सूत उवाच। एवन्तु तुर्वसुं शप्त्वा ययातिः सुतमात्मनः। शर्मिष्ठायाः सुतं द्रुह्युमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ।। ३१.
Sūta said: Thus, after cursing Turvasu, his own son, Yayati spoke these words to Druhyu, the son of Sharmishtha.
द्रुह्यो त्वं प्रतिपद्यस्व वर्णरूपविनाशिनीम्। जरां वर्षसहस्रं वै यौवनं स्वन्ददस्व मे ।। ३१.
Druhyu, you must accept old age, which destroys caste and beauty, for a thousand years; give me your youth.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे ते प्रतिदास्यामि यौवनम्। स्वञ्चादास्यामि बूयोऽहं पाप्मानं जरया सह ।। ३१.
When your thousand years are complete, I will return your youth to you; I will again take upon myself the sin of old age.
द्रुह्युरुवाच न सङ्गश्चास्य भवति न जरां तेन कामये ।। ३१.
Druhyu said: There is no attachment to it, so I do not desire old age.
ययातिरुवाच।। यस्त्वं मे हृदयाज्जातो वयः स्वन्न प्रयच्छसि। तस्माद् द्रुह्यो प्रियः कामो न ते सम्पत्स्यते क्वचित् ।। ३१.
Yayati said: You, who were born from my heart, refuse to give me your youth; therefore, Druhyu, you will never attain your beloved desire.
नौप्लवोत्तरसञ्चारस्तत्र नित्यं भविष्यति। अराजभ्राजवंशस्त्वं तत्र नित्यं भविष्यसि ।। ३१.
There will never be passage by boat across the waters there; your lineage will always be without a king in that land.
अनो त्वं प्रतिपद्यस्व पाप्मानं जरया सह। एवं वर्षसहस्रन्तु चरेयं यौवनेन ते ।। ३१.
You, Anu, take upon yourself this sin along with old age; in this way, I may live for a thousand years enjoying your youth.
अनुरुवाच न जुहोति स कालेऽग्नि तां जरान्नाबिकामये ।। ३१.
Anu replied: The fire does not burn at the proper time because of old age; therefore, I do not desire it.
ययातिरुवाच।। यस्त्वं मे हृदयाज्जातो वयः स्वन्न प्रयच्छसि। जरादोषस्त्वयोक्तोऽयं तस्मात्ते प्रतिपत्स्यते ।। ३१.
Yayati said: You, who are born from my heart, do not give me your youth; you have mentioned the fault of old age, so it will return to you.
प्रजा च यौवनं प्राप्ता विनशिष्यत्यतस्तव। अग्निप्रस्कन्दनपरस्त्वं चाप्येव भविष्यसि ।। ३१.
Your offspring, having attained youth, will perish because of this; and you will also become one who neglects the sacred fire.
पूरो त्वं प्रतिपद्यस्व पाप्मानञ्जरया सह। जरावली च मान्तात पलितानि च पर्यगुः ।। ३१.
You, Puru, take upon yourself this sin along with old age; wrinkles and grey hairs appeared on the body of your father.
काव्यस्योशनसः शापान्न च तृप्तोऽस्मि यौवने। कञ्चित्कालञ्जरेयं वै विषयान् वयसा तव ।। ३१.
Because of the curse of Kāvya Uśanas, I am not satisfied with youth; let me experience sensual pleasures for a while with your youth.
पूर्णें वर्षसहस्रे ते प्रतिदास्यामि यौवनम्। स्वञ्चैव प्रतिपत्स्यामि पाप्मानञ्जरया सह ।। ३१.
When a thousand years are complete, I will return your youth to you, and I will again take upon myself this sin along with old age.
सूत उवाच।। एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच पुत्रः पितरमञ्जसा। यथानुमन्यसे तात करिष्यामि तथैव च ।। ३१.
Sūta said: Thus addressed, the son replied straightforwardly to his father: 'As you wish, father, so I shall do.'
प्रतिपत्स्यामि ते राजन् पाप्मानं जरया सह। गृहाण यौवनं मत्तश्चर कामान् यथेप्सितान् ।। ३१.
I will take upon myself your sin along with old age; receive youth from me and enjoy pleasures as you desire.
जरयाहं प्रतिच्छन्नो वयोरूपधरस्तव। यौवनं भवते दत्त्वा चरिष्यामि यथार्तवत् ।। ३१.
Covered by old age, I will bear your form and appearance; having given you youth, I will live accordingly.
ययातिरुवाच।। पूरो प्रीतोऽस्मि भद्रन्ते प्रीतश्चेदं ददामि ते। सर्वकामसमृद्धा ते प्रजा राज्ये भविष्यति ।। ३१.
Yayati said: Puru, I am pleased with you; may good come to you. Because I am pleased, I grant you this: your progeny will flourish in the kingdom, endowed with all desires.
सूत उवाच।। पूरोरनुमतो राजा ययातिः स्वां जरान्ततः। संक्रामयामास तदा प्रसादाद्भार्गवस्य तु ।। ३१.
Sūta said: With Puru's consent, King Yayati then transferred his own old age to him, by the grace of Bhārgava.
यौवनेनाथ वयसा ययातिरनहुषात्मजः । प्रीतियुक्तो नरश्रेष्ठश्चचार विषयान् स्वकान् ।। ३१.
Then Yayati, son of Nahusha, endowed with youth and vigor, delighted, the best among men, enjoyed his own pleasures.
यथाकामं यथोत्साहं यथाकालं यथासुखम्। धर्म्माविरोधाद्राजेन्द्रो यथार्हति स एव हि ।। ३१.
As he wished, with enthusiasm, at the right time, and with happiness, and without violating dharma, the king enjoyed as was fitting.
देवानतर्पयद्यज्ञैः पितॄञ्छ्राद्धैस्तथैव च। दीनांश्चानुग्रहैरिष्टैः कामैश्च द्विजसत्तमान् ।। ३१.
He satisfied the gods with sacrifices, and the ancestors with śrāddha offerings; he gratified the poor with gifts, and the best of twice-born with desired boons.
अतिथीनन्नपानैश्च वैश्यांश्च परिपालनैः। आनृशंस्येन शूद्रांश्च दस्यून् संनिग्रहेण च ।। ३१.
He honored guests with food and drink, protected the Vaiśyas, showed compassion to the Śūdras, and subdued the robbers.
धर्म्मेण च प्रजाः सर्व्वा यथावदनुरञ्जयन्। ययातिः पालयामास साक्षादिन्द्र इवापरः ।। ३१.
By righteousness, Yayati delighted all his subjects as was proper, ruling like another Indra himself.
स राजा सिंहविक्रान्तो युवा विषयगोचरः। अविरोधेन धर्मस्य चचार सुखमुत्तमम् ।। ३१.
That king, lion-like in stride, young and enjoying pleasures, lived in supreme happiness without violating dharma.
स मार्गमाणः कामानामन्तर्दोषनिदर्शनात्। विश्वासहेतो रेमे वै वैब्राजे नन्दने वने ।। ३१.
Seeking pleasures, and seeing the faults within them, he delighted for a time in the splendid Nandana forest, trusting in its joys.
अपश्यत्स यदा तां वै वर्द्धमानां नृपस्तदा। गत्वा पूरोः सकाशं वै स्वां जरा प्रत्यपद्यत ।। ३१.
But when the king saw her, growing old, he went to his city and accepted his own old age.
स सम्प्राप्य तु तान् कामांस्तृप्तः खिन्नश्च पार्थिवः। कालं वर्षसहस्रं वै सस्मार मनुजाधिपः। ।। ३१.
Having attained those pleasures, the king was satisfied yet weary; for a thousand years he remembered the passage of time.
परिसङ्ख्याय कालञ्च कलाकाष्ठास्तथैव च। पूर्णं मत्त्वा ततः कालं पूरुं पुत्रमुवाच ह ।। ३१.
Counting the time, the divisions and moments, and knowing the period was complete, he spoke to his son Puru.
यथासुखं यथोत्साहं यथाकालमरिंदम। सेविता विषयाः पुत्र यौवनेन मया तव ।। ३१.
O subduer of enemies, my son, I have enjoyed the pleasures as I wished, with vigor and in due season, through your youth.
पूरो प्रीतोऽस्मि भद्रं ते गृहाण त्वं स्वयौवनम्। राष्ट्रञ्च नृपं पूरुं पुत्रं कनीयसम्। ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णा इदं वचनमब्रुवन् ।। ३१.
Puru, I am pleased; blessings to you! Take back your own youth, and the kingdom, O prince. The Brahmins and the other classes, led by the Brahmins, spoke these words.