नारद उवाच ययातिं नाहुषं चैव मृतं सृञ्जय शुश्रुम। राजसूयशतैरिष्ट्वा सोऽश्वमेधशतेन च॥ पुण्डरीकसहस्रेण वाजपेयशतैस्तथा। अतिरात्रसहस्रेण चातुर्मास्यैश्च कामतः। अग्निष्टोमैश्च विविधैः सत्रैश्च प्राज्यदक्षिणैः॥
Narada said O Srinjaya, we heard also that Yayati, the son of Nahusa, was carried away by Death. Having celebrated a hundred Rajasuya sacrifices, a hundred Horse-sacrifices, thousand Pundarikas, a hundred Vajapeya sacrifices, a thousand Atiratra sacrifices, numerous Chaturmasya sacrifices. Many Agnistomas and diverse other kind of sacrifices, all attended with the giving away of profuse Dakshinas.
अब्राह्मणानां यद वित्तं पृथिव्यामस्ति किंचन। तत् सर्वे परिसंख्याय ततो ब्राह्मणसात्करोत्॥
He gave unto the Brahmanas all the wealth on the face of Earth, belonging to the nonBrahmana sect, having at first taken an account of them all.
सरस्वती पुण्यतमा नदीनां तथा समुद्राः सरितः साद्रयश्च। इजानाय पुण्यतमाय राज्ञे घृतं पयो दुदुहु हुषाय॥
The holiest river Sarasvati, oceans, mountains and rivulets offered ghee and milk for offering arranged by the religious soul, king Yayati.
व्यूढे देवासुरे युद्धे कृत्वा देवसहायताम्। चतुर्धाव्यभजत् सर्वां चतुर्थ्यः पृथिवीमिमाम्॥ यज्ञैर्नानाविधेरिष्ट्वा प्रजामुत्पाद्य चोत्तमाम्। देवयान्यां चौशनस्यां शर्मिष्ठायां च धर्मतः॥ देवारण्येषु सर्वेषु विजहारामरोपमः। आत्मनः कामचारेण द्वितीय इव वासवः।॥
He assisted the celestials when they and the Asuras stood ready for fight arraying themselves in battle order. He divided the earth in four parts and gave her away to four persons. Having celebrated diverse sacrifices and virtuously begotten excellent progeny on his wives, viz., Devayani, the daughter of Ushanas and Sharmistha, thai god-like Yayati roamed in the woods of the celestials, at his own unrestrained pleasure, like a second Vasava (or Indra).
यदा नाभ्यगमच्छान्तिं कामानां सर्ववेदवित्। ततो गाथामिमां गीत्वा सदारः प्राविशद् वनम्॥
Versed in all the Vedas, when he found that he was not satiated with the indulgence of his desires, he repaired to the forest with his wives, having uttered this saying-
यत् पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशवः स्त्रियः। नालमेकस्य तत् सर्वमिति मत्वा शमं व्रजेत्॥
"Whatever of paddy, wheat, gold, animals and women there are on the face of the earth, are not sufficient for even one single man. Knowing such to be the fact, one should betake to contentment."
एवं कामान् परित्यज्य ययातिकृतिमेत्य च। पूरूं राज्ये प्रतिष्ठाप्य प्रयातो वनमीश्वरः॥
Thus having renounced all his desires and cultivating contentment, the Lord Yayati retired into the woods, having installed his son Puru on the throne.
स चेन्ममार सृञ्जय चतुर्भद्रतरस्त्वया। पुत्रात् पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं मा पुत्रमनुतप्यथाः। अयज्वानमदाक्षिण्यमभि श्वैत्येत्युदाहरत्॥
O Srinjaya, when even such a king had to suffer death, who was superior to you in respect of the four cardinal virtues and was consequently much more superior to your son, you should not lament for your son-crying-'O Shvaitya'-who did not perform any sacrifice or offer any sacrificial presents.