Yadu Refuses to Slay His Mothers and Is Cursed Again

Verse 1 (padma.2.80.1)

पिप्पल उवाच- कामकन्यां यदा राजा उपयेमे द्विजोत्तम । किं चक्राते तदा ते द्वे पूर्वभार्ये सुपुण्यके

pippala uvāca- kāmakanyāṁ yadā rājā upayeme dvijottama kiṁ cakrāte tadā te dve pūrvabhārye supuṇyake

Pippala said: "O best of the twice-born, when the king married the daughter of Kama, what then did his two former, meritorious wives do?"

Verse 2 (padma.2.80.2)

देवयानी महाभागा शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी । तयोश्चरित्रं तत्सर्वं कथयस्व ममाग्रतः

devayānī mahābhāgā śarmiṣṭhā vārṣaparvaṇī tayoścaritraṁ tatsarvaṁ kathayasva mamāgrataḥ

"The most fortunate Devayani, and Sharmishtha, daughter of Vrishaparvan - tell me the whole account of their conduct."

Verse 3 (padma.2.80.3)

सुकर्मोवाच- यदानीता कामकन्या स्वगृहं तेन भूभुजा । अत्यर्थं स्पर्धते सा तु देवयानी मनस्विनी

sukarmovāca- yadānītā kāmakanyā svagṛhaṁ tena bhūbhujā atyarthaṁ spardhate sā tu devayānī manasvinī

Sukarma said: "When the king brought that daughter of Kama to his home, the proud Devayani grew intensely jealous of her."

Verse 4 (padma.2.80.4)

तस्यार्थे तु सुतौ शप्तौ क्रोधेनाकुलितात्मना । शर्मिष्ठां च समाहूय शब्दं चक्रे यशस्विनी

tasyārthe tu sutau śaptau krodhenākulitātmanā śarmiṣṭhāṁ ca samāhūya śabdaṁ cakre yaśasvinī

For this reason, her mind troubled with anger, she cursed her two sons; and the renowned Devayani, summoning Sharmishtha, spoke to her.

Verse 5 (padma.2.80.5)

रूपेण तेजसा दानैः सत्यपुण्यव्रतैस्तथा । शर्मिष्ठा देवयानी च स्पर्धेते स्म तया सह

rūpeṇa tejasā dānaiḥ satyapuṇyavrataistathā śarmiṣṭhā devayānī ca spardhete sma tayā saha

In beauty, in splendor, in generosity, and in vows of truth and merit, Sharmishtha and Devayani both vied against her.

Verse 6 (padma.2.80.6)

दुष्टभावं तयोश्चापि साऽज्ञासीत्कामजा तदा । राज्ञे सर्वं तया विप्र कथितं तत्क्षणादिह

duṣṭabhāvaṁ tayoścāpi sā'jñāsītkāmajā tadā rājñe sarvaṁ tayā vipra kathitaṁ tatkṣaṇādiha

The daughter of Kama came to know of this malice in both of them; O brahmin, she reported everything to the king that very moment.

Verse 7 (padma.2.80.7)

अथ क्रुद्धो महाराजः समाहूयाब्रवीद्यदुम् । शर्मिष्ठा वध्यतां गत्वा शुक्रपुत्री तथा पुनः

atha kruddho mahārājaḥ samāhūyābravīdyadum śarmiṣṭhā vadhyatāṁ gatvā śukraputrī tathā punaḥ

Then the enraged great king summoned Yadu and said: "Go and have Sharmishtha killed, and likewise the daughter of Shukra as well."

Verse 8 (padma.2.80.8)

सुप्रियं कुरु मे वत्स यदि श्रेयो हि मन्यसे । एवमाकर्ण्य तत्तस्य पितुर्वाक्यं यदुस्तदा

supriyaṁ kuru me vatsa yadi śreyo hi manyase evamākarṇya tattasya piturvākyaṁ yadustadā

"'My son, if you consider it right, do this favor for me.'" Having heard his father's words, Yadu then -

Verse 9 (padma.2.80.9)

प्रत्युवाच नृपेंद्रं तं पितरं प्रति मानद । नाहं तु घातये तात मातरौ दोषवर्जिते

pratyuvāca nṛpeṁdraṁ taṁ pitaraṁ prati mānada nāhaṁ tu ghātaye tāta mātarau doṣavarjite

- replied to that lord of kings, his father, O giver of honor: "Father, I will not kill my two blameless mothers."

Verse 10 (padma.2.80.10)

मातृघाते महादोषः कथितो वेदपंडितैः । तस्माद्घातं महाराज एतयोर्न करोम्यहम्

mātṛghāte mahādoṣaḥ kathito vedapaṁḍitaiḥ tasmādghātaṁ mahārāja etayorna karomyaham

"'The scholars of the Veda have declared matricide to be a great sin; therefore, great king, I will not carry out the killing of these two.'"

Verse 11 (padma.2.80.11)

दोषाणां तु सहस्रेण माता लिप्ता यदा भवेत् । भगिनी च महाराज दुहिता च तथा पुनः

doṣāṇāṁ tu sahasreṇa mātā liptā yadā bhavet bhaginī ca mahārāja duhitā ca tathā punaḥ

"'Even if a mother, O great king, be tainted by a thousand faults - and likewise a sister, or a daughter -'"

Verse 12 (padma.2.80.12)

पुत्रैर्वा भ्रातृभिश्चैव नैव वध्या भवेत्कदा । एवं ज्ञात्वा महाराज मातरौ नैव घातये

putrairvā bhrātṛbhiścaiva naiva vadhyā bhavetkadā evaṁ jñātvā mahārāja mātarau naiva ghātaye

"'- she should never be killed by her own sons or brothers. Knowing this, great king, I will not have my mothers killed.'"

Verse 13 (padma.2.80.13)

यदोर्वाक्यं तदा श्रुत्वा राजा क्रुद्धो बभूव ह । शशाप तं सुतं पश्चाद्ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः

yadorvākyaṁ tadā śrutvā rājā kruddho babhūva ha śaśāpa taṁ sutaṁ paścādyayātiḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ

Hearing Yadu's words, the king grew enraged; Yayati, lord of the earth, then cursed his son.

Verse 14 (padma.2.80.14)

यस्मादाज्ञाहता त्वद्य त्वया पापि समोपि हि । मातुरंशं भजस्व त्वं मच्छापकलुषीकृतः

yasmādājñāhatā tvadya tvayā pāpi samopi hi māturaṁśaṁ bhajasva tvaṁ macchāpakaluṣīkṛtaḥ

"'Because you have defied my command today, right though you may be, take then your mother's own portion, defiled by my curse.'"

Verse 15 (padma.2.80.15)

एवमुक्त्वा यदुं पुत्रं ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः । पुत्रं शप्त्वा महाराजस्तया सार्द्धं महायशाः

evamuktvā yaduṁ putraṁ yayātiḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ putraṁ śaptvā mahārājastayā sārddhaṁ mahāyaśāḥ

Having spoken thus to his son Yadu, and having cursed him, that greatly renowned Yayati, lord of the earth -

Verse 16 (padma.2.80.16)

रमते सुखभोगेन विष्णोर्ध्यानेन तत्परः । अश्रुबिंदुमतीसा च तेन सार्द्धं सुलोचना

ramate sukhabhogena viṣṇordhyānena tatparaḥ aśrubiṁdumatīsā ca tena sārddhaṁ sulocanā

- devoted to meditation on Vishnu, continued to enjoy happy pleasures with that daughter of Kama; and that lovely-eyed Ashrubindumati too, together with him -

Verse 17 (padma.2.80.17)

बुभुजे चारुसर्वांगी पुण्यान्भोगान्मनोनुगान् । एवं कालो गतस्तस्य ययातेस्तु महात्मनः

bubhuje cārusarvāṁgī puṇyānbhogānmanonugān evaṁ kālo gatastasya yayātestu mahātmanaḥ

- that woman, beautiful in every limb, went on enjoying meritorious pleasures after her heart's desire. Thus time passed for that great-souled Yayati.

Verse 18 (padma.2.80.18)

अक्षया निर्जराः सर्वा अपरास्तु प्रजास्तथा । सर्वे लोका महाभाग विष्णुध्यानपरायणाः

akṣayā nirjarāḥ sarvā aparāstu prajāstathā sarve lokā mahābhāga viṣṇudhyānaparāyaṇāḥ

O great one, all became undecaying and unaging, and likewise his other offspring too; all the worlds became devoted to meditation on Vishnu.

Verse 19 (padma.2.80.19)

तपसा सत्यभावेन विष्णोर्ध्यानेन पिप्पल । सर्वे लोका महाभाग सुखिनः साधुसेवकाः

tapasā satyabhāvena viṣṇordhyānena pippala sarve lokā mahābhāga sukhinaḥ sādhusevakāḥ

Through austerity, through truthfulness, and through meditation on Vishnu, O Pippala, all the worlds, O great one, became happy, devoted to the service of the righteous.