालितम् । एवं गुणैः समायुक्तो ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः
By him, the true nature of dharma was preserved in all its forms; thus, Yayati, son of Nahusha, was endowed with such virtues.
वर्षाणां तु सहस्राणि अशीतिर्नृपसत्तमः । राज्यं चकार सत्येन यथा दिवि भवानिह
O best among kings, he ruled for eighty thousand years, upholding truth, just as Bhava rules in heaven.
सुकर्मोवाच- एवमाकर्ण्य देवेंद्रो नारदात्स मुनीश्वरात् । समालोच्य स मेधावी संभीतो धर्मपालनात्
Sukarma said: Hearing thus from the sage Narada, the lord of the gods, thoughtful and wise, became fearful about the protection of dharma.
शतयज्ञप्रभावेण नहुषो हि पुरा मम । एंद्रं पदं गतो वीरो देवराजोभवत्पुरा
By the power of a hundred sacrifices, Nahusha once attained my position as Indra and became king of the gods in ancient times.
शची बुद्धिप्रभावेण पदभ्रष्टो व्यजायत । तादृशोयं महाराजः पितुस्तुल्यपराक्रमः
Through the power of Shachi's intellect, he fell from his position; such is this great king, equal in valor to his father.
प्राप्स्यते नात्र संदेहः पदमैंद्रं न संशयः । येन केनाप्युपायेन तं भूपं दिवमानये
He will surely attain the position of Indra—there is no doubt; by whatever means, bring this king to heaven.
इत्येवं चिंतयामास तस्माद्भीतः सुरेश्वरः । भूपालस्य नृपश्रेष्ठ ययातेः सुमहद्भयात्
Thus, frightened by the great fear of King Yayati, the lord of the gods began to ponder.
तमानेतुं ततो दूतं प्रेषयामास देवराट् । नहुषस्य विमानं तु सर्वकामसमन्वितम्
Then the king of the gods sent a messenger to bring Nahusha's son, along with a celestial chariot fulfilling all desires.
सारथिं मातलिं नाम विमानेन समन्वितम् । गतो हि मातलिस्तत्र यत्रास्ते नहुषात्मजः
The charioteer named Matali, equipped with the chariot, went to the place where Nahusha's son resided.
प्रहितः सुरराजेन समानेतुं महामतिम् । सभायां वर्त्तमानस्तु यथा इंद्र प्रःशोभते
Sent by the king of the gods to bring the wise one, Matali arrived in the assembly where Nahusha's son shone like Indra.
तथा ययातिर्धर्मात्मा स्वसभायां विराजते । तमुवाच महात्मानं राजानं सत्यभूषणम्
Likewise, Yayati, righteous in soul, shone in his own assembly; Matali addressed the great-souled king adorned with truth.
सारथिर्देवराजस्य शृणु राजन्वचो मम । प्रहितो देवराजेन सकाशं तव सांप्रतम्
The charioteer of the king of the gods said: 'O king, listen to my words; I have been sent by the king of the gods to your presence now.'
यद्ब्रूते देवराजस्तु तत्सर्वं सुमनाः कुरु । आगंतव्यं त्वया देव एंद्रं लोकं हि नान्यथा
'Whatever the king of the gods commands, do it gladly; you must go to the world of Indra, there is no other way.'