Mahabharata, Book 7, Section LXIIIद्रोणपर्व

Kisari Mohan Ganguli’s English prose (1883–96), beside the Sanskrit of adhyāya 7.63.

63Sanskrit adhyāya 7.63 · Sanskrit source · English source

Sanskrit

नारद उवाच।
ययातिं नाहुषं चैव मृतं सृञ्जय शुश्रुम।
`य इमां पृथिवीं जित्वा ससमुद्रां सपर्वताम्।।
शम्याप्रासेन निर्माय वेदीः सन्नतदक्षिणाः।
ईजानः क्रतुभिः पुण्यैः पर्यगच्छत्प्रदक्षिणम्'।।
राजसूयशतैरिष्ट्वा सोऽश्वमेधशतेन च।
पुण्डरीकसहस्रेण वाजपेयशतैस्तथा।।
अतिरात्रसहस्रेण चातुर्मास्यैश्च कामतः।
अग्निष्टोमैश्च विविधैः सत्रैश्च प्राज्यदक्षिणैः।।
अब्राह्मणानां यद्वित्तं पृथिव्यामस्ति किञ्चन।
तत्सर्वं परिसङ्ख्याय ततो ब्राह्मणसात्करोत्।।
सरस्वती पुण्यतमा नदीनां
तथा समुद्राः सरितः साद्रयश्च।
ईजानाय पुण्यतमाय राज्ञे
घृतं पयो दुदुहुर्नाहुषाय।।
व्यूढे देवासुरे युद्धे कृत्वा देवसहायताम्।
चतुर्धा व्यभजत्सर्वां चतुर्भ्यः पृथिवीमिमाम्।।
यज्ञैर्नानाविधैरिष्ट्वा प्रजामुत्पाद्य चोत्तमाम्।
देवयान्यां चौशनस्यां शर्मिष्ठायां च धर्मतः।।
देवारण्येषु सर्वेषु विजहारामरोपमः।
आत्मनः कामचारेण द्वितीय इव वारावः।।
यदा नाभ्यगमच्छान्तिं कामानां सर्ववेदवित्।
ततो गाथामिमां गीत्वा सदारः प्राविशद्वनम्।।
यत्पृथिव्यां व्रीहियवं हिरण्यं पशवः स्त्रियः।
नालमेकस्य तत्सर्वमिति मत्वा शमं व्रजेत्।।
एवं कामान्परित्यज्य ययातिर्धृतिमेत्य च।
पूरुं राज्ये प्रतिष्ठाप्य प्रयातो वनमीश्वरः।।
स चेन्ममार सृञ्जय चतुर्भद्रतरस्त्वया।
पुत्रात्पुण्यतरस्तुभ्यं मा पुत्रमनुतप्यथाः।
अयज्वानमदक्षिण्यमभि श्वैत्येत्युदाहरत्।।
।। इति श्रीमन्महाभारते द्रोणपर्वणि अभिमन्युवधपर्वणि
षोडशराजकीये त्रिषष्टितमोऽध्यायः।। 63 ।।

English Ganguli

“‘"Narada said, ‘Yayati, the son of Nahusha, O Srinjaya, we hear, fell a prey to death. Having performed a hundred Rajasuyas, a hundred Horse-sacrifices, a thousand Pundarikas, a hundred Vajapeyas, a thousand Atiratras, innumerable Chaturmasyas, diverse Agnishtomas, and many other kinds of sacrifices, in all of which he made profuse gifts unto the Brahmanas, he gave away unto the Brahmanas, having counted it first, the whole of the wealth that existed on the earth in the possession of Mlecchas and other Brahmana-hating people. When the gods and the Asuras were arrayed for battle, king Yayati aided the gods. Having divided the earth into four parts, he gave it away unto four persons. Having performed various sacrifices and virtuously begotten excellent offspring upon (his wives) Devayani, the daughter of Usanas and Sarmishtha, king Yayati, who was like unto a celestial, roved through the celestial woods at his own pleasure, like a second Vasava. Acquainted with all the Vedas, when, however, he found that he was not satiated with the indulgence of his passions, he then, with his wives, retired into the forest, saying this: “Whatever of paddy and wheat and gold and animals and women there are on earth, even the whole of these is not sufficient for one man. Thinking of this, one should cultivate contentment.” Thus abandoning all his desires, and attaining to contentment, the lord Yayati, installing (his son) on his throne, retired into the forest. When he died, O Srinjaya, who was superior to thee in respect of the four cardinal virtues and who, superior to thee, was much superior to thy son, thou shouldst not, saying, “Oh, Swaitya, Oh, Swaitya”, grieve for the latter who performed no sacrifice and made no sacrificial present.’”’"