01.088
वसुमना उवाच॥
Vasumanā said;
पृच्छामि त्वां वसुमना रौशदश्वि; र्यद्यस्ति लोको दिवि मह्यं नरेन्द्र। यद्यन्तरिक्षे प्रथितो महात्म; न्क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये ॥०१-८८-१॥
I ask you, O wealthy one, O descendant of Ruśadaśva: If there is a world in heaven for me, O king, or if it is renowned in the mid-space, O great-souled, I consider you to be the knower of that dharma. (01-88-1)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayati said;
यदन्तरिक्षं पृथिवी दिशश्च; यत्तेजसा तपते भानुमांश्च। लोकास्तावन्तो दिवि संस्थिता वै; ते नान्तवन्तः प्रतिपालयन्ति ॥०१-८८-२॥
Space, earth, and the directions; that which shines with brilliance as the Sun, and all those worlds established in heaven—these, being endless, are forever safeguarded. (01-88-2)
वसुमना उवाच॥
Vasumanā said.
तांस्ते ददामि पत मा प्रपातं; ये मे लोकास्तव ते वै भवन्तु। क्रीणीष्वैनांस्तृणकेनापि राज; न्प्रतिग्रहस्ते यदि सम्यक्प्रदुष्टः ॥०१-८८-३॥
I give them to you; do not fall into ruin. The worlds that are mine, let them indeed be yours. Buy them from me, even with a blade of grass, O king; let this not be simply a gift to you if full corruption is present. (01-88-3)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayāti said.
न मिथ्याहं विक्रयं वै स्मरामि; वृथा गृहीतं शिशुकाच्छङ्कमानः। कुर्यां न चैवाकृतपूर्वमन्यै; र्विवित्समानः किमु तत्र साधु ॥०१-८८-४॥
I do not recall ever making a false sale; nor have I wrongly taken anything from a child, being doubtful. I would certainly not do what has never been done before by others; wishing to know, what good indeed is there in that? (01-88-4)
वसुमना उवाच॥
Vasumanā said.
तांस्त्वं लोकान्प्रतिपद्यस्व राज; न्मया दत्तान्यदि नेष्टः क्रयस्ते। अहं न तान्वै प्रतिगन्ता नरेन्द्र; सर्वे लोकास्तव ते वै भवन्तु ॥०१-८८-५॥
O king, do you attain those worlds; they have been given by me. If you do not desire to purchase them, I shall not take them back, O ruler of men; let all these worlds indeed be yours. (01-88-5)
शिबिरुवाच॥
Śibiru said.
पृच्छामि त्वां शिबिरौशीनरोऽहं; ममापि लोका यदि सन्तीह तात। यद्यन्तरिक्षे यदि वा दिवि श्रिताः; क्षेत्रज्ञं त्वां तस्य धर्मस्य मन्ये ॥०१-८८-६॥
I ask you, Śibira of the Uśīnaras—do my worlds exist here, dear one? Whether they are in the sky or residing in heaven, I consider you to be the knower of the true nature of dharma. (01-88-6)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayati said;
न त्वं वाचा हृदयेनापि विद्व; न्परीप्समानान्नावमंस्था नरेन्द्र। तेनानन्ता दिवि लोकाः श्रितास्ते; विद्युद्रूपाः स्वनवन्तो महान्तः ॥०१-८८-७॥
You, O wise one, neither by speech nor by heart, ever belittled those who sought (rewards), O lord of men. Therefore, in heaven, you have attained endless worlds, resplendent, resounding, and great, like lightning. (01-88-7)
शिबिरुवाच॥
Shibiru said.
तांस्त्वं लोकान्प्रतिपद्यस्व राज; न्मया दत्तान्यदि नेष्टः क्रयस्ते। न चाहं तान्प्रतिपत्स्येह दत्त्वा; यत्र गत्वा त्वमुपास्से ह लोकान् ॥०१-८८-८॥
O king, you attain those worlds that have been given by me; if you do not wish to purchase them, then I will not take them back here after giving them—wherever you go, you will indeed worship those worlds. (01-88-8)
ययातिरुवाच॥
Yayati said.
यथा त्वमिन्द्रप्रतिमप्रभाव; स्ते चाप्यनन्ता नरदेव लोकाः। तथाद्य लोके न रमेऽन्यदत्ते; तस्माच्छिबे नाभिनन्दामि दायम् ॥०१-८८-९॥
Just as you possess majesty equal to Indra and endless realms, O king, so now, in this world, I do not delight in gifts from others; therefore, O Śibi, I do not accept the share. (01-88-9)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
न चेदेकैकशो राजँल्लोकान्नः प्रतिनन्दसि। सर्वे प्रदाय भवते गन्तारो नरकं वयम् ॥०१-८८-१०॥
If you, O king, do not grant us the worlds individually, then all of us, having given them to you, will go to hell. (01-88-10)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayati said.
यदर्हाय ददध्वं तत्सन्तः सत्यानृशंस्यतः। अहं तु नाभिधृष्णोमि यत्कृतं न मया पुरा ॥०१-८८-११॥
Good people give that which is deserved, motivated by truth and compassion. But I do not dare claim what has not been previously done by me. (01-88-11)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
कस्यैते प्रतिदृश्यन्ते रथाः पञ्च हिरण्मयाः। उच्चैः सन्तः प्रकाशन्ते ज्वलन्तोऽग्निशिखा इव ॥०१-८८-१२॥
To whom do these five golden chariots belong that are seen? They appear lofty, shining brightly, blazing like flames of fire. (01-88-12)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayati said.
युष्मानेते हि वक्ष्यन्ति रथाः पञ्च हिरण्मयाः। उच्चैः सन्तः प्रकाशन्ते ज्वलन्तोऽग्निशिखा इव ॥०१-८८-१३॥
Indeed, these five golden chariots will carry you; being high, they shine like blazing flames of fire. (01-88-13)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
आतिष्ठस्व रथं राजन्विक्रमस्व विहायसा। वयमप्यनुयास्यामो यदा कालो भविष्यति ॥०१-८८-१४॥
O king, mount the chariot and go forth through the sky. We too shall follow when the time comes. (01-88-14)
ययातिरुवाच॥
Yayati said.
सर्वैरिदानीं गन्तव्यं सहस्वर्गजितो वयम्। एष नो विरजाः पन्था दृश्यते देवसद्मनः ॥०१-८८-१५॥
Now, we all, along with him who has conquered heaven, must go. This dust-free path to the abode of the gods is visible for us. (01-88-15)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
तेऽधिरुह्य रथान्सर्वे प्रयाता नृपसत्तमाः। आक्रमन्तो दिवं भाभिर्धर्मेणावृत्य रोदसी ॥०१-८८-१६॥
They all, having mounted their chariots, departed—the foremost among kings—advancing to heaven with their splendor, enveloping both heaven and earth with righteousness. (01-88-16)
अष्टक उवाच॥
Aṣṭaka said.
अहं मन्ये पूर्वमेकोऽस्मि गन्ता; सखा चेन्द्रः सर्वथा मे महात्मा। कस्मादेवं शिबिरौशीनरोऽय; मेकोऽत्यगात्सर्ववेगेन वाहान् ॥०१-८८-१७॥
I think I am the first to go alone; my friend Indra is truly noble in every way. So why did this Śibi, Uśīnara by name, go past all the vehicles alone with such speed? (01-88-17)
ययातिरुवाच॥
Yayāti said.
अददाद्देवयानाय यावद्वित्तमविन्दत। उशीनरस्य पुत्रोऽयं तस्माच्छ्रेष्ठो हि नः शिबिः ॥०१-८८-१८॥
He gave to Devayāna all the wealth he had obtained. This son of Uśīnara, Śibi, is thus truly the best among us. (01-88-18)
दानं तपः सत्यमथापि धर्मो; ह्रीः श्रीः क्षमा सौम्य तथा तितिक्षा। राजन्नेतान्यप्रतिमस्य राज्ञः; शिबेः स्थितान्यनृशंसस्य बुद्ध्या ॥ एवंवृत्तो ह्रीनिषेधश्च यस्मा; त्तस्माच्छिबिरत्यगाद्वै रथेन ॥०१-८८-१९॥
O king, generosity, austerity, truthfulness and righteousness; modesty, wealth, forbearance, gentleness, and patience—all these were found in the incomparable king Śibi, possessed by his compassionate understanding. Because he was thus disposed and set aside modesty for this reason, therefore Śibi departed by chariot. (01-88-19)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
अथाष्टकः पुनरेवान्वपृच्छ; न्मातामहं कौतुकादिन्द्रकल्पम्। पृच्छामि त्वां नृपते ब्रूहि सत्यं; कुतश्च कस्यासि सुतश्च कस्य ॥ कृतं त्वया यद्धि न तस्य कर्ता; लोके त्वदन्यः क्षत्रियो ब्राह्मणो वा ॥०१-८८-२०॥
Then Aṣṭaka again, with curiosity, addressed the one like Indra—not his grandfather—and said: "I ask you, O king, tell me the truth; from where are you, of whom are you, and whose son are you? What you have done—there is no Kṣatriya or Brāhmaṇa in the world, other than you, who is the doer of such a deed." (01-88-20)
ययातिरुवाच॥
King Yayāti said;
ययातिरस्मि नहुषस्य पुत्रः; पूरोः पिता सार्वभौमस्त्विहासम्। गुह्यमर्थं मामकेभ्यो ब्रवीमि; मातामहोऽहं भवतां प्रकाशः ॥०१-८८-२१॥
I am Yayati, son of Nahusha, and the father of Puru, the universal sovereign here. I am revealing a secret to my own kin: I am your maternal grandfather in manifest form. (01-88-21)
सर्वामिमां पृथिवीं निर्जिगाय; प्रस्थे बद्ध्वा ह्यददं ब्राह्मणेभ्यः। मेध्यानश्वानेकशफान्सुरूपां; स्तदा देवाः पुण्यभाजो भवन्ति ॥०१-८८-२२॥
I conquered this entire earth; after tying it up in a vessel, I indeed gave it to the Brāhmaṇas. Pure, one-hoofed, beautiful horses—then the gods become the recipients of merit. (01-88-22)
अदामहं पृथिवीं ब्राह्मणेभ्यः; पूर्णामिमामखिलां वाहनस्य। गोभिः सुवर्णेन धनैश्च मुख्यै; स्तत्रासन्गाः शतमर्बुदानि ॥०१-८८-२३॥
I gave the whole earth to the Brāhmaṇas, this entire earth filled with vehicles, cows, gold, and chief riches; there were there one hundred arbudas of cows (a thousand crores). (01-88-23)
सत्येन मे द्यौश्च वसुन्धरा च; तथैवाग्निर्ज्वलते मानुषेषु। न मे वृथा व्याहृतमेव वाक्यं; सत्यं हि सन्तः प्रतिपूजयन्ति ॥ सर्वे च देवा मुनयश्च लोकाः; सत्येन पूज्या इति मे मनोगतम् ॥०१-८८-२४॥
Through truth, for me both heaven and earth, as well as fire, exist among humans. My words are never spoken in vain; indeed, the good honor truth. All gods, sages, and worlds are worthy of worship through truth—such is my conviction. (01-88-24)
यो नः स्वर्गजितः सर्वान्यथावृत्तं निवेदयेत्। अनसूयुर्द्विजाग्रेभ्यः स लभेन्नः सलोकताम् ॥०१-८८-२५॥
Whoever, without envy, communicates to the foremost among the twice-born all the actual events for us, who has won heaven, may he obtain for us existence in the same world. (01-88-25)
वैशम्पायन उवाच॥
Vaiśampāyana said.
एवं राजा स महात्मा ह्यतीव; स्वैर्दौहित्रैस्तारितोऽमित्रसाहः। त्यक्त्वा महीं परमोदारकर्मा; स्वर्गं गतः कर्मभिर्व्याप्य पृथ्वीम् ॥०१-८८-२६॥
Thus that king, the great-souled one, indeed exceedingly, having been rescued by his own grandsons and victorious over his enemies, having left the earth, through supremely noble deeds, attained heaven, having pervaded the earth with his actions. (01-88-26)
