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.
काचिद्दृष्टा मया नारी दिव्यरूपा वरानना । मया संभाषिता पुत्राः किंचिन्नोवाच मे सती
I saw a certain woman, divine in form and beautiful-faced; I spoke to her, O sons, but that virtuous lady said little to me.
विशालानाम तस्याश्च सखी चारुविचक्षणा । सा मामाह शुभं वाक्यं मम सौख्यप्रदायकम्
Her friend, named Vishala, wise and lovely-eyed, spoke to me auspicious words that would bring me happiness.
जराहीनो यदा स्यास्त्वं तदा ते सुप्रिया भवेत् । एवमंगीकृतं वाक्यं तयोक्तं गृहमागतः
She said, 'When you are free from old age, then she will become truly dear to you.' Having accepted these words, I returned home.
मया जरापनोदार्थं तदेवं समुदाहृतम् । एवं ज्ञात्वा प्रकर्तव्यं मत्सुखं हि सुपुत्रकाः
Therefore, I have spoken thus for the removal of my old age; knowing this, you should act accordingly, O good sons, for my happiness.
तुरुरुवाच- शरीरं प्राप्यते पुत्रैः पितुर्मातुः प्रसादतः । धर्मश्च क्रियते राजञ्शरीरेण विपश्चिता
Turu said: The body is obtained by sons through the grace of father and mother, and it is with the body that the wise perform righteousness, O King.
पित्रोः शुश्रूषणं कार्यं पुत्रैश्चापि विशेषतः । न च यौवनदानस्य कालोऽयं मे नराधिप
Sons must especially serve their parents, but this is not the time for me, O King, to give away my youth.
प्रथमे वयसि भोक्तव्यं विषयं मानवैर्नृप । इदानीं तन्न कालोयं वर्तते तव सांप्रतम्
In the first stage of life, O King, men should enjoy worldly pleasures; now is not the time for you to do so.
जरां तात प्रदत्वा वै पुत्रे तात महद्गताम् । पश्चात्सुखं प्रभोक्तव्यं न तु स्यात्तव जीवितम्
If, father, you give your great old age to your son, then afterwards you may enjoy happiness, but your life would not remain.
तस्माद्वाक्यं महाराज करिष्ये नैव ते पुनः । एवमाभाषत नृपं तुरुर्ज्येष्ठसुतस्तदा
Therefore, O great king, I will not carry out your command again; thus spoke Turu, the eldest son, to the king.
तुरोर्वाक्यं तु तच्छ्रुत्वा क्रुद्धो राजा बभूव सः । तुरुं शशाप धर्मात्मा क्रोधेनारुणलोचनः
Hearing Turu's words, the king became angry; with eyes reddened by wrath, the righteous king cursed Turu.