01.081
उत्तरयायातम्
departed towards the north
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
एवं स नाहुषो राजा ययातिः पुत्रमीप्सितम्। राज्येऽभिषिच्य मुदितो वानप्रस्थोऽभवन्मुनिः ॥०१-८१-१॥
Thus King Yayati, descendant of Nahusha, joyfully consecrated his chosen son on the throne and then became a forest-dwelling sage. (01-81-1)
उषित्वा च वने वासं ब्राह्मणैः सह संश्रितः। फलमूलाशनो दान्तो यथा स्वर्गमितो गतः ॥०१-८१-२॥
Having spent his days residing in the forest together with the Brāhmaṇas, leading a life eating fruits and roots and practicing self-control, he departed from here to heaven just so. (01-81-2)
स गतः सुरवासं तं निवसन्मुदितः सुखम्। कालस्य नातिमहतः पुनः शक्रेण पातितः ॥०१-८१-३॥
He went to the abode of the gods and lived there joyfully, but after not much time, he was cast down again by Śakra (Indra). (01-81-3)
निपतन्प्रच्युतः स्वर्गादप्राप्तो मेदिनीतलम्। स्थित आसीदन्तरिक्षे स तदेति श्रुतं मया ॥०१-८१-४॥
He, falling and cast down from heaven but not reaching the earth's surface, remained in the sky; this is what I have heard. (01-81-4)
तत एव पुनश्चापि गतः स्वर्गमिति श्रुतिः। राज्ञा वसुमता सार्धमष्टकेन च वीर्यवान् ॥ प्रतर्दनेन शिबिना समेत्य किल संसदि ॥०१-८१-५॥
It is said that from that very cause, he again went to heaven, together with King Vasumata, Ashtaka, Pratardana, Shibi, and other mighty ones, after gathering in the assembly. (01-81-5)
जनमेजय उवाच॥
Janamejaya said.
कर्मणा केन स दिवं पुनः प्राप्तो महीपतिः। सर्वमेतदशेषेण श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः ॥ कथ्यमानं त्वया विप्र विप्रर्षिगणसंनिधौ ॥०१-८१-६॥
By what action did the king regain heaven? I wish to hear all of this in full truth from you, O brāhmaṇa, as you recount it in the assembly of brāhmaṇa-sages. (01-81-6)
देवराजसमो ह्यासीद्ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः। वर्धनः कुरुवंशस्य विभावसुसमद्युतिः ॥०१-८१-७॥
Yayāti, the king of the earth, was truly equal to Indra, a promoter of the Kuru dynasty, and matched the fire in brilliance. (01-81-7)
तस्य विस्तीर्णयशसः सत्यकीर्तेर्महात्मनः। चरितं श्रोतुमिच्छामि दिवि चेह च सर्वशः ॥०१-८१-८॥
I wish to hear, entirely, the deeds of that great-souled one of vast and true fame, both here and in heaven. (01-81-8)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि ययातेरुत्तरां कथाम्। दिवि चेह च पुण्यार्थां सर्वपापप्रणाशिनीम् ॥०१-८१-९॥
Indeed, I will tell you the later story of Yayāti, which, both in heaven and on earth, brings merit and destroys all sins. (01-81-9)
ययातिर्नाहुषो राजा पूरुं पुत्रं कनीयसम्। राज्येऽभिषिच्य मुदितः प्रवव्राज वनं तदा ॥०१-८१-१०॥
Then, King Yayati, son of Nahusha, having gladly anointed his youngest son Puru on the throne, departed to the forest. (01-81-10)
अन्तेषु स विनिक्षिप्य पुत्रान्यदुपुरोगमान्। फलमूलाशनो राजा वने संन्यवसच्चिरम् ॥०१-८१-११॥
Having placed his sons, led by the Yadus, at the boundaries, the king lived in the forest for a long time subsisting on fruits and roots. (01-81-11)
संशितात्मा जितक्रोधस्तर्पयन्पितृदेवताः। अग्नींश्च विधिवज्जुह्वन्वानप्रस्थविधानतः ॥०१-८१-१२॥
With a disciplined mind and subdued anger, satisfying the ancestral deities and ritually offering oblations into the fires according to the code of the forest-dweller. (01-81-12)
अतिथीन्पूजयामास वन्येन हविषा विभुः। शिलोञ्छवृत्तिमास्थाय शेषान्नकृतभोजनः ॥०१-८१-१३॥
He, the powerful one, honored guests with offerings of forest produce; following the practice of a gleaner, he ate food made from leftovers. (01-81-13)
पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं स एवंवृत्तिरभून्नृपः। अब्भक्षः शरदस्त्रिंशदासीन्नियतवाङ्मनाः ॥०१-८१-१४॥
The king, thus conducting himself, remained so for a full thousand years. For thirty autumns he lived only on water, with his speech and mind controlled. (01-81-14)
ततश्च वायुभक्षोऽभूत्संवत्सरमतन्द्रितः। पञ्चाग्निमध्ये च तपस्तेपे संवत्सरं नृपः ॥०१-८१-१५॥
Then, subsisting only on air and without fatigue, the king observed austerities for a year amidst the five fires. (01-81-15)
एकपादस्थितश्चासीत्षण्मासाननिलाशनः। पुण्यकीर्तिस्ततः स्वर्गं जगामावृत्य रोदसी ॥०१-८१-१६॥
Puṇyakīrti stood on one foot and lived on air for six months; then, enveloping heaven and earth, he went to heaven. (01-81-16)
