नारद उवाच स तु राजा पुनस्तस्याः कर्तुकामः स्वयंवरम्। उपगम्याश्रमपदं गङ्गायमुनसंगमे॥
Narada said The king (Yayati) too, being desirous of giving her (Madhvi) a husband by Svayamvara, went to the hermitage at the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna,
गृहीतमाल्यदामां तां रथमारोप्य माधवीम्। पूर्यदुश्च भगिनीमाश्रमे पर्यधावताम्॥
Making, Madhvi seated on a chariot with garlands and flowers on her person; Puru and Yadu too followed their sister to the hermitage.
नागयक्षमनुष्याणां गन्धर्वमृगपक्षिणाम्। शैलद्रुमवनौकानामासीत् तत्र समागमः॥
There, in that hermitage, came together Nagas, Yakshas, and human beings, Gandharvas, animals and birds and dwellers of mountains, woods and forests.
नानापुरुषदेश्यानामीश्वरैश्च समाकुलम्। ऋषिभिर्ब्रह्मकल्पैश्च समन्तादावृतं वनम्॥
There was also a concourse of the kings of many countries and the forest, that surrounded the hermitage, was filled with Rishis equal (in asceticism) to Brahma himself.
निर्दिश्यमानेषु तु सा वरेषु वरवर्णिनी। वरानुत्क्रम्य सर्वांस्तान् वरं वृतवती वनम्॥
The lady, of good complexion, being directed to choose a husband, passed over all these husbands and selected the forest as her husband.
अवतीर्य रथात् कन्या नमस्कृत्य च बन्धुषु। उपगम्य वनं पुण्यं तपस्तेपे ययातिजा॥
Getting down from the chariot, the damsel saluted her friends and having gone to the sacred forest, the lady born of Yayati, practiced austerities,
उपवासैश्च विविधैर्दीक्षाभिर्नियमैस्तथा। आत्मनो लघुतां कृत्वा बभूव मृगचारिणी॥
By observing fasts and different sorts of religions rites, as also ceremonies. She reduced her body and adopted the life of a deer.
वैदूर्याङ्कुरकल्पानि मृदूनि हरितानि च। चरन्तीश्लक्ष्णशष्पाणि तिक्तानि मधुराणि च॥
Subsisting on sweet and green grass resembling the blades of the Vaidurya gem and which were both sweet and bitter,
स्रवन्तीनां च पुण्यानां सुरसानि शुचीनि च। पिबन्ती वारिमुख्यानि शीतानि विमलानि च॥
And drinking the best of holy waters of sacred fountains which was sweet, pure and cool,
वनेषु मृगवासेषु व्याघ्रविप्रोषितेषु च। दावाग्निविप्रयुक्तेषु शून्येषु गहनेषु च॥
And roaming in thick forests from which the kings of animals (lions) and tigers had been exiled and in deserts which had no conflagration in them,
चरन्ती हरिणैः सार्धं मृगीव वनचारिणी। चचार विपुलं धर्मं ब्रह्मचर्येण संवृतम्॥
In company with deer and adopting their mode of life she earned much religious merit, by practicing Brahmacharya.
ययातिरपि पूर्वेषां राज्ञां वृत्तमनुष्ठितः। बहुवर्षसहस्रायुर्युयुजे कालधर्मणा॥
Yayati, too following the mode of life of the kings before him, lived for a thousand years and then paid the debt of nature.
पूर्यदुश्च द्वौ वंशे वर्धमानौ नरोत्तमौ। ताभ्यां प्रतिष्ठितो लोके परलोके च नाहुषः॥
The two best among men Puru and Yadu perpetuating the family were established (as king) in this world and the son of Nahusha in the next.
महीपते नरपतिर्ययातिः स्वर्गमास्थितः। महर्षिकल्पो नृपतिः स्वर्गाग्रयफलभुग विभुः॥
O monarch, dwelling in heaven Yayati, resembling a great Rishi, enjoyed the choicest blessings of heaven.
बहुवर्षसहस्राख्ये काले बहुगुणे गते। राजर्षिषु निषण्णेषु महीयस्सु महर्धिषु॥
After many thousands of years had elapsed in great happiness and while seated among royal Rishis of great luster and renown.
अवमेने नरान् सर्वान् देवानृषिगणांस्तथा। ययातिर्मूढविज्ञानो विस्मयाविष्टचेतनः॥
Yayati, with his senses stupefied and his intellect beside himself, insulted all the human beings and the gods and the body of Rishis.
ततस्तं बुबुधे देवः शक्रो बलनिषूदनः। ते च राजर्षयः सर्वे धिग्धिगित्येवमब्रुवन्॥
Then did the god Shakra, the slayer of Vala, perceived his folly and all those royal Rishis said-fie, fie.
विचारश्च समुत्पन्नो निरीक्ष्य नहुषात्मजम्। को न्वयं कस्य वा राज्ञः कथं वा स्वर्गमागतः॥
And seeing the son of Nahusha, enquiries were made, who is he, what king's son is he, and how did he come to heaven?
कर्मणा केन सिद्धोऽयं क्व वाऽनेन तपश्चितम्। कथं वा ज्ञायते स्वर्गे केन वा ज्ञायतेऽप्युत॥
By which deeds did he obtain salvation? In what forest did he practice asceticism? How is he known in heaven and by whom, is he so known?
एवं विचारयन्तस्ते राजानं स्वर्गवासिनः। दृष्ट्वा पप्रच्छुरन्योन्यं ययातिं नृपतिं प्रति॥
The dwellers of heaven made such enquiries about the king among themselves pointing to Yayati, the ruler of men.
विमानपालाः शतशः स्वर्गद्वाराभिरक्षिणः। पृष्टा आसनपालाश्च न जानीमेत्यथाब्रुवन्॥
The hundreds of the charioteers of heaven and hundreds of the fate keepers of heaven and the persons who had the seats of heaven in their charge being asked about the matter, saidwe do not know.
सर्वे ते दावृतज्ञाना नाभ्यजानन्त तं नृपम्। स मुहूर्तादथ नृपो हतौजाश्चाभवत् तदा॥
None of them was then in proper senses and did know that ruler of men, and speedily was that ruler of men shorn of his heavenly effulgence.