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.
प्रतिपेदे जरां राजा ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः। यौवनं प्रतिपेदे च पूरुः स्वं पुनरात्मनः ।। ३१.
The king Yayati, son of Nahusha, accepted old age, and Puru regained his own youth.
अभिषेक्तुकामञ्च नृपं पूरुं पुत्रं कनीयसम्। ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णा इदं वचनमब्रुवन् ।। ३१.
Desiring to anoint his youngest son Puru as king, the Brahmins and the other classes, led by the Brahmins, spoke these words.
कथं शुक्रस्य नप्तारं देवयान्याः सुतं प्रभो। श्रेष्ठं यदुमतिक्रम्य पूरो राज्यं प्रदास्यसि ।। ३१.
O lord, how will you give the kingdom to Puru, passing over Yadu, the eldest son of Devayani and grandson of Shukra, who is the best?
यदुर्ज्येष्ठस्तव सुतो जातस्तमनु तुर्वसुः। शर्मिष्ठायाः सुतो द्रुह्युस्तनोऽनुः पूरुरेव च ।। ३१.
Yadu, your eldest son, was born first, then Turvasu after him; from Sharmishtha came Druhyu, then Anu, and Puru as well.
कथं ज्येष्ठानतिक्रम्य कनीयान् राज्यमर्हति । अतः सम्बोधयामि त्वां धर्म्मं समनुपालय ।। ३१.
How does the youngest deserve the kingdom, passing over the elders? Therefore I remind you: uphold righteousness.
ययातिरुवाच।। ब्राह्मणप्रमुखा वर्णाः सर्वे श्रृण्वन्तु मे वचः। ज्येष्टं प्रति यथा रार्ष्ट्रं न देयं मे कथञ्चन ।। ३१.
Yayati said: Let all the Brahmins and the other classes listen to my words. In no way should the kingdom be given to the eldest, in my view.
माता पित्रोर्वचनकृत्स हि पुत्रः प्रशस्यते । मम ज्येष्ठेन यदुना नियोगो नानुपालितः ।। ३१.
A son who obeys his mother and father is praised; my eldest, Yadu, did not follow my command.
प्रतिकूलं पितुर्यश्च न स पुत्रः सतां मतः। स पुत्रः पुत्रवद् यश्च वर्त्तते पितृमातृषु ।। ३१.
He who acts against his father is not considered a true son by the virtuous; but he who behaves as a son towards his parents is truly a son.
यदुनाहमवज्ञातस्तथा तुर्वसुनापि च। द्रुह्युणा चानुना चैवमप्यवज्ञा कृता भृशम् ।। ३१.
I was disrespected by Yadu, and likewise by Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu; thus, I was greatly dishonored.
पूरुणा तु कृतं वाक्यं मानितश्च विशेषतः। कनीयान् मम दायादो जरा येन धृता मम। सर्वकामः सर्वकृतः पूरुणा पुत्रकारिणा ।। ३१.
But Puru fulfilled my word and especially honored me; though the youngest, he is my heir, who bore my old age. Puru, my son, accomplished all and did all for me.