The Curse of Yayati

Shloka 1 (uttara.58.1)

एवं ब्रुवति रामे तु लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा । प्रत्युवाच महात्मानं ज्वलन्तमिव तेजसा ।। 58.1 ।।

evaṃ bruvati rāme tu lakṣmaṇaḥ paravīrahā | pratyuvāca mahātmānaṃ jvalantamiva tejasā || 58.1 ||

While Rama was speaking thus, Lakshmana, slayer of enemy heroes, replied to the great soul who blazed as if with splendour.

Shloka 2 (uttara.58.2)

महदद्भुतमाश्चर्यं विदेहस्य पुरातनम् । निर्वृत्तं राजशार्दूल वसिष्ठस्य निमेस्सह ।। 58.2 ।।

mahadadbhutamāścaryaṃ videhasya purātanam | nirvṛttaṃ rājaśārdūla vasiṣṭhasya nimessaha || 58.2 ||

"O tiger among kings, great, wondrous, and astonishing was this ancient event of Videha, that took place involving Vasishtha and Nimi.

Shloka 3 (uttara.58.3)

निमिस्तु क्षत्रियः शूरो विशेषेण च दीक्षितः । न क्षमां कृतवान्राजा वसिष्ठस्य महात्मनः ।। 58.3 ।।

nimistu kṣatriyaḥ śūro viśeṣeṇa ca dīkṣitaḥ | na kṣamāṃ kṛtavānrājā vasiṣṭhasya mahātmanaḥ || 58.3 ||

But Nimi, a valiant kshatriya, especially since he was under initiation, the king did not show forgiveness toward the great-souled Vasishtha."

Shloka 4 (uttara.58.4)

एवमुक्तस्तु तेनायं श्रीमान् क्षत्रियपुङ्गवः । उवाच लक्ष्मणं वाक्यं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम् ।। 58.4 ।।

evamuktastu tenāyaṃ śrīmān kṣatriyapuṅgavaḥ | uvāca lakṣmaṇaṃ vākyaṃ sarvaśāstraviśāradam || 58.4 ||

Thus addressed by him, this glorious bull among kshatriyas replied with a word to Lakshmana, who was skilled in all the scriptures.

Shloka 5 (uttara.58.5)

रामो रमयतां श्रेष्ठो भ्रातरं दीप्ततेजसम् । न सर्वत्र क्षमा वीर पुरुषेषु प्रदृश्यते ।। 58.5 ।।

rāmo ramayatāṃ śreṣṭho bhrātaraṃ dīptatejasam | na sarvatra kṣamā vīra puruṣeṣu pradṛśyate || 58.5 ||

Rama, foremost of those who delight others, said to his brother of blazing splendour: "O hero, forgiveness is not seen everywhere among men.

Shloka 6 (uttara.58.6)

सौमित्रे दुःसहो रोषो यथा क्षान्तो ययातिना । सत्त्वानुगं पुरस्कृत्य तन्निबोध समाहितः ।। 58.6 ।।

saumitre duḥsaho roṣo yathā kṣānto yayātinā | sattvānugaṃ puraskṛtya tannibodha samāhitaḥ || 58.6 ||

O Saumitri, hear attentively, with the matter of inner strength placed foremost, how unbearable anger was once forborne by Yayati.

Shloka 7 (uttara.58.7)

नहुषस्य सुतो राजा ययातिः पौरवर्धनः । तस्य भार्याद्वयं सौम्य रूपेणाप्रतिमं भुवि ।। 58.7 ।।

nahuṣasya suto rājā yayātiḥ pauravardhanaḥ | tasya bhāryādvayaṃ saumya rūpeṇāpratimaṃ bhuvi || 58.7 ||

The king Yayati, son of Nahusha, was the increaser of the Paurava line. O gentle one, he had two wives, unmatched in beauty on earth.

Shloka 8 (uttara.58.8)

एका तु तस्य राजर्षेर्नाहुषस्य पुरस्कृता । शर्मिष्ठा नाम दैतेयी दुहिता वृषपर्वणः ।। 58.8 ।।

ekā tu tasya rājarṣernāhuṣasya puraskṛtā | śarmiṣṭhā nāma daiteyī duhitā vṛṣaparvaṇaḥ || 58.8 ||

One, held foremost by that royal sage, son of Nahusha, was named Sharmishtha, the daughter of the Daitya Vrishaparvan.

Shloka 9 (uttara.58.9)

अन्या तूशनसः पत्नी ययातेः पुरुषर्षभ । न तु सा दयिता राज्ञो देवयानी सुमध्यमा ।। 58.9 ।।

anyā tūśanasaḥ patnī yayāteḥ puruṣarṣabha | na tu sā dayitā rājño devayānī sumadhyamā || 58.9 ||

The other, O bull among men, was Devayani, the slender-waisted daughter of Ushanas, wife of Yayati; but she was not the king's favourite.

Shloka 10 (uttara.58.10)

तयोः पुत्रौ तु सम्भूतौ रूपवन्तौ समाहितौ । शर्मिष्ठा ऽजनयत्पूरुं देवयानी यदुं तदा ।। 58.10 ।।

tayoḥ putrau tu sambhūtau rūpavantau samāhitau | śarmiṣṭhā 'janayatpūruṃ devayānī yaduṃ tadā || 58.10 ||

To them two were born two handsome, composed sons: Sharmishtha gave birth to Puru, and Devayani, at that time, to Yadu.

Shloka 11 (uttara.58.11)

पूरुस्तु दयितो राज्ञो गुणैर्मातृकृतेन च । ततो दुःखसमाविष्टो यदुर्मातरमब्रवीत् ।। 58.11 ।।

pūrustu dayito rājño guṇairmātṛkṛtena ca | tato duḥkhasamāviṣṭo yadurmātaramabravīt || 58.11 ||

Puru was the king's favourite, both through his own virtues and because of his mother's doing. Then, overcome with sorrow, Yadu spoke to his mother.

Shloka 12 (uttara.58.12)

भार्गवस्य कुले जाता देवस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः । सहसे हृद्गतं दुःखमवमानं च दुःसहम् ।। 58.12 ।।

bhārgavasya kule jātā devasyākliṣṭakarmaṇaḥ | sahase hṛdgataṃ duḥkhamavamānaṃ ca duḥsaham || 58.12 ||

"Born in the line of the divine Bhargava of unwearied deeds, you bear a sorrow lodged in your heart and an unbearable dishonour.

Shloka 13 (uttara.58.13)

आवां च सहितौ देवि प्रविशाव हुताशनम् । राजा तु रमतां सार्धं दैत्यपुत्र्या बहुक्षपाः ।। 58.13 ।।

āvāṃ ca sahitau devi praviśāva hutāśanam | rājā tu ramatāṃ sārdhaṃ daityaputryā bahukṣapāḥ || 58.13 ||

O goddess, let the two of us together enter the fire. As for the king, let him take his pleasure with the daughter of the Daitya for many nights.

Shloka 14 (uttara.58.14)

यदि वा सहनीयं ते मामनुज्ञातुमर्हसि । क्षम त्वं न क्षमिष्ये ऽहं मरिष्यामि न संशयः ।। 58.14 ।।

yadi vā sahanīyaṃ te māmanujñātumarhasi | kṣama tvaṃ na kṣamiṣye 'haṃ mariṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ || 58.14 ||

Or, if this is something you can endure, you should grant me leave; you may forgive it, but I shall not forgive; I shall die, without doubt."

Shloka 15 (uttara.58.15)

पुत्रस्य भाषितं श्रुत्वा परमार्तस्य रोदतः । देवयानी तु सङ्क्रुद्धा सस्मार पितरं तदा ।। 58.15 ।।

putrasya bhāṣitaṃ śrutvā paramārtasya rodataḥ | devayānī tu saṅkruddhā sasmāra pitaraṃ tadā || 58.15 ||

Hearing the words of her son, greatly afflicted and weeping, Devayani, enraged, then remembered her father.

Shloka 16 (uttara.58.16)

इङ्गितं तदभिज्ञाय दुहितुर्भार्गवस्तदा । आगतस्त्वरितं तत्र देवयानी तु यत्र सा ।। 58.16 ।।

iṅgitaṃ tadabhijñāya duhiturbhārgavastadā | āgatastvaritaṃ tatra devayānī tu yatra sā || 58.16 ||

Perceiving that sign of his daughter, Bhargava then came swiftly there, to where Devayani was.

Shloka 17 (uttara.58.17)

दृष्ट्वा चाप्रकृतिस्थां तामप्रहृष्टामचेतनाम् । पिता दुहितरं वाक्यं किमेतदिति चाब्रवीत् ।। 58.17 ।।

dṛṣṭvā cāprakṛtisthāṃ tāmaprahṛṣṭāmacetanām | pitā duhitaraṃ vākyaṃ kimetaditi cābravīt || 58.17 ||

Seeing her not in her natural state, joyless, distraught, the father asked his daughter, "What is this?"

Shloka 18 (uttara.58.18)

पृच्छन्तमसकृत्तं वै भार्गवं दीप्ततेजसम् । देवयानी तु सङ्क्रुद्धा पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।। 58.18 ।।

pṛcchantamasakṛttaṃ vai bhārgavaṃ dīptatejasam | devayānī tu saṅkruddhā pitaraṃ vākyamabravīt || 58.18 ||

To the blazing Bhargava, who asked her again and again, Devayani, enraged, spoke this word to her father.

Shloka 19 (uttara.58.19)

अहमग्निं विषं तीक्ष्णमपो वा मुनिसत्तम । भक्षयिष्ये प्रवेक्ष्यामि न तु शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम् ।। 58.19 ।।

ahamagniṃ viṣaṃ tīkṣṇamapo vā munisattama | bhakṣayiṣye pravekṣyāmi na tu śakṣyāmi jīvitum || 58.19 ||

"O best of sages, I shall consume fire, sharp poison, or water; I shall enter them; but I shall not be able to go on living.

Shloka 20 (uttara.58.20)

न मां त्वमवजानीषे दुःखितामवमानिताम् । वृक्षस्यावज्ञया ब्रह्मंश्छिद्यन्ते वृक्षजीविनः ।। 58.20 ।।

na māṃ tvamavajānīṣe duḥkhitāmavamānitām | vṛkṣasyāvajñayā brahmaṃśchidyante vṛkṣajīvinaḥ || 58.20 ||

You do not realize how sorrowful and dishonoured I am. O Brahmin, through disregard of a tree, those who live by the tree are cut off.

Shloka 21 (uttara.58.21)

अवज्ञया च राजर्षिः परिभूय च भार्गव । मय्यवज्ञां प्रयुङ्क्ते हि न च मां बहु मन्यते ।। 58.21 ।।

avajñayā ca rājarṣiḥ paribhūya ca bhārgava | mayyavajñāṃ prayuṅkte hi na ca māṃ bahu manyate || 58.21 ||

O Bhargava, that royal sage, treating me with contempt and disregard, practises scorn toward me, and does not hold me in high regard."

Shloka 22 (uttara.58.22)

तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा कोपेनाभिपरिप्लुतः । व्याहर्तुमुपचक्राम भार्गवो नहुषात्मजम् ।। 58.22 ।।

tasyāstadvacanaṃ śrutvā kopenābhipariplutaḥ | vyāhartumupacakrāma bhārgavo nahuṣātmajam || 58.22 ||

Hearing her words, Bhargava, overwhelmed with anger, began to pronounce a curse upon the son of Nahusha.

Shloka 23 (uttara.58.23)

यस्मान्मामवजानीषे नाहुष त्वं दुरात्मवान् । जरया परया जीर्णः शैथिल्यमुपयास्यसि ।। 58.23 ।।

yasmānmāmavajānīṣe nāhuṣa tvaṃ durātmavān | jarayā parayā jīrṇaḥ śaithilyamupayāsyasi || 58.23 ||

"Since you disregard me, O evil-souled son of Nahusha, worn out by extreme old age, you shall come to feebleness."

Shloka 24 (uttara.58.24)

एवमुक्त्वा दुहितरं समाश्वास्य च भार्गवः । पुनर्जगाम ब्रह्मर्षिर्भवनं स्वं महायशाः ।। 58.24 ।।

evamuktvā duhitaraṃ samāśvāsya ca bhārgavaḥ | punarjagāma brahmarṣirbhavanaṃ svaṃ mahāyaśāḥ || 58.24 ||

Having said this, and having consoled his daughter, the greatly renowned brahmin sage Bhargava returned again to his own abode.

Shloka 25 (uttara.58.25)

स एवमुक्त्वा द्विजपुङ्गवाग्र्यः सुतां समाश्वास्य च देवयानीम् । पुनर्ययौ सूर्यसमानतेजा दत्त्वा च शापं नहुषात्मजाय ।। 58.25 ।।

sa evamuktvā dvijapuṅgavāgryaḥ sutāṃ samāśvāsya ca devayānīm | punaryayau sūryasamānatejā dattvā ca śāpaṃ nahuṣātmajāya || 58.25 ||

Thus having spoken, and having consoled his daughter Devayani, that foremost of the twice-born, of splendour equal to the sun, went away again, having given the curse to the son of Nahusha.