वैशम्पायन उवाच जरां प्राप्य ययातिस्तु स्वपुरं प्राप्य चैव हि। पुत्रं ज्येष्ठं वरिष्ठं च यदुमित्यब्रवीद् वचः॥
Vaishampayana said : Having been thus attacked by old age, Yayati returned to his capital. He summoned his eldest and accomplished son Yadu and thus spoke to him.
ययातिरुवाच जरा वली च मां तात पलितानि च पर्यगुः। काव्यस्योशनसः शापान च तृप्तोऽस्मि यौवने॥
Yayati said : O child; Old age, wrinkles and white hair have come over to me by the curse the son of Kavi who is called Ushanas. But I am not yet satiated with youth.
त्वं यदो प्रतिपद्यस्व पाप्मानं जरया सह। यौवनेन त्वदीयेन चरेयं विषयानहम्॥ पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु पुनस्ते यौवनं त्वहम्। दत्त्वा स्वं प्रतिपत्स्यामि पाप्मानं जरया सह।॥
O Yadu, take you upon yourself my this decrepitude and consequent old age. I shall then enjoy with your youth. When one thousand years will be completed, I shall return to you your youth and take back my decrepitude and its consequent weakness,
यदुरुवाच जरायां बहवो दोषाः पानभोजनकारिताः। तस्माजरां न ते राजन् ग्रहीष्य इति मे मतिः॥
Over are Yadu said: There are many inconveniences in old age about eating and drinking. Therefore, O king, I shall not take your decrepitude upon me. This is my determination.
सितश्मश्रुनिरानन्दो जरया शिथिलीकृतः। बलीसंगतगात्रस्तु दुर्दर्शो दुर्बलः कृशः॥ अशक्तः कार्यकरणे परिभूत: स यौवतैः। सहोपजीविभिश्चैव तां जरां नाभिकामये॥
White hair, cheerlessness, relaxation of nerves, wrinkles, all the body, deformities, weakness, leanness, inability of work, these the consequences of decrepitude. Even friends and dependants forsake an old decrepit man.
सन्ति ते बहवः पुत्रा मत्तः प्रियतरा नृप। जरां ग्रहीतुं धर्मज्ञ तस्मादन्यं वृणीष्व वै॥
O king, you have many sons, some of them are dearer to you (than I). O virtuous man, ask some other son of yours to take upon him your decrepitude.
ययातिरुवाच यत् त्वं मे हृदयाजातो वयः स्वं न प्रयच्छसि। तस्मादराज्यभाक् तात प्रजा तव भविष्यति॥
Yayati said : O son, you have sprung from my heart, but you do not give me your youth. Therefore, your children will never be ruling kings.
तुर्वसो प्रतिपद्यस्व पाप्मानं जरया सह। यौवनेन चरेयं वै विषयांस्तव पुत्रक॥
O Turvasu, take upon yourself my decrepitude and consequent weakness. I wish to enjoy the pleasures of life with your youth.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु पुनर्दास्यामि यौवनम्। स्वं चैव प्रतिपत्स्यामि पाप्मानं जरया सह॥
After the expiration of one thousand years, I shall return, to you, your youth and take back my decrepitude and its consequent weakness.
तुर्वसुरुवाच न कामये जरां तात कामभोगप्रणाशिनीम्। बलरूपान्तकरणां बुद्धिप्राणप्रणाशिनीम्॥
Turvasu said : O father, I do not like old age. It destroys all pleasures and enjoyments, strength and beauty, the intellect and the memory, nay even life.
ययातिरुवाच यत् त्वं मे हृदयाजातो वयः स्वं न प्रयच्छसि। तस्मात् प्रजा समुच्छेदं तुर्वसो तव यास्यसि॥
Yayati said : You are born from my heart, but you do not give me your youth. Therefore, O Turvasu, your line will be extinct.
संकीर्णचारधर्मेषु प्रतिलोमचरेषु च। पिशिताशिषु चान्त्येषु मूढ राजा भविष्यसि॥ गुरुदारप्रसक्तेषु तिर्यग्योनिगतेषु च। पशुधर्मेषु पापेषु म्लेच्छेषु त्वं भविष्यसि॥
You shall be the foolish king of those whose practise and precepts will be impure, whose women of superior birth will give birth to children by men of inferior birth, who will live on meat, who will be mean, who will not hesitate to appropriate the wives of their superiors, who will be like birds and beasts in their practise and who will be sinful and Mlecchas.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवं स तुर्वसुं शप्त्वा ययातिः सुतमात्मनः। शर्मिष्ठायाः सुतं दुह्युमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Vaishampayana said: Having thus cursed his son Turvasu, Yayati spoke to Sharmishtha's son Druhyu thus:
ययातिरुवाच दुह्यो त्वं प्रतिपद्यस्व वर्णरूपविनाशिनीम्। जरां वर्षसहस्रं मे यौवनं स्वं ददस्व च॥
Yayati said : O Druhyu, take upon yourself for one thousand years my decrepitude, destructive of beauty and complexion. Give me your youth.
पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु पुनर्दास्यामि यौवनम्। स्वं चादास्यामि भूयोऽहं पाप्मानं जरया सह॥
After the expiration of one thousand years, I shall return to you your youth and take back my own decrepitude.
दुखुरुवाच न गजं न रथं नाश्वं जीर्णो भुङ्क्तेन च स्त्रियम्। वाक्सङ्गश्चास्य भवति तां जरां नाभिकामये॥
Druhyu said: O king, one, if he is decrepit, cannot enjoy elephants, cars, horses or women. His voice also becomes indistinct. Therefore, I do no desire (to take upon myself) your old age.
ययातिरुवाच यत् त्वं मे हृदयाजातो वयः स्वं न प्रयच्छसि। तस्माद् द्रुह्यो प्रियः कामो न ते सम्पत्स्यते क्वचित्।२०
Yayati said : O son, you are sprung from my heart, but you refuse to give me your youth. Therefore, your cherished wishes will never be fulfilled.
यत्राश्वरथमुख्यानामश्वानां स्याद् गतं न च। हस्तिनां पीठकानां च गर्दभानां तथैव च॥ बस्तानां च गवां चैव शिबिकायास्तथैव च। उडुपप्लवसंतारो यत्र नित्यं भविष्यति। अराजा भोजशब्दं त्वं तत्र प्राप्स्यसि सान्वयः॥
You shall be a king only in name. You shall rule over a region where there will be no roads, no passages for horses, cars, elephants, asses, goats, bullocks, palanquins and other good vehicles, where the only means of locomotion will be rafts and floats. In such a place you will live with all your friends.
ययातिरुवाच अनो त्वं प्रतिपद्यस्व पाप्मानं जरया सह। एकं वर्षसहस्रं तु चरेयं यौवनेन ते॥
Yayati said: O Anu, take my decrepitude and its consequent weakness. I shall enjoy the pleasures of life for one thousand years with your youth.
अनुरुवाच जीर्ण: शिशुवदादत्तेऽकालेऽत्रमशुचिर्यथा। न जुहोति च कालेऽग्निं तां जरां नाभिकामये।॥
Anu said: Those that are decrepit eat like children and they are always impure. They cannot pour libations on sacrificial fire at the proper time. Therefore, I do not like to take upon myself your old age.
ययातिरुवाच यत् त्वं मे हृदयाजातो वयः स्वं न प्रयच्छसि। जरादोषस्त्वया प्रोक्तस्तस्मात् त्वं प्रतिपत्स्यसे॥ प्रजाश्च यौवनप्राप्ता विनाशिष्यन्त्यनो तव। अग्निप्रस्कन्दनपरस्त्वं चाप्येर्वं भविष्यसि॥
Yayati said : O son, you have sprung from my heart, but you do not give me your youth. As you find so many faults with decrepitude, decrepitude will overcome you. Your sons will die as soon as they will attain to their youth. You shall not be able to perform any sacrifice before fire.
ययातिरुवाच पूरो त्वं मे प्रियः पुत्रस्त्वं वरीयान् भरिष्यसि। जरा वली च मां तात पलितानि च पर्यगुः॥
Yayati said : O Puru, you are my youngest and dearest son, you will become the foremost of them. Old age, wrinkles and white hair, O child, have come over me.
काव्यस्योशनसः शापान्न च तृप्तोऽस्मि यौवने। पूरो त्वं प्रतिपद्यस्व पाप्मानं जरया सह। कंचित् कालं चरेयं वै विषयान् वयसा तव॥ पूर्णे वर्षसहस्रे तु पुनर्दास्यामि यौवनम्। स्वं चैव प्रतिपत्स्यामि पाप्मानं जरया सह॥
On account of the curse of the son of Kavi, who is called Ushanas. But I am not yet satiated with youth. O Puru, take my decrepitude upon you and consequent weakness. I shall enjoy the pleasures of life for one thousand years with your youth. After the expiration of one thousand years, I shall return to you your youth and take my own decrepitude.
वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच पूरुः पितरपञ्जसा। यथाऽऽत्य मां महाराज तत् करिष्यामि ते वचः॥
Vaishampayana said : Having been thus addressed the king, Puru replied to him with all humility. (He said:) “O great king, I shall do as you command me to do.
प्रतिपत्स्यामि ते राजन् पाप्मानं जरया सह। गृहाण यौवनं मत्तश्चर कामान् यथेप्सितान्॥
O king, I shall take upon myself your old age and its consequent weakness. Take my youth and enjoy as you like the pleasures of life.
जरयाहं प्रतिच्छन्नो वयोरूपधरस्तव। यौवनं भवते दत्त्वा चरिष्यामि यथाऽऽत्थ माम्॥
"Attacked by your old age, deprived of youth and beauty, I shall at your command live and give you my youth.”
ययातिरुवाच पूरो प्रीतोऽस्मि ते वत्स प्रतिश्चेदं ददामि ते। सर्वकामसमृद्धा ते प्रजा राज्ये भविष्यति॥
Yayati said : O Puru, my child, I am much pleased with you. I grant you the following boon with great pleasure. "The people of your kingdom will have all their desires fulfilled."
एवमुक्त्वा ययातिस्तु स्मृत्वा काव्यं महातपाः। संक्रामयामास जरां तदा पूरौ महात्मनि॥
Having said this, Yayati remembered the great ascetic, the son of Kavi (Shukra) and transferred his decrepitude to the body of the high-souled Puru.