वैशम्पायन उवाच ययाति: स्वपुरं प्राप्य महेन्द्रपुरसंनिभम्। प्रविश्यान्तःपुरं तत्र देवयानी न्यवेशयत्॥ देवयान्याश्चानुमते सुतां तां वृषपर्वणः। अशोकवनिकाभ्याशे गृहं कृत्वा न्यवेशयत्॥ वृतां दासीसहस्रेण शर्मिष्ठां वार्षपर्वणीम्। वासोभिरन्नपानैश्च संविभज्य सुसत्कृताम्॥
Vaishampayana said : Yayati, then coming to his capital which was like that of Indra, entered the innerapartment and installed Devayani there. At the request of Devayani, he established the daughter of Vrishaparva in a house which he caused to be erected in the Ashoka groves of his gardens. The king honoured the daughter of Vrishaparva, Sharmishtha, surrounded by her one thousand maids, by making every arrangement for her food and garments.
देवयान्या तु सहितः स नृपो नहुषात्मजः। विजहार बहूनब्दान् देववन्मुदितः सुखी॥
The king, the son of Nahusha, happily passed many years in the company of Devayani.
ऋतुकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते देवयानी वराङ्गना। लेभे गर्भं प्रथमतः कुमारं च व्यजायत॥
The beautiful lady, Devayani conceived when her season came. She gave birth to her eldest child which was a boy.
गते वर्षसहस्र तु शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी। ददर्श यौवनं प्राप्ता ऋतुं सा चान्वचिन्तयत्॥
When one thousand years had passed away, Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparva, attained her puberty and her season came. She (therefore) began to ponder.
ऋतुकालश्च सम्प्राप्तो न च मेऽस्ति पतिर्वृतः। किं प्राप्तं किं नु कर्तव्यं किं वा कृत्वा कृतं भवेत्॥
(She said to herself), "My season has come. But I have not yet chosen a husband. What would happen? What should I do? How am I to accomplish my wishes?
देवयानी प्रजातासौ वृथाहं प्राप्तयौवना। यथा तया वृतो भर्ता तथैवाहं वृणोमि तम्॥
Devayani has given birth to a son. My youth is in vain. I shall choose him as my husband whom Devayani has chosen.
राज्ञा पुत्रफलं देयमिति मे निश्चिता मतिः। अपीदानी स धर्मात्मा इयान्मे दर्शनं रहः॥
The king should give me a son. This is a firm resolve. Will not that virtuous-minded king grant me a private interview?
अथ निष्क्रम्य राजासौ तस्मिन् काले यदृच्छया। अशोकवनिकाभ्याशे शर्मिष्ठां प्रेक्ष्य विष्ठितः॥
(One day) the king listlessly came to the Ashoka grove and seeing Sharmishtha he stood before her.
तमेकं रहिते दृष्ट्वा शर्मिष्ठा चारुहासिनी। प्रत्युद्गम्याञ्जलिं कृत्वा राजानं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Sharmishtha, of sweet smiles, finding the king alone before her, thus addressed the king with joined hands.
शर्मिष्ठोवाच सोमस्येन्द्रस्य विष्णोर्वा यमस्य वरुणस्य च। तव वा नाहुष गृहे कः स्त्रियं द्रष्टुमर्हति॥ रूपाभिजनशीलैहि त्वं राजन् वेत्थ मां सदा। सा त्वां याचे प्रसाद्याहमृतुं देहि नराधिप॥
Sharmishtha said: O son of Nahusha, none can see the ladies that dwell in the inner-apartments of Soma, Indra, Vishnu, Yama, Varuna and your own. O king, you know that I am handsome and wellborn. O great king, I solicit you. My season has come. See that it goes not in vain.
ययातिरुवाच वेद्मि त्वां शीलसम्पन्नां दैत्यकन्यामनिन्दिताम्। रूपं च ते न पश्यामि सूच्यग्रमपि निन्दितम्॥
Yayati said : I know very well the great birth of yours, born as you are in the race of the Danavas. You are also exceedingly beautiful. I do not find the least defeat in your beauty.
अब्रवीदुशना काव्यो देवयानीं यदावहम्। नेयमाह्वयितव्या ते शयने वार्षपर्वणी॥
Ushanas, the son of Kavi, however, commanded me when I was married to Devayani that Vrishaparva's daughter shall not be my bed.
शर्मिष्ठोवाच न नर्मयुक्तं वचनं हिनस्ति न स्त्रीषु राजन् न विवाहकाले। प्राणात्यये सर्वधनापहारे पञ्चानृतान्याहुरपातकानि॥
Sharmishtha said: It is not sinful to speak falsehood in the following five cases, namely in joke, in respect of women to be associated with, in marriage, in prospect of immediate death and at the time of the loss of one's whole fortune.
पृष्टं तु साक्ष्ये प्रवदन्तमन्यथा वदन्ति मिथ्या पतितं नरेन्द्र। एकार्थतायां तु समाहितायां मिथ्या वदन्तं त्वनृतं हिनस्ति॥
O king, it is not true that he is fallen who does not speak out the truth when asked (for there are occasions when to speak falsehood is an act of piety.) The falsehood is sinful when one (harmful) object is to be accomplished.
ययातिरुवाच राजा प्रमाणं भूतानां स नश्येत मृषा वदन्। अर्थकृच्छ्रमपि प्राप्य न मिथ्या कर्तुमुत्सहे॥
Yayati said : A king should be a model prince in the eyes of his people. That king who speaks falsehood is sure to meet with his destruction. I do not dare to speak a lie, though the greatest losses threaten me.
शर्मिष्ठोवाच समावेतौ मतौ राजन् पति: सख्याश्च यः पतिः। समं विवाहमित्याहुः सख्या मेऽसि वृतः पतिः॥
Sharmishtha said: O king, you have been chosen by my friends as her husband. One's friend's marriage is the same as one's own. You are, therefore, as much my husband (as Devayani's).
ययातिरुवाच दातव्यं याचमानेभ्य इति मे व्रतमाहितम्। त्वं च याचसि मां कामं ब्रूहि किं करवाणि ते॥
Yayati said : It is one of my strict vows no doubt that I should grant what is asked of me. You ask me (to grant you a favour). Therefore, tell me what should I do?
शर्मिष्ठोवाच अधर्मात् पाहि मां राजन् धर्मं च प्रतिपादय। त्वत्तोऽपत्यवती लोके चरेयं धर्ममुत्तमम्॥
Sharmishtha said : O king, save me from sin. Protect my virtue. Becoming a mother by you, let me perform the greatest pious act in the world.
त्रय एवाधना राजन् भार्या दासस्तथा सुतः। यत् ते समधिगच्छन्ति यस्यैते तस्य तद् धनम्॥
O king, it is ordained that three persons can never earn wealth for themselves. They are the wife, the slave and the son. That which they earn belong to him who owns them.
देवयान्या भुजिष्यास्मि वश्या च तव भार्गवी। सा चाहं च त्वया राजन् भजनीये भजस्व माम्॥
O king, I am the slave of Devayani, the lady of the Bhrigu race. You are Devayani's master and lord. Therefore, you are my master and lord as well. I solicit you. Fulfill my wishes.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तस्तु राजा स तथ्यमित्यभिजज्ञिवान्। पूजयामास शर्मिष्ठां धर्मं च प्रत्यपादयत्॥
Vaishampayana said : Thus having been addressed by Sharmishtha, the king was persuaded to believe that what she said was true. He fulfilled Sharmishtha's wishes and thus protected her virtue.
स समागम्य शर्मिष्ठां यथाकाममवाप्य च। अन्योन्यं चाभिसम्पूज्य जग्मतुस्तौ यथागतम्॥
They passed some time together. They took affectionate farewell of each other and separated. Each went whence they came.
तस्मिन् समागमे सुभूः शर्मिष्ठाः चारुहासिनी। लेभे गर्भं प्रथमतस्तस्मानृपतिसत्तमात्॥
Sharmishtha of sweet smiles and fair eyebrows conceived in consequence of that connection with that best of kings.
प्रजज्ञे च ततः काले राजन् राजीवलोचना। कुमारं देवगर्भाभं राजीवनिभलोचनम्॥
O king, in due time the lotus-eyed lady (Sharmishtha) gave birth to a son, as effulgent as a celestial child and with eyes like lotus leaves.