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Mahābhārata • Parva 1 (Ādiparva) • Adhyāya 76

Ādiparva Adhyāya 76

आदिपर्व • अध्यायः 76

Ādiparva Adhyāya 76 of the classical Mahābhārata with 36 verses.

Total: 36 Verses • Citations: MBh 1.76.1–36 • 250 Lexicon Terms
अथ दीर्घस्य कालस्य देवयानी नृपोत्तम । वनं तदेव निर्याता क्रीडार्थं वरवर्णिनी ॥
English Translation
Vaishampayana said : O best of kings, after a long time the beautiful Devayani went to the same wood to sport.
तेन दासीसहस्रेण सार्धं शर्मिष्ठया तदा । तमेव देशं संप्राप्ता यथाकामं चचार सा । ताभिः सखीभिः सहिता सर्वाभिर्मुदिता भृशम् ॥
English Translation
She reached the spot with Sharmishtha and her one thousand maids. She wandered about at pleasure. She felt herself very happy, being waited upon by these companions. They all sported there, they drank the honey of the flowers. They ate various fruits, (they threw away many) after biting. The king (Yayati), the son of Nahusha, in the course of his wanderings for hunting again came there, tired and thirsty. He saw Devayani and Sharmishtha and all those maidens.
क्रीडन्त्योऽभिरताः सर्वाः पिबन्त्यो मधुमाधवीम् । खादन्त्यो विविधान्भक्ष्यान्विदशन्त्यः फलानि च ॥
पुनश्च नाहुषो राजा मृगलिप्सुर्यदृच्छया । तमेव देशं संप्राप्तो जलार्थी श्रमकर्शितः ॥
ददृशे देवयानीं च शर्मिष्ठां ताश्च योषितः । पिबन्तीर्ललमानाश्च दिव्याभरणभूषिताः ॥
उपविष्टां च ददृशे देवयानीं शुचिस्मिताम् । रूपेणाप्रतिमां तासां स्त्रीणां मध्ये वराङ्गनाम् । शर्मिष्ठया सेव्यमानां पादसंवाहनादिभिः ॥
English Translation
She was matchless in beauty and the most handsome of all the damsels. She was waited upon by Sharmishtha who was gently pressing her feet.
द्वाभ्यां कन्यासहस्राभ्यां द्वे कन्ये परिवारिते । गोत्रे च नामनी चैव द्वयोः पृच्छामि वामहम् ॥
English Translation
Yayati said : O amiable ladies, it seems that these one thousands maids wait on you two. I would ask you (to tell me) both your names and parentage.
आख्यास्याम्यहमादत्स्व वचनं मे नराधिप । शुक्रो नामासुरगुरुः सुतां जानीहि तस्य माम् ॥
English Translation
Devayani said : O king, hear my words, Know that I am the daughter of Shukra, the preceptor of the Asuras.
इयं च मे सखी दासी यत्राहं तत्र गामिनी । दुहिता दानवेन्द्रस्य शर्मिष्ठा वृषपर्वणः ॥
English Translation
This my companion is my maid, she will go wherever I shall go. She is Sharmishtha, the daughter of the Asura king, Vrishaparva.
कथं नु ते सखी दासी कन्येयं वरवर्णिनी । असुरेन्द्रसुता सुभ्रु परं कौतूहलं हि मे ॥
English Translation
Yayati said : I am curious to know why this lady of fair eye-brows, this most beautiful damsel, this daughter of the Asura king, companion, is your maid-servant?
सर्व एव नरव्याघ्र विधानमनुवर्तते । विधानविहितं मत्वा मा विचित्राः कथाः कृथाः ॥
English Translation
Devayani said : O best of kings, everything comes to pass according to Fate. Do not be astonished at this. V:10w it to be also the result of Fate.
राजवद्रूपवेषौ ते ब्राह्मीं वाचं बिभर्षि च । किंनामा त्वं कुतश्चासि कस्य पुत्रश्च शंस मे ॥
English Translation
Your features and attire are both like a king. Your speech is also like the words of the Vedas. Tell me your name. Whence have you come? Whose son are you?
ब्रह्मचर्येण कृत्स्नो मे वेदः श्रुतिपथं गतः । राजाहं राजपुत्रश्च ययातिरिति विश्रुतः ॥
English Translation
this your Yayati said : In my Brahmacharya, the whole of the Vedas entered my ears. I am a king and a son of a king; I am known as Yayati.
केनास्यर्थेन नृपते इमं देशमुपागतः । जिघृक्षुर्वारिजं किंचिदथ वा मृगलिप्सया ॥
English Translation
Devayani said : O king, why have you come here? Is it to gather lotuses, or to angle, or to hunt.
मृगलिप्सुरहं भद्रे पानीयार्थमुपागतः । बहु चाप्यनुयुक्तोऽस्मि तन्मानुज्ञातुमर्हसि ॥
English Translation
Yayati said : O amiable lady, I was thirsty in the pursuit of deer. I have come here in search of water. I wait but your commands to leave this place.
द्वाभ्यां कन्यासहस्राभ्यां दास्या शर्मिष्ठया सह । त्वदधीनास्मि भद्रं ते सखा भर्ता च मे भव ॥
English Translation
Devayani said: Prosperity to you? Be my friend and husband. I wait for your commands with my two thousand damsels and Sharmishtha, my maid-servant.
विद्ध्यौशनसि भद्रं ते न त्वामर्होऽस्मि भामिनि । अविवाह्या हि राजानो देवयानि पितुस्तव ॥
English Translation
Yayati said : O beautiful lady, I do not deserve you. You are the daughter of Shukra, (therefore) you are far superior to me. O Devayani, your father cannot bestow you on even great king.
संसृष्टं ब्रह्मणा क्षत्रं क्षत्रं च ब्रह्मसंहितम् । ऋषिश्च ऋषिपुत्रश्च नाहुषाङ्ग वहस्व माम् ॥
English Translation
Devayani said : Brahmanas have already been mixed with Kshatriyas and Kshatriyas with Brahmanas. You are a son of a Rishi and a yourself a Rishi. Therefore, O son of Nahusha, marry me.
एकदेहोद्भवा वर्णाश्चत्वारोऽपि वराङ्गने । पृथग्धर्माः पृथक्शौचास्तेषां तु ब्राह्मणो वरः ॥
English Translation
Yayati said : O beautiful lady, the four orders have no doubt sprung from one body. But they have different duties and virtues, which are not the same (for every order.) The Brahmanas are superior to all.
पाणिधर्मो नाहुषायं न पुम्भिः सेवितः पुरा । तं मे त्वमग्रहीरग्रे वृणोमि त्वामहं ततः ॥
English Translation
Devayani said : This hand of mine was never touched by any man except you. Therefore, I accept you as my husband.
कथं नु मे मनस्विन्याः पाणिमन्यः पुमान्स्पृशेत् । गृहीतमृषिपुत्रेण स्वयं वाप्यृषिणा त्वया ॥
English Translation
How will any other man touch my hand of wise one which is touched by you who are a Rishi?
क्रुद्धादाशीविषात्सर्पाज्ज्वलनात्सर्वतोमुखात् । दुराधर्षतरो विप्रः पुरुषेण विजानता ॥
English Translation
Yayati said : The wise men know that a Brahmana is to be avoided than an angry and virulently poisonous snake, or a blazing and flaming fire.
कथमाशीविषात्सर्पाज्ज्वलनात्सर्वतोमुखात् । दुराधर्षतरो विप्र इत्यात्थ पुरुषर्षभ ॥
English Translation
Devayani said : O best of men, why do you say that a Brahmana is to be avoided like an angry and virulently poisonous snake, or a blazing and flaming fire?
एकमाशीविषो हन्ति शस्त्रेणैकश्च वध्यते । हन्ति विप्रः सराष्ट्राणि पुराण्यपि हि कोपितः ॥
English Translation
Yayati said : The snake kills only one. The sharpest weapon kills but a single person. But the Brahmana, if angry, destroys many cities and kingdoms. Therefore, O beautiful lady, I think that Brahmanas should be avoided more than the two, (the snake and the fire) O amiable lady, I cannot marry you, unless your father bestows you on me.
दुराधर्षतरो विप्रस्तस्माद्भीरु मतो मम । अतोऽदत्तां च पित्रा त्वां भद्रे न विवहाम्यहम् ॥
English Translation
Yayati said : The snake kills only one. The sharpest weapon kills but a single person. But the Brahmana, if angry, destroys many cities and kingdoms. Therefore, O beautiful lady, I think that Brahmanas should be avoided more than the two, (the snake and the fire) O amiable lady, I cannot marry you, unless your father bestows you on me.
दत्तां वहस्व पित्रा मां त्वं हि राजन्वृतो मया । अयाचतो भयं नास्ति दत्तां च प्रतिगृह्णतः ॥
English Translation
Devayani said : You are chosen by me. O king it is then settled that you will accept me if my father bestows you on me. You need not fear in accept my humble self, if bestowed on you. You have not asked for me.
त्वरितं देवयान्याथ प्रेषितं पितुरात्मनः । श्रुत्वैव च स राजानं दर्शयामास भार्गवः ॥
English Translation
Vaishampayana said : Devayani quickly sent a maid-servant to her father. The maid told Shukra all that had happened.
दृष्ट्वैव चागतं शुक्रं ययातिः पृथिवीपतिः । ववन्दे ब्राह्मणं काव्यं प्राञ्जलिः प्रणतः स्थितः ॥
English Translation
Having heard this, the son of Bhrigu went to see the king. The king of the world Yayati, seeing that Shukra was coming, bowed to him. He worshipped and adored that Brahmana and stood before him with joined hands to receive his commands.
राजायं नाहुषस्तात दुर्गे मे पाणिमग्रहीत् । नमस्ते देहि मामस्मै नान्यं लोके पतिं वृणे ॥
English Translation
Devayani said : O father, this is the son of Nahusha. He took hold of my hand when I was in difficulty (thrown into the well), Bestow me on him. I shall not marry any other man in the world.
वृतोऽनया पतिर्वीर सुतया त्वं ममेष्टया । गृहाणेमां मया दत्तां महिषीं नहुषात्मज ॥
English Translation
Shukra said: O splendidly courageous king, you have been accepted by my dear daughter as her husband. I bestow her on you. Therefore, O son of Nahusha, accept her as your wife.
अधर्मो न स्पृशेदेवं महान्मामिह भार्गव । वर्णसंकरजो ब्रह्मन्निति त्वां प्रवृणोम्यहम् ॥
English Translation
Yayati said : O Brahmana, I solicit the boon by which the sin of my begetting a mixed caste may not touch me.
अधर्मात्त्वां विमुञ्चामि वरयस्व यथेप्षितम् । अस्मिन्विवाहे मा ग्लासीरहं पापं नुदामि ते ॥
English Translation
Shukra said: I shall absolve you from the sin (of begetting a mixed caste). Fear not to marry her. grant you absolution.
वहस्व भार्यां धर्मेण देवयानीं सुमध्यमाम् । अनया सह संप्रीतिमतुलां समवाप्स्यसि ॥
English Translation
Maintain virtuously your wife, Devayani of beautiful slender waist. Let great happiness be yours in her company.
इयं चापि कुमारी ते शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी । संपूज्या सततं राजन्मा चैनां शयने ह्वयेः ॥
English Translation
O king, this maiden, Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparva, should always be respected by you. But you must no call her to your bed.
एवमुक्तो ययातिस्तु शुक्रं कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम् । जगाम स्वपुरं हृष्टो अनुज्ञातो महात्मना ॥
English Translation
Having received from Shukra a rich treasure in Devayani with Sharmishtha and two thousand maidens. That best of kings, being duly honoured by Shukra and the Asuras, returned to his capital, after receiving the commands of the illustrious of Bhrigu.
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