एवंगुणैः समुपेतं त्रैलोक्येन प्रपूजितम् । सुमतिं सुप्रियं कांतं मनसा वरमीप्सति
Endowed with such qualities, honored by the three worlds, she desires in her heart a wise, greatly beloved, and handsome husband.
ययातिरुवाच- एवं गुणैः समुपेतं विद्धि मामिह चागतम् । अस्यानुरूपो भर्त्ताहं सृष्टो धात्रा न संशयः
Yayāti said—Know me, who has come here, as endowed with such qualities; I am a husband suited to her, created by the Creator, without doubt.
विशालोवाच- भवंतं पुण्यसंवृद्धं जाने राजञ्जगत्त्रये । पूर्वोक्ता ये गुणाः सर्वे मयोक्ताः संति ते त्वयि
Viśālā said—I know you, O king, as one grown in merit among the three worlds; all the qualities previously mentioned by me are present in you.
एकेनापि च दोषेण त्वामेषा हि न मन्यते । एष मे संशयो जातो भवान्विष्णुमयो नृप
Yet, because of a single fault, she does not consider you; this is my doubt, O king—you are of the nature of Viṣṇu.
ययातिरुवाच- समाचक्ष्व महादोषं यमेषा नानुमन्यते । तत्त्वेन चारुसर्वांगी प्रसादसुमुखी भव
Yayāti said: Tell me plainly the great fault that Yama does not approve. Speak the truth, O beautiful one with lovely limbs, and show me your gracious face.
विशालोवाच- आत्मदोषं न जानासि कस्मात्त्वं जगतीपते । जरया व्याप्तकायस्त्वमनेनेयं न मन्यते
Viśālā said: You do not know your own fault, O lord of the earth. Your body is pervaded by old age, and because of this, she does not accept you.
एवं श्रुत्वा महद्वाक्यमप्रियं जगतीपतिः । दुःखेन महताविष्टस्तामुवाच पुनर्नृपः
Hearing these weighty and unpleasant words, the lord of the earth was seized by great sorrow, and the king spoke to her again.
जरादोषो न मे भद्रे संसर्गात्कस्यचित्कदा । समुद्भूतं ममांगे वै तं न जाने जरागमम्
Yayāti said: O gentle one, I do not know of any fault of old age arising in my body from contact with anyone. I do not know how this old age has come upon me.
यं यं हि वांछते चैषा त्रैलोक्ये दुर्लभं शुभे । तमस्यै दातुकामोहं व्रियतां वर उत्तमः
Whatever boon she desires, even if it is rare in the three worlds, I wish to grant it to her. Let her choose the highest boon.
विशालोवाच- जराहीनो यदा स्यास्त्वं तदा ते सुप्रिया भवेत् । एतद्विनिश्चितं राजन्सत्यं सत्यं वदाम्यहम्
Viśālā said: When you are free from old age, then she will be truly pleased with you. This is certain, O king; I speak the truth, the truth indeed.
श्रुतिरेवं वदेद्राजन्पुत्रे भ्रातरि भृत्यके । जरा संक्राम्यते यस्य तस्यांगे परिसंचरेत्
The tradition says, O king, that old age can be transferred to a son, a brother, or a servant; it passes into the body of whomever it is given.
तारुण्यं तस्य वै गृह्य तस्मै दत्वा जरां पुनः । उभयोः प्रीतिसंवादः सुरुच्या जायते शुभः
His youth is taken, and old age is given to him in return; thus, a pleasing agreement arises between both, bringing happiness.
यथात्मदानपुण्यस्य कृपया यो ददाति च । फलं राजन्हि तत्तस्य जायते नात्र संशयः
Just as one who gives away the merit of his own good deeds out of compassion, O king, so too does the fruit of that merit arise for him—of this there is no doubt.
दुःखेनोपार्जितं पुण्यमन्यस्मै हि प्रदीयते । सुपुण्यं तद्भवेत्तस्य पुण्यस्य फलमश्नुते
When merit, earned with difficulty, is given to another, that merit becomes excellent for him, and he enjoys the fruit of that merit.
पुत्राय दीयतां राजंस्तस्मात्तारुण्यमेव च । प्रगृह्यैव समागच्छ सुंदरत्वेन भूपते
Let your youth, O king, be given to your son; take hold of him and come together, restored to beauty, O lord of the earth.
यदा त्वमिच्छसे भोक्तुं तदा त्वं कुरुभूपते । एवमाभाष्य सा भूपं विशाला विरराम ह
Whenever you wish to enjoy, O king of the Kurus, then you may do so. Having spoken thus to the king, Viśālā became silent.
सुकर्मोवाच- एवमाकर्ण्य राजेंद्रो विशालामवदत्तदा । राजोवाच- एवमस्तु महाभागे करिष्ये वचनं तव
Sukarma said: Hearing this, the king then spoke to Viśālā. The king said: So be it, O noble lady, I will do as you have said.
कामासक्तः समूढस्तु ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः । गृहं गत्वा समाहूय सुतान्वाक्यमुवाच ह
Yayāti, the king, deluded and attached to desire, went home, summoned his sons, and spoke these words to them.
तुरुं पूरुं कुरुं राजा यदुं च पितृवत्सलम् । कुरुध्वं पुत्रकाः सौख्यं यूयं हि मम शासनात्
He called Turvasu, Pūru, Kuru, and Yadu, who were devoted to their father, and said: My sons, do as I command and bring me happiness.
पुत्रा ऊचुः- पितृवाक्यं प्रकर्तव्यं पुत्रैश्चापि शुभाशुभम् । उच्यतां तात तच्छीघ्रं कृतं विद्धि न संशयः
The sons said: A father's command must be carried out by his sons, whether good or bad. Speak quickly, father, and consider it done without doubt.
एवमाकर्ण्यतद्वाक्यं पुत्राणां पृथिवीपतिः । आचचक्षे पुनस्तेषु हर्षेणाकुलमानसः
Hearing these words of his sons, the lord of the earth, his mind filled with joy, explained the matter to them again.
ययातिरुवाच- एकेन गृह्यतां पुत्रा जरा मे दुःखदायिनी । धीरेण भवतां मध्ये तारुण्यं मम दीयताम्
Yayāti said: Let one of you, my sons, take my old age, which brings suffering, and let one of you, steadfast among you, give me your youth.
स्वकीयं हि महाभागाः स्वरूपमिदमुत्तमम् । संतप्तं मानसं मेद्य स्त्रियां सक्तं सुचंचलम्
Indeed, O highly fortunate ones, this is my own true nature: my mind, scorched and restless, is attached to women and easily agitated.
भाजनस्था यथा आप आवर्त्तयति पावकः । तथा मे मानसं पुत्राः कामानलसुचालितम्
Just as fire stirs water placed in a vessel, so too, O sons, my mind is agitated by the fire of desire.
एको गृह्णातु मे पुत्रा जरां दुःखप्रदायिनीम् । स्वकं ददातु तारुण्यं यथाकामं चराम्यहम्
Let one of you, my sons, take upon himself my old age, which brings suffering, and give me his youth, so that I may live as I wish.
यो मे जरापसरणं करिष्यति सुतोत्तमः । स च मे भोक्ष्यते राज्यं धनुर्वंशं धरिष्यति
That excellent son of mine who will remove my old age shall enjoy the kingdom and uphold the royal lineage.
तस्य सौख्यं सुसंपत्तिर्धनं धान्यं भविष्यति । विपुला संततिस्तस्य यशः कीर्तिर्भविष्यति
He will have happiness, great prosperity, wealth, and grain; his lineage will flourish, and he will gain fame and renown.
पुत्रा ऊचुः- भवान्धर्मपरो राजन्प्रजाः सत्येन पालकः । कस्मात्ते हीदृशो भावो जातः प्रकृतिचापलः
The sons said: You are devoted to righteousness, O King, and protect your subjects with truth; why then has such a fickle disposition arisen in you?
राजोवाच- आगता नर्तकाः पूर्वं पुरं मे हि प्रनर्तकाः । तेभ्यो मे कामसंमोहे जातो मोहश्च ईदृशः
The king said: Previously, dancers came to my city, and from them, through the delusion of desire, such confusion has arisen in me.
जरया व्यापितः कायो मन्मथाविष्टमानसः । संबभूव सुतश्रेष्ठाः कामेनाकुलव्याकुलः
Though my body is afflicted by old age, my mind is seized by love; thus, O best of sons, I have become greatly disturbed by desire.