01.081
uttarayāyātam
departed towards the north
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
evaṁ sa nāhuṣo rājā yayātiḥ putram īpsitam। rājye'bhiṣicya mudito vānaprastho'bhavan muniḥ॥01-81-1॥
Thus King Yayati, descendant of Nahusha, joyfully consecrated his chosen son on the throne and then became a forest-dwelling sage. (01-81-1)
uṣitvā ca vane vāsaṃ brāhmaṇaiḥ saha saṃśritaḥ. phala-mūlāśano dānto yathā svargam ito gataḥ ॥01-81-2॥
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)
sa gataḥ suravāsaṃ taṃ nivasanmuditaḥ sukham। kālasya nātimahataḥ punaḥ śakreṇa pātitaḥ॥01-81-3॥
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)
nipatan-pracyutaḥ svargād aprāptaḥ medinī-talam। sthita āsīd antarikṣe sa tad iti śrutaṃ mayā॥01-81-4॥
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)
tata eva punaś cāpi gataḥ svargam iti śrutiḥ। rājñā vasumatā sārdham aṣṭakena ca vīryavān॥ pratardanena śibinā sametya kila saṃsadi॥01-81-5॥
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)
janamejaya uvāca॥
Janamejaya said.
karmaṇā kena sa divaṃ punaḥ prāpto mahīpatiḥ। sarvam etad aśeṣeṇa śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ॥ kathyamānaṃ tvayā vipra viprarṣigaṇasaṃnidhau॥01-81-6॥
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)
devarājasamo hy āsīd yayātiḥ pṛthivīpatiḥ। vardhanaḥ kuruvaṃśasya vibhāvasusamadyutiḥ ॥01-81-7॥
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)
tasya vistīrṇayaśasaḥ satyakīrtermahātmanaḥ। caritaṃ śrotumicchāmi divi ceha ca sarvaśaḥ॥01-81-8॥
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)
vaiśampāyana uvāca॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi yayāter uttarāṃ kathām। divi ceha ca puṇyārthāṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśinīm॥01-81-9॥
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)
yayātirnāhuṣo rājā pūruṃ putraṃ kanīyasam। rājye'bhiṣicya muditaḥ pravavrāja vanaṃ tadā॥01-81-10॥
Then, King Yayati, son of Nahusha, having gladly anointed his youngest son Puru on the throne, departed to the forest. (01-81-10)
anteṣu sa vinikṣipya putrān yadupu-rogamān। phala-mūlāśano rājā vane saṃnyavasac ciram ॥01-81-11॥
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)
saṁśitātmā jitakrodhas tarpayan pitṛdevatāḥ। agnīṁś ca vidhivaj juhvan vānaprasthavidhānataḥ॥01-81-12॥
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)
atithīn pūjayām āsa vanyena haviṣā vibhuḥ। śiloñcha-vṛttim āsthāya śeṣānna-kṛta-bhojanaḥ ॥01-81-13॥
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)
pūrṇaṁ varṣasahasraṁ sa evaṁ-vṛttir abhūd nṛpaḥ। abbhakṣaḥ śaradas triṁśad āsīn niyata-vāk-manāḥ॥01-81-14॥
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)
tataś ca vāyubhakṣo'bhūt saṃvatsaram atandritaḥ। pañcāgnimadhye ca tapas tepe saṃvatsaraṃ nṛpaḥ ॥01-81-15॥
Then, subsisting only on air and without fatigue, the king observed austerities for a year amidst the five fires. (01-81-15)
ekapādasthitaś cāsīt ṣaṇmāsān anilāśanaḥ। puṇyakīrtis tataḥ svargaṃ jagāmāvṛtya rodasī॥01-81-16॥
Puṇyakīrti stood on one foot and lived on air for six months; then, enveloping heaven and earth, he went to heaven. (01-81-16)
