Uttara Kanda, Sarga 59

श्रुत्वा तूशनसं क्रुद्धं तदा ऽ ऽर्तो नहुषात्मजः । जरां परमिकां प्राप्य यदुं वचनमब्रवीत् ।। 7.59.1 ।।

śrutvā tūśanasaṃ kruddhaṃ tadā ' 'rto nahuṣātmajaḥ | jarāṃ paramikāṃ prāpya yaduṃ vacanamabravīt || 7.59.1 ||

Having heard that Ushanas was angry, the distressed son of Nahusha, Yayati, then, having immediately obtained extreme old age, spoke these words to Yadu.

यदो त्वमसि धर्मज्ञो मदर्थं प्रतिगृह्यताम् । जरां परमिकां पुत्र भोगै रंस्ये महायशः ।। 7.59.2 ।।

yado tvamasi dharmajño madarthaṃ pratigṛhyatām | jarāṃ paramikāṃ putra bhogai raṃsye mahāyaśaḥ || 7.59.2 ||

Yayati said, "O Yadu, you are a knower of righteousness; for my sake, please accept this extreme old age, O son, so that I, O greatly renowned one, may delight in enjoyments."

न तावत्कृतकृत्यो ऽस्मि विषयेषु नरर्षभ । अनुभूय तदा कामं ततः प्राप्स्याम्यहं जराम् ।। 7.59.3 ।।

na tāvatkṛtakṛtyo 'smi viṣayeṣu nararṣabha | anubhūya tadā kāmaṃ tataḥ prāpsyāmyahaṃ jarām || 7.59.3 ||

Yayati continued, "O best among men, I am not yet satisfied with worldly pleasures; only after fully experiencing my desires will I then accept old age."

यदुस्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच नरर्षभम् । पुत्रस्ते दयितः पूरुः प्रतिगृह्णातु वै जराम् ।। 7.59.4 ।।

yadustadvacanaṃ śrutvā pratyuvāca nararṣabham | putraste dayitaḥ pūruḥ pratigṛhṇātu vai jarām || 7.59.4 ||

Having heard those words, Yadu replied to his father, the best among men, saying, "Let your beloved son Puru indeed accept this old age."

बहिष्कृतो ऽहमर्थेषु सन्निकर्षाच्च पार्थिव । प्रतिगृह्णातु वै राजन्क सहाश्नाति भोजनम् ।। 7.59.5 ।।

bahiṣkṛto 'hamartheṣu sannikarṣācca pārthiva | pratigṛhṇātu vai rājanka sahāśnāti bhojanam || 7.59.5 ||

O King, I am excluded from worldly pleasures due to old age; who indeed would eat food with me?

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राजा पूरुमथाब्रवीत् । इयं जरा महाबाहो मदर्थं प्रतिगृह्यताम् ।। 7.59.6 ।।

tasya tadvacanaṃ śrutvā rājā pūrumathābravīt | iyaṃ jarā mahābāho madarthaṃ pratigṛhyatām || 7.59.6 ||

Having heard his words, the king then spoke to Puru, saying, "O mighty-armed one, let this old age be accepted for my sake."

नाहुषेणैवमुक्तस्तु पूरुः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत् । धन्यो ऽस्म्यनुगृहीतो ऽस्मि शासने ऽस्मि तव स्थितः ।। 7.59.7 ।।

nāhuṣeṇaivamuktastu pūruḥ prāñjalirabravīt | dhanyo 'smyanugṛhīto 'smi śāsane 'smi tava sthitaḥ || 7.59.7 ||

Thus addressed by Yayati, Puru spoke with folded hands, saying, "I am blessed, I am favored, and I abide by your command."

पूरोर्वचनमाज्ञाय नाहुषः परया मुदा । प्रहर्षमतुलं लेभे जरां सङ्क्रामयच्च ताम् ।। 7.59.8 ।।

pūrorvacanamājñāya nāhuṣaḥ parayā mudā | praharṣamatulaṃ lebhe jarāṃ saṅkrāmayacca tām || 7.59.8 ||

Having understood Puru's words, Yayati obtained unequalled delight with great joy and transferred that old age to him.

ततः स राजा तरुणः प्राप्य यज्ञान्सहस्रशः । बहुवर्षसहस्राणि पालयामास मेदिनीम् ।। 7.59.9 ।।

tataḥ sa rājā taruṇaḥ prāpya yajñānsahasraśaḥ | bahuvarṣasahasrāṇi pālayāmāsa medinīm || 7.59.9 ||

Thereafter, that king, having become young again, performed thousands of sacrifices and ruled the earth for many thousands of years.

अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य राजा पूरुमथाब्रवीत् । आनयस्व जरां पुत्र न्यासं निर्यातयस्व मे ।। 7.59.10 ।।

atha dīrghasya kālasya rājā pūrumathābravīt | ānayasva jarāṃ putra nyāsaṃ niryātayasva me || 7.59.10 ||

After a long time, King Yayati then spoke to Puru, saying, "O son, bring back my old age; return the deposit to me."

न्यासभूता मया पुत्र त्वयि सङ्क्रामिता जरा । तस्मात्प्रतिग्रहीष्यामि तां जरां मा व्यथां कृथाः ।। 7.59.11 ।।

nyāsabhūtā mayā putra tvayi saṅkrāmitā jarā | tasmātpratigrahīṣyāmi tāṃ jarāṃ mā vyathāṃ kṛthāḥ || 7.59.11 ||

O son, that old age was transferred to you by me as a deposit; therefore, I will take it back, so do not feel distressed.

प्रीतश्चास्मि महाबाहो शासनस्य प्रतिग्रहात् । त्वां चाहमभिषेक्ष्यामि प्रीतियुक्तो नराधिपम् ।। 7.59.12 ।।

prītaścāsmi mahābāho śāsanasya pratigrahāt | tvāṃ cāhamabhiṣekṣyāmi prītiyukto narādhipam || 7.59.12 ||

O mighty-armed one, I am pleased by your acceptance of my command, and I will affectionately anoint you as the king of men.

एवमुक्त्वा सुतं पूरुं ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः । देवयानीसुतं क्रुद्धो राजा वाक्यमुवाच ह ।। 7.59.13 ।।

evamuktvā sutaṃ pūruṃ yayātirnahuṣātmajaḥ | devayānīsutaṃ kruddho rājā vākyamuvāca ha || 7.59.13 ||

Having thus spoken to his son Puru, King Yayati, the son of Nahusha, then spoke enraged words to Devayani's son.

राक्षसस्त्वं मया जातः पुत्ररूपो दुरासदः । प्रतिहंसि ममाज्ञां यत् प्रजार्थे विफलो भव ।। 7.59.14 ।।

rākṣasastvaṃ mayā jātaḥ putrarūpo durāsadaḥ | pratihaṃsi mamājñāṃ yat prajārthe viphalo bhava || 7.59.14 ||

You are a wicked demon born by me in the form of a son, because you reject my command, you shall become fruitless in terms of progeny.

पितरं गुरुभूतं मां यस्मात्त्वमवमन्यसे । राक्षसान्यातुधानांस्त्वं जनयिष्यसि दारुणान् ।। 7.59.15 ।।

pitaraṃ gurubhūtaṃ māṃ yasmāttvamavamanyase | rākṣasānyātudhānāṃstvaṃ janayiṣyasi dāruṇān || 7.59.15 ||

Because you disrespect me, your father and preceptor, you will give birth to terrible Rakshasas and Yatudhanas.

न तु सोमकुलोत्पन्ने वंशे स्थास्यति दुर्मतेः । वंशो ऽपि भवतस्तुल्यो दुर्विनीतो भविष्यति ।। 7.59.16 ।।

na tu somakulotpanne vaṃśe sthāsyati durmateḥ | vaṃśo 'pi bhavatastulyo durvinīto bhaviṣyati || 7.59.16 ||

The lineage of that evil-minded one (Yati) will not endure in the Lunar dynasty, and your own progeny will also be ill-behaved like you.

तमेवमुक्त्वा राजर्षिः पूरुं राज्यविवर्धनम् । अभिषेकेण सम्पूज्य आश्रमं प्रविवेश ह ।। 7.59.17 ।।

tamevamuktvā rājarṣiḥ pūruṃ rājyavivardhanam | abhiṣekeṇa sampūjya āśramaṃ praviveśa ha || 7.59.17 ||

Having thus spoken, the royal sage Yayati honored Puru, who was destined to expand the kingdom, with a coronation and then entered his hermitage.

ततः कालेन महता दिष्टान्तमुपजग्मिवान् । त्रिदिवं सङ्गतो राजा ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः ।। 7.59.18 ।।

tataḥ kālena mahatā diṣṭāntamupajagmivān | tridivaṃ saṅgato rājā yayātirnahuṣātmajaḥ || 7.59.18 ||

After a long time, King Yayati, the son of Nahusha, reached the end of his life and ascended to heaven.

पूरुश्चकार तद्राज्यं धर्मेण महता वृतः । प्रतिष्ठाने पुरवरे काशिराज्ये महायशाः ।। 7.59.19 ।।

pūruścakāra tadrājyaṃ dharmeṇa mahatā vṛtaḥ | pratiṣṭhāne puravare kāśirājye mahāyaśāḥ || 7.59.19 ||

The greatly renowned Puru, endowed with great righteousness, ruled that kingdom from the excellent city of Pratishthana in the Kashi region.

यदुस्तु जनयामास यातुधानान्सहस्रशः । पुरे क्रौञ्चवने दुर्गे राजवंशबहिष्कृतः ।। 7.59.20 ।।

yadustu janayāmāsa yātudhānānsahasraśaḥ | pure krauñcavane durge rājavaṃśabahiṣkṛtaḥ || 7.59.20 ||

King Yadu, having been excluded from the royal lineage, begot thousands of Rākṣasas in the inaccessible region of Krauñcavana.

एष तूशनसा मुक्तः शापोत्सर्गो ययातिना । धारितः क्षत्रधर्मेण यन्निमिश्च न चक्षमे ।। 7.59.21 ।।

eṣa tūśanasā muktaḥ śāpotsargo yayātinā | dhāritaḥ kṣatradharmeṇa yannimiśca na cakṣame || 7.59.21 ||

This curse, given by Uśanas, was indeed borne by Yayāti due to his Kṣatriya duty, a burden which even Nimi could not tolerate.

एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं दर्शनं सर्वकारिणाम् । अनुवर्तामहे सौम्य दोषो न स्याद्यथा नृगे ।। 7.59.22 ।।

etatte sarvamākhyātaṃ darśanaṃ sarvakāriṇām | anuvartāmahe saumya doṣo na syādyathā nṛge || 7.59.22 ||

O gentle one, all this has been narrated to you as a lesson for all actions, so that we may follow it and avoid a fault like that of Nṛga.

इति कथयति रामे चन्द्रतुल्यानने च प्रविरलतरतारं व्योम जज्ञे तदानीम् । अरुणकिरणरक्ता दिग्बभौ चैव पूर्वा कुसुमरसविमुक्तं वस्त्रमाकुण्ठितेव ।। 7.59.23 ।।

iti kathayati rāme candratulyānane ca praviralataratāraṃ vyoma jajñe tadānīm | aruṇakiraṇaraktā digbabhau caiva pūrvā kusumarasavimuktaṃ vastramākuṇṭhiteva || 7.59.23 ||

As Rāma, whose face was like the moon, spoke thus, the sky at that time became very sparse with stars, and the eastern direction shone, reddened by the rays of dawn, like a faded garment being rolled up. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदुत्तरकाण्डे एकोनषष्टितमः सर्गः ।। 59 ।। Thus ends the fifty-ninth sarga of Uttara Kanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.