Yayati Tells Ashtaka of His Fall

Verse 1 (1.83.1)

अहं ययातिर्नहुषस्य पुत्रः । पूरोः पिता सर्वभूतावमानात् । प्रभ्रंशितः सुरसिद्धर्षिलोका- । त्परिच्युतः प्रपताम्यल्पपुण्यः ॥

ahaṃ yayātirnahuṣasya putraḥ | pūroḥ pitā sarvabhūtāvamānāt | prabhraṃśitaḥ surasiddharṣilokā- | tparicyutaḥ prapatāmyalpapuṇyaḥ

I am Yayati, son of Nahusha and father of Puru. Because I disdained all beings I have been cast out of the world of the gods, the siddhas and the seers, and, my merit spent, I am falling.

Verse 2 (1.83.2)

अहं हि पूर्वो वयसा भवद्भ्य- । स्तेनाभिवादं भवतां न प्रयुञ्जे । यो विद्यया तपसा जन्मना वा । वृद्धः स पूज्यो भवति द्विजानाम् ॥

ahaṃ hi pūrvo vayasā bhavadbhya- | stenābhivādaṃ bhavatāṃ na prayuñje | yo vidyayā tapasā janmanā vā | vṛddhaḥ sa pūjyo bhavati dvijānām

I am older in years than all of you; that is why I do not greet you first. For among the twice-born, the one who is elder in learning, austerity or birth is to be honoured.

Verse 3 (1.83.3)

अवादीस्त्वं वयसा यः प्रवृद्धः । स वै राजन्नाभ्यधिकः कथ्यते च । यो विद्यया तपसा संप्रवृद्धः । स एव पूज्यो भवति द्विजानाम् ॥

avādīstvaṃ vayasā yaḥ pravṛddhaḥ | sa vai rājannābhyadhikaḥ kathyate ca | yo vidyayā tapasā saṃpravṛddhaḥ | sa eva pūjyo bhavati dvijānām

You say it is the one advanced in years; but such a man, O king, is not called the greater. Only he who has grown great in learning and austerity is honoured among the twice-born.

Verse 4 (1.83.4)

प्रतिकूलं कर्मणां पापमाहु- । स्तद्वर्ततेऽप्रवणे पापलोक्यम् । सन्तोऽसतां नानुवर्तन्ति चैत- । द्यथा चैषामनुकूलास्तथाऽऽसन् ॥

pratikūlaṃ karmaṇāṃ pāpamāhu- | stadvartate'pravaṇe pāpalokyam | santo'satāṃ nānuvartanti caita- | dyathā caiṣāmanukūlāstathā''san

Sin, they say, works against one's good deeds, and in one who will not bow it leads to the worlds of the wicked. The good do not follow the wicked in this; they keep to those who are in accord with them.

Verse 5 (1.83.5)

अभूद्धनं मे विपुलं गतं त- । द्विचेष्टमानो नाधिगन्ता तदस्मि । एवं प्रधार्यात्महिते निविष्टो । यो वर्तते स विजानाति जीवः ॥

abhūddhanaṃ me vipulaṃ gataṃ ta- | dviceṣṭamāno nādhigantā tadasmi | evaṃ pradhāryātmahite niviṣṭo | yo vartate sa vijānāti jīvaḥ

I had great wealth, and it is gone; strive as I may, I shall not regain it. The living being who understands this, and devotes himself to his own true good, is the one who truly knows.

Verse 6 (1.83.6)

महाधनो यो यजते सुयज्ञै- । र्यः सर्वविद्यासु विनीतबुद्धिः । वेदानधीत्य तपसा योज्य देहं । दिवं स यायात्पुरुषो वीतमोहः ॥

mahādhano yo yajate suyajñai- | ryaḥ sarvavidyāsu vinītabuddhiḥ | vedānadhītya tapasā yojya dehaṃ | divaṃ sa yāyātpuruṣo vītamohaḥ

The man of great wealth who worships with fine sacrifices, whose mind is trained in every branch of learning, who studies the Vedas and yokes his body to austerity, free from delusion, would go to heaven.

Note on the text: Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 7 (1.83.7)

नानाभावा बहवो जीवलोके । दैवाधीना नष्टचेष्टाधिकाराः । तत्तत्प्राप्य न विहन्येत धीरो । दिष्टं बलीय इति मत्वाऽऽत्मबुद्ध्या ॥

nānābhāvā bahavo jīvaloke | daivādhīnā naṣṭaceṣṭādhikārāḥ | tattatprāpya na vihanyeta dhīro | diṣṭaṃ balīya iti matvā''tmabuddhyā

In the world of the living there are many and varied states, all dependent on fate, in which effort and claims come to nothing. Whatever befalls him, the steadfast man should not be crushed, reasoning in his own mind that fate is the stronger.

Note on the text: Restored from the critical edition (1.84.6a–c): Wikisource prints only the last quarter-verse (दिष्टं बलीय इति मत्वाऽऽत्मबुद्ध्या), numbered 7f, having lost the rest of the verse; the first three lines are supplied from the critical edition and the last line is Wikisource's.

Verse 8 (1.83.8)

सुखं हि जन्तुर्यदि वाऽपि दुःखं । दैवाधीनं विन्दते नात्मशक्त्या । तस्माद्दिष्टं बलवन्मन्यमानो । न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत्कथंचित् ॥

sukhaṃ hi janturyadi vā'pi duḥkhaṃ | daivādhīnaṃ vindate nātmaśaktyā | tasmāddiṣṭaṃ balavanmanyamāno | na saṃjvarennāpi hṛṣyetkathaṃcit

Whether a creature meets with happiness or sorrow, it comes by fate and not by its own power. Therefore, holding fate to be the stronger, one should never be distressed nor elated.

Verse 9 (1.83.9)

दुःखैर्न तप्येन्न सुखैः प्रहृष्ये- । त्समेन वर्तेत सदैव धीरः । दिष्टं बलीय इति मन्यमानो । न संज्वरेन्नापि हृष्येत्कथंचित् ॥

duḥkhairna tapyenna sukhaiḥ prahṛṣye- | tsamena varteta sadaiva dhīraḥ | diṣṭaṃ balīya iti manyamāno | na saṃjvarennāpi hṛṣyetkathaṃcit

The steadfast man should not be pained by sorrows nor elated by joys, but should always keep an even course; holding fate to be the stronger, he should never be distressed nor elated.

Verse 10 (1.83.10)

भये न मुह्याम्यष्टकाहं कदाचि- । त्सन्तापो मे मानसो नास्ति कश्चित् । धाता यथा मां विदधीत लोके । ध्रुवं तथाऽहं भवितेति मत्वा ॥

bhaye na muhyāmyaṣṭakāhaṃ kadāci- | tsantāpo me mānaso nāsti kaścit | dhātā yathā māṃ vidadhīta loke | dhruvaṃ tathā'haṃ bhaviteti matvā

I am never bewildered by fear, Ashtaka, nor is there any anguish in my mind, for I know that as the Creator ordains me in this world, so surely I shall be.

Verse 11 (1.83.11)

संस्वेदजा अण्डजाश्चोद्भिदश्च । सरीसृपाः कृमयोऽथाप्सु मत्स्याः । तथाश्मनस्तृणकाष्ठं च सर्वे । दिष्टक्षये स्वां प्रकृतिं भजन्ति ॥

saṃsvedajā aṇḍajāścodbhidaśca | sarīsṛpāḥ kṛmayo'thāpsu matsyāḥ | tathāśmanastṛṇakāṣṭhaṃ ca sarve | diṣṭakṣaye svāṃ prakṛtiṃ bhajanti

Creatures born of sweat, from eggs and from sprouts, reptiles, worms and the fish in the waters, and likewise stones, grass and wood, all return to their own nature when their allotted portion is spent.

Verse 12 (1.83.12)

अनित्यतां सुखदुःखस्य बुद्ध्वा । कस्मात्संतापमष्टकाहं भजेयम् । किं कुर्यां वै किं च कृत्वा न तप्ये । तस्मात्सन्तापं वर्जयाम्यप्रमत्तः ॥

anityatāṃ sukhaduḥkhasya buddhvā | kasmātsaṃtāpamaṣṭakāhaṃ bhajeyam | kiṃ kuryāṃ vai kiṃ ca kṛtvā na tapye | tasmātsantāpaṃ varjayāmyapramattaḥ

Knowing that joy and sorrow do not last, why should I give way to anguish, Ashtaka? What could I do, and by doing what would I escape grief? So, watchful, I keep anguish away.

Note on the text: Corrected सुखदुःस्वस्य → सुखदुःखस्य (misprint in Wikisource; स्व for ख, as in the critical edition).

Verse 13 (1.83.13)

एवं ब्रुवाणं नृपतिं ययाति- । मथाष्टकः पुनरेवान्वपृच्छत् । मातामहं सर्वगुणोपपन्नं । तत्रस्थितं स्वर्गलोके यथावत् ॥

evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ nṛpatiṃ yayāti- | mathāṣṭakaḥ punarevānvapṛcchat | mātāmahaṃ sarvaguṇopapannaṃ | tatrasthitaṃ svargaloke yathāvat

As King Yayati spoke thus, Ashtaka questioned him again: his mother's father, endowed with every virtue, who had duly dwelt there in the world of heaven.

Note on the text: Corrected व्रुवाणं → ब्रुवाणं (misprint in Wikisource; व for ब, as in the critical edition's apparatus bruvāṇaṃ). Not in the critical edition (found in the vulgate recension).

Verse 14 (1.83.14)

ये ये लोकाः पार्थिवेन्द्रप्रधाना- । स्त्वया भुक्ता यं च कालं यथावत् । तान्मे राजन्ब्रूहि सर्वान्यथाव- । त्क्षेत्रज्ञवद्भाषसे त्वं हि धर्मान् ॥

ye ye lokāḥ pārthivendrapradhānā- | stvayā bhuktā yaṃ ca kālaṃ yathāvat | tānme rājanbrūhi sarvānyathāva- | tkṣetrajñavadbhāṣase tvaṃ hi dharmān

O foremost of kings, tell me truly all the worlds you have enjoyed, and for how long; for you speak of the dharmas like one who knows them at first hand.

Verse 15 (1.83.15)

राजाऽहमासमिह सार्वभौम- । स्ततो लोकान्महतश्चाजयं वै । तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं । ततो लोकं परमस्म्यभ्युपेतः ॥

rājā'hamāsamiha sārvabhauma- | stato lokānmahataścājayaṃ vai | tatrāvasaṃ varṣasahasramātraṃ | tato lokaṃ paramasmyabhyupetaḥ

I was once a sovereign king here on earth. Then I won great worlds and lived there a full thousand years; then I went on to a higher world.

Verse 16 (1.83.16)

ततः पुरीं पुरुहूतस्य रम्यां । सहस्रद्वारां शतयोजनायताम् । अध्यावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं । ततो लोकं परमस्म्यभ्युपेतः ॥

tataḥ purīṃ puruhūtasya ramyāṃ | sahasradvārāṃ śatayojanāyatām | adhyāvasaṃ varṣasahasramātraṃ | tato lokaṃ paramasmyabhyupetaḥ

Then I dwelt a full thousand years in the lovely city of Puruhuta, Indra, with its thousand gates, a hundred yojanas across; then I went on to a higher world.

Verse 17 (1.83.17)

ततो दिव्यमजरं प्राप्य लोकं । प्रजापतेर्लोकपतेर्दुरापम् । तत्रावसं वर्षसहस्रमात्रं । ततो लोकं परमस्म्यभ्युपेतः ॥

tato divyamajaraṃ prāpya lokaṃ | prajāpaterlokapaterdurāpam | tatrāvasaṃ varṣasahasramātraṃ | tato lokaṃ paramasmyabhyupetaḥ

Then I reached the divine, ageless world of Prajapati, lord of the worlds, which is hard to attain, and lived there a full thousand years; then I went on to a higher world.

Verse 18 (1.83.18)

स देवदेवस्य निवेशने च । विहृत्य लोकानवसं यथेष्टम् । संपूज्यमानस्त्रिदशैः समस्तै- । स्तुल्यप्रभावद्युतिरीश्वराणाम् ॥

sa devadevasya niveśane ca | vihṛtya lokānavasaṃ yatheṣṭam | saṃpūjyamānastridaśaiḥ samastai- | stulyaprabhāvadyutirīśvarāṇām

In the abode of the god of gods I roamed the worlds and dwelt as I pleased, honoured by all the Thirty gods, equal in power and splendour to the lords of the worlds.

Verse 19 (1.83.19)

तथाऽऽवसं नन्दने कामरूपी । संवत्सराणामयुतं शतानाम् । सहाप्सरोभिर्विहरन्पुण्यगन्धा- । न्पश्यन्नगान्पुष्पितांश्चारुरूपान् ॥

tathā''vasaṃ nandane kāmarūpī | saṃvatsarāṇāmayutaṃ śatānām | sahāpsarobhirviharanpuṇyagandhā- | npaśyannagānpuṣpitāṃścārurūpān

So too I lived in Nandana, taking any form at will, for ten thousand hundreds of years, sporting with the apsaras and gazing at lovely flowering trees of holy fragrance.

Verse 20 (1.83.20)

तत्र स्थितं मां देवसुखेषु सक्तं । कालेऽतीते महति ततोऽतिमात्रम् । दूतो देवानामब्रवीदुग्ररूपो । ध्वंसेत्युच्चैस्त्रिः प्लुतेन स्वरेण ॥

tatra sthitaṃ māṃ devasukheṣu saktaṃ | kāle'tīte mahati tato'timātram | dūto devānāmabravīdugrarūpo | dhvaṃsetyuccaistriḥ plutena svareṇa

As I stayed there, attached to the joys of the gods, when a very long time had passed, a messenger of the gods, terrible in form, cried out to me three times in a loud, drawn-out voice: "Fall!"

Note on the text: Corrected देव सुखेषु → देवसुखेषु (misprint in Wikisource; a broken compound, "the joys of the gods", as in the critical edition's devasukheṣu).

Verse 21 (1.83.21)

एतावन्मे विदितं राजसिंह । ततो भ्रष्टोऽहं नन्दनात्क्षीणपुण्यः । वाचोऽश्रौषं चान्तरिक्षे सुराणां । सानुक्रोशाः शोचतां मां नरेन्द्र ॥

etāvanme viditaṃ rājasiṃha | tato bhraṣṭo'haṃ nandanātkṣīṇapuṇyaḥ | vāco'śrauṣaṃ cāntarikṣe surāṇāṃ | sānukrośāḥ śocatāṃ māṃ narendra

This much I know, O lion among kings: then, my merit spent, I fell from Nandana, and in the sky I heard the voices of the gods, full of pity, grieving for me, O lord of men:

Note on the text: Corrected सानुक्रोंशाः → सानुक्रोशाः (misprint in Wikisource; a stray anusvara, the word is अनुक्रोश "pity", as in the critical edition).

Verse 22 (1.83.22)

अहो कष्टं क्षीणपुण्यो ययातिः । पतत्यसौ पुण्यकृत्पुण्यकीर्तिः । तानब्रुवं पतमानस्ततोऽहं । सतां मध्ये निपतेयं कथं नु ॥

aho kaṣṭaṃ kṣīṇapuṇyo yayātiḥ | patatyasau puṇyakṛtpuṇyakīrtiḥ | tānabruvaṃ patamānastato'haṃ | satāṃ madhye nipateyaṃ kathaṃ nu

"Alas! Yayati, his merit spent, is falling, though he did good deeds and his fame is holy!" As I fell, I asked them, "How may I fall among the good?"

Verse 23 (1.83.23)

तैराख्याता भवतां यज्ञभूमिः । समीक्ष्य चेमां त्वरितमुपागतोऽस्मि । हविर्गन्धं देशिकं यज्ञभूमे- । र्धूमापाङ्गं प्रतिगृह्य प्रतीतः ॥

tairākhyātā bhavatāṃ yajñabhūmiḥ | samīkṣya cemāṃ tvaritamupāgato'smi | havirgandhaṃ deśikaṃ yajñabhūme- | rdhūmāpāṅgaṃ pratigṛhya pratītaḥ

They told me of your sacrificial ground, and seeing it I have come here swiftly, glad at heart, taking as my guide the scent of the oblations from the sacrificial ground and the trail of its smoke.