SAMBHAVA PARVA: Chapter 87

History of Yayati

वैशम्पायन उवाच स्वर्गतः स तु राजेन्द्रो निवसन् देववेश्मनि। पूजितस्त्रिदशैः साध्यैर्मरुद्भिर्वसुभिस्तथा॥
Vaishampayana said : When that great king was living in heaven, he was adored by the celestials, the Sadhyas, the Marutas and the Vasus.

देवलोकं ब्रह्मलोकं संचरन् पुण्यकृद् वशी। अवसत् पृथिवीपालो दीर्घकालमिति श्रुतिः॥
That doer of pious acts (Yayati) often went from the region of the celestials to the region of Brahma. It is heard that he lived in heaven for a long time.

स कदाचिनृपश्रेष्ठो ययातिः शक्रमागमत्। कथान्ते तत्र शक्रेण स पृष्टः पृथिवीपतिः।३॥
One day the best of kings, Yayati, went to Indra and in the course of conversation the lord of earth was asked by Indra.

शक्र उवाच यदा स पूरुस्तव रूपेण राजन् जरां गृहीत्वा प्रचचार भूमौ। तदा च राज्यं सम्प्रदायैव तस्मै त्वया किमुक्तः कथयेह सत्यम्॥
Indra said: O king, what did you say when Puru took your old age on earth and when you gave him his kingdom?

ययातिरुवाच गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये कृत्स्नोऽयं विषयस्तव। मध्य पृथिव्यास्त्वं राजा भ्रातरोऽन्त्याधिपास्तव॥
Yayati said : I told him the whole country between the rivers Ganges and the Yamuna which is in fact the central region of the earth, is yours. Your brothers will have the outlying regions.

स्तथा तितिक्षुरतितिक्षोर्विशिष्टः। अमानुषेभ्यो मानुषाश्च प्रधाना विद्वांस्तथैवाविदुषः प्रधानः॥
I told him, the men having no anger are superior to men with anger; men having forgiveness are superior to men having no forgiveness. Man is superior to animals and the learned to the ignorant.

आक्रुश्यमानो नाक्रोशेन्मन्युरेव तितिक्षतः। आक्रोष्टारं निर्दहति सुकृतं चास्य विन्दति॥
If wronged, you should not wrong in return. One's anger, if not subdued, burns one's own self. If subdued, it procures the virtues of the doers of good acts.

नारुन्तुदः स्यान्न नृशंसवादी न हीनतः परमभ्याददीत्। ययास्य वाचा पर उद्विजेत न तां वदेदुषती पापलोक्याम्॥
You should never give pain to others by cruel words. Never defeat your enemies by despicable means. Never utter such sinful and burning words as may give pain to others.

अरुन्तुदं परुषं तीक्ष्णवाचं वाक्कण्टकैर्वितुदन्तं मनुष्यान्। विद्यादलक्ष्मीकतमं जनानां मुखे निबद्धां निर्ऋतिं वहन्तम्॥
He who pricks another by the thorns of cruel words holds in his mouth a persecuting Rakshasa. Lakshmi (prosperity) leaves the man who casts his eyes on even such a man.

सद्भिः पुरस्तादभिपूजित: स्यात् सद्भिस्तथा पृष्ठतो रक्षितः स्यात्। सदासतामतिवादांस्तितिक्षेत् सतां वृत्तं चाददीतार्यवृत्तः॥
You should always keep the virtuous man before you as your model. You should always compare your acts with those of the virtuous. You should always disregard the cruel words of the wicked.

वाक्सायका वदनान्निष्पतन्ति यैराहतः शोचति रात्र्यहानि। परस्य नामर्मसु ते पतन्ति तान् पण्डितो नावसृजेत् परेषु॥
He who keeps the arrows of cruel words in his lips weeps day and night. The cruel words strike at the inmost part of the body. The wise men never fling such arrows (of cruel words) at others.

न हीदृशं संवननं त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते। दया मैत्री च भूतेषु दानं च मधुरा च वाक्॥
There is nothing in the three worlds with which you can worship the deities as kindness, friendship, charity and sweet words.

तस्मात् सान्त्वं सदा वाच्यं न वाच्यं परुषं क्वचित्। पूज्यान् सम्पूजयेद् दद्यान्न च याचेत् कदाचन॥
Therefore, you should always utter sweet words that give pleasure and not pain. You should always give and never beg. You should show respects to those that deserve your respect.