Adhyaya 76

Verse 1

सुकर्मोवाच । सौरिर्दूतैस्तथा सर्वैः सह स्वर्गं जगाम सः । द्रष्टुं तत्र सहस्राक्षं देववृंदैः समावृतम्

Sukarma said: Then Sauri went to heaven together with all those messengers, to behold there the thousand-eyed Indra, surrounded by hosts of gods.

Verse 2

धर्मराजं समायांतं ददर्श सुरराट्तदा । समुत्थाय त्वरायुक्तो दत्वा चार्घमनुत्तमम्

Then the lord of the gods saw Dharmarāja approaching. Rising swiftly in haste, he offered him an excellent arghya, an oblation of honor.

Verse 3

पप्रच्छागमनं तस्य कथयस्व ममाग्रतः । समाकर्ण्य महद्वाक्यं देवराजस्य भाषितम्

“Tell me, here before me, how his coming came to be.” Having heard the mighty words spoken by the king of the gods, he inquired about that arrival.

Verse 4

धर्मराजोऽब्रवीत्सर्वं ययातेश्चरितं महत् । धर्मराज उवाच । श्रूयतां देवदेवेश यस्मादागमनं मम

Dharmarāja recounted in full the great exploits of King Yayāti. Dharmarāja said: “O Lord of the gods, hear the reason for my coming.”

Verse 5

कथयाम्यहमत्रापि येनाहमागतस्तव । नहुषस्यात्मजेनापि वैष्णवेन महात्मना

Here too I shall tell by what means I came to you: I was brought by the great-souled Vaiṣṇava, the son of Nahuṣa.

Verse 6

वैष्णवाश्च कृता मर्त्या ये वसंति महीतले । वैकुंठस्य समं रूपं मर्त्यलोकस्य वै कृतम्

Those mortals who have become Vaiṣṇavas and dwell upon the earth make the mortal world assume a form equal to Vaikuṇṭha.

Verse 7

अमरा मानवा जाता जरारोगविवर्जिताः । पापमेव न कुर्वंति असत्यं न वदंति ते

Those humans were born like immortals—free from old age and disease. They committed no sin at all, and they did not speak falsehood.

Verse 8

कामक्रोधविहीनास्ते लोभमोहविवर्जिताः । दानशीला महात्मानः सर्वे धर्मपरायणाः

They are free from desire and anger, devoid of greed and delusion. Charitable in nature, those great-souled ones are all devoted to dharma.

Verse 9

सर्वधर्मैः समर्चंति नारायणमनामयम् । तेन वैष्णवधर्मेण मानवा जगतीतले

By every form of dharma they duly worship Nārāyaṇa, the Lord untouched by illness; and by that Vaiṣṇava dharma, people live and are guided upon the face of the earth.

Verse 10

निरामया वीतशोकाः सर्वे च स्थिरयौवनाः । दूर्वा वटा यथा देव विस्तारं यांति भूतले

All become free from disease and sorrow, and all remain in steady youth; like dūrvā grass and banyan trees, O Lord, they spread out upon the earth.

Verse 11

तथा ते विस्तरं प्राप्ताः पुत्रपौत्रैः प्रपौत्रकैः । तेषां पुत्रैः प्रपौत्रैश्च वंशाद्वंशांतरं गताः

Thus they attained expansion and increase through sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons; and through the sons and great-grandsons of those descendants, their lineage passed from one branch into another.

Verse 12

एवं हि वैष्णवः सर्वो जरामृत्युविवर्जितः । मर्त्यलोकः कृतस्तेन नहुषस्यात्मजेन वै

Thus indeed every Vaiṣṇava is free from old age and death. This mortal world was made thus by that son of Nahuṣa.

Verse 13

पदभ्रष्टोस्मि संजातो व्यापारेण विवर्जितः । एतत्सर्वं समाख्यातं मम कर्मविनाशनम्

I have fallen from my position and become deprived of all livelihood. I have now told you everything—how my karmas have come to ruin and be destroyed.

Verse 14

एवं ज्ञात्वा सहस्राक्ष लोकस्यास्य हितं कुरु । एतत्ते सर्वमाख्यातं यथापृष्टोस्मि वै त्वया

Knowing thus, O Thousand-eyed one, do what is beneficial for this world. All this has been explained to you, just as you questioned me.

Verse 15

एतस्मात्कारणादिंद्र आगतस्तव सन्निधौ । इंद्र उवाच । पूर्वमेव मया दूत आगमाय महात्मनः

For this reason, Indra has come into your presence. Indra said: “Earlier indeed, I sent a messenger to invite the great-souled one to come.”

Verse 16

प्रेषितो धर्मराजेंद्र दूतेनास्यापि भाषितम् । नाहं स्वर्गसुखस्यार्थी नागमिष्ये दिवं पुनः

Sent by you, O lord of Dharma, and spoken even through your messenger: “I do not seek the pleasures of heaven; I will not go again to the celestial world.”

Verse 17

स्वर्गरूपं करिष्यामि सर्वं तद्भूमिमंडलम् । इत्याचचक्षे भूपालः प्रजापाल्यं करोति सः

“I shall make this entire realm of the earth like heaven.” Thus declared the king; and he set about the duty of protecting and nurturing his subjects.

Verse 18

तस्य धर्मप्रभावेण भीतस्तिष्ठामि सर्वदा । धर्म उवाच । येनकेनाप्युपायेन तमानय सुभूपतिम्

“Frightened by the power of his righteousness, I remain ever on guard.” Dharma said: “By whatever means you can, bring that noble king here.”

Verse 19

देवराज महाभाग यदीच्छसि मम प्रियम् । इत्याकर्ण्य वचस्तस्य धर्मस्यापि सुराधिपः

“O king of the gods, O greatly fortunate one—if you wish to do what is pleasing to me …” Having heard these words of Dharma, the lord of the gods, Indra, …

Verse 20

चिंतयामास मेधावी सर्वतत्वेन भूपते । कामदेवं समाहूय गंधर्वांश्च पुरंदरः

O king, the wise Purandara (Indra) reflected upon the matter in its entirety; then, summoning Kāma-deva, he also called the Gandharvas.

Verse 21

मकरंदं रतिं देव आनिनाय महामनाः । तथा कुरुत वै यूयं यथाऽगच्छति भूपतिः

O Lord, the great-souled one has brought Makaranda and Rati. Therefore, you all should act in such a way that the king may arrive here.

Verse 22

यूयं गच्छन्तु भूर्लोकं मयादिष्टा न संशयः । काम उवाच । युवयोस्तु प्रियं पुण्यं करिष्यामि न संशयः

“You all should go to Bhūrloka, the mortal world, as I have commanded—there is no doubt.” Kāma said: “And for you two, I will surely perform a dear and meritorious act—without doubt.”

Verse 23

राजानं पश्य मां चैव स्थितं चैव समा युधि । तथेत्युक्त्वा गताः सर्वे यत्र राजा स नाहुषिः

“Look at the king—and at me as well—standing here, equal in battle.” Having said, “So be it,” they all went to where that king, Nāhuṣa, was.

Verse 24

नटरूपेण ते सर्वे कामाद्याः कर्मणा द्विज । आशीर्भिरभिनंद्यैव ते च ऊचुः सुनाटकम्

O twice-born one, all of them—Desire and the rest—through their deeds assumed the guise of actors, praised him with blessings, and then said, “Truly, this is a fine drama.”

Verse 25

तेषां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः । सभां चकार मेधावी देवरूपां सुपंडितैः

Hearing their words, King Yayāti—the lord of the earth—wise and discerning, had an assembly hall built, godlike in splendor, by excellent learned experts.

Verse 26

समायातः स्वयं भूपो ज्ञानविज्ञानकोविदः । तेषां तु नाटकं राजा पश्यमानः स नाहुषिः

The king himself arrived, skilled in both knowledge and discernment. That king, Nahusha, watched their dramatic performance.

Verse 27

चरितं वामनस्यापि उत्पत्तिं विप्ररूपिणः । रूपेणाप्रतिमा लोके सुस्वरं गीतमुत्तमम्

Also sung is the life-story of Vāmana, and the origin of Him who assumed the form of a brāhmaṇa—unmatched in form in the world—an excellent song, melodious in tone.

Verse 28

गायमाना जरा राजन्नार्यारूपेण वै तदा । तस्या गीतविलासेन हास्येन ललितेन च

O King, at that time Jarā, Old Age, assuming the form of a noble lady, began to sing; and by her playful song, her laughter, and her graceful charm, she captivated those present.

Verse 29

मधुरालापतस्तस्य कंदर्पस्य च मायया । मोहितस्तेन भावेन दिव्येन चरितेन च

Bewildered by his sweet speech and by the enchantment of Kāma, the god of love, he became deluded—overcome by that mood and by the divine conduct as well.

Verse 30

बलेश्चैव यथारूपं विंध्यावल्या यथा पुरा । वामनस्य यथारूपं चक्रे मारोथ तादृशम्

And just as Bali’s form had been before—just as Vindhyāvalī had known it—so too did Māra then assume a form resembling that of Vāmana.

Verse 31

सूत्रधारः स्वयं कामो वसंतः पारिपार्श्वकः । नटीवेषधरा जाता सा रतिर्हृष्टवल्लभा

Kāma himself became the stage-manager, and Vasantā (Spring) became the attendant at his side; Rati, delighting her beloved, took on the guise of an actress.

Verse 32

नेपथ्यांतश्चरी राजन्सा तस्मिन्नृत्यकर्मणि । मकरंदो महाप्राज्ञः क्षोभयामास भूपतिम्

O king, while that performance of dancing was going on, Makaranda—moving about behind the scenes and very wise—stirred up and agitated the ruler.

Verse 33

यथायथा पश्यति नृत्यमुत्तमं गीतं समाकर्णति स क्षितीशः । तथातथा मोहितवान्स भूपतिं नटीप्रणीतेन महानुभावः

As the lord of the earth watched the excellent dance and listened to the song, so again and again did that great one—guided by the actress-dancer—increasingly enchant and bewilder the king.

Verse 76

इति श्रीपद्मपुराणे भूमिखंडे वेनोपाख्याने मातापितृतीर्थे ययातिचरित्रे षट्सप्ततितमोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the seventy-sixth chapter of the Bhūmi-khaṇḍa of the Śrī Padma Purāṇa, within the narrative of Vena, at the sacred ford of Mother-and-Father, concerning the story of Yayāti.