Verse 1
विश्वामित्रवचः श्रुत्वा रामः कौतूहलान्वितः ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं मुनिं रघुकुलोद्वहम् ॥
Hearing the words of Vishvamitra, Rama, filled with curiosity, spoke these sweet words to the sage, the descendant of the Raghu dynasty.
Verse 2
भगवन् श्रोतुमिच्छामि कथां परमपावनीम् ।
ययातेरथ राजर्षेः कथयस्व महामुने ॥
“O Bhagavan, O great sage, I wish to hear the most sacred story of the royal sage Yayati. Please narrate it to me.”
Verse 3
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ।
उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं रामं रघुकुलोद्वहम् ॥
Hearing those words, the great sage Vishvamitra spoke sweetly to Rama, the descendant of the Raghu dynasty.
Verse 4
पुरा कृतयुगे राम ययातिर्नाम पार्थिवः ।
आसीत् परमधर्मात्मा सत्यसन्धो जितेन्द्रियः ॥
“O Rama, in the ancient Krita Yuga there was a king named Yayati. He was exceedingly righteous, truthful in his resolve, and master of his senses.
Verse 5
स राजा राजसिंहश्च प्रजाः सम्यगनुपालयन् ।
यज्ञैरिष्ट्वा महाभागो देवांश्चाप्यतितोषयत् ॥
That lion among kings properly protected his subjects. The greatly fortunate king performed sacrifices and greatly pleased the gods.
Verse 6
तस्य तुष्टो महातेजा देवराजः शतक्रतुः ।
वरं प्रादाद् महाराज ययातेरमितौजसः ॥
The greatly radiant king of the gods, Shatakratu, became pleased with the immensely powerful King Yayati and granted him a boon.
Verse 7
स राजा परमप्रीतो देवराजमथाब्रवीत् ।
स्वर्गलोकं ममाप्यस्तु देवदेव नमोऽस्तु ते ॥
The king, greatly pleased, said to the Lord of the gods, “O Lord of the gods, may heaven also become mine. My salutations to you.”
Verse 8
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा देवराजः पुरंदरः ।
उवाच परमं वाक्यं ययातिं नृपसत्तमम् ॥
Hearing those words, Purandara, the king of the gods, spoke these words to Yayati, the excellent king.
Verse 9
स्वर्गलोकं गमिष्यसि पुण्येन स्वेन कर्मणा ।
इत्युक्त्वा तं नृपश्रेष्ठं देवराजो जगाम ह ॥
“You shall attain heaven through your own meritorious deeds.” Having spoken thus to that excellent king, the Lord of the gods departed.
Verse 10
ततो ययातिः स राजर्षिर्देवलोकमुपागमत् ।
तत्र देवगणैः सार्धं मुमुदे नृपसत्तमः ॥
Then that royal sage Yayati went to the world of the gods. There the excellent king rejoiced together with the hosts of gods.
Verse 11
तस्य तत्र महाभागस्य कालेन महता ततः ।
क्षीणे पुण्ये महातेजाः पुनर्मर्त्यं जगाम ह ॥
After a long time, when the merit of that greatly fortunate and radiant king had been exhausted, he returned again to the mortal world.
Verse 12
स च राजा महातेजाः स्वर्गलोकात् परिभ्रष्टः ।
पुनराप्याययामास तपसा स्वेन तेजसा ॥
That greatly radiant king, having fallen from heaven, again restored his spiritual power through his own austerities.
Verse 13
ततः स पुनरागत्य पृथिवीं पृथिवीपतिः ।
प्रजाः सम्यगुपस्थाय यज्ञैश्चाप्यतितोषयत् ॥
Then the lord of the earth returned to the earth, properly cared for his subjects, and greatly pleased the gods through sacrifices.
Verse 14
तस्य पुत्रो महातेजा नहुषो नाम वीर्यवान् ।
बभूव परमधर्मात्मा सत्यसन्धो जितेन्द्रियः ॥
He had a greatly radiant and powerful son named Nahusha, who was exceedingly righteous, truthful in his resolve, and master of his senses.
Verse 15
नहुषस्तु महातेजा पितुराज्ञामनुव्रतः ।
धर्मेण पृथिवीं सर्वां शशास नृपसत्तमः ॥
The greatly radiant Nahusha, obedient to his father’s command, ruled the entire earth righteously as an excellent king.
Verse 16
तस्य तु पृथिवीं सर्वां प्रशासतो महात्मनः ।
बभूव परमं तेजो देवानामपि दर्पहा ॥
As that great-souled king ruled the entire earth, his extraordinary power became capable even of humbling the pride of the gods.
Verse 17
ततः स देवैः सहितो नहुषः परमद्युतिः ।
इन्द्रत्वं समुपागम्य त्रिदिवे समपूज्यत ॥
Then the greatly radiant Nahusha, together with the gods, attained the position of Indra and was honoured in heaven.
Verse 18
स तु देवैः समागम्य स्वर्गलोकमुपागतः ।
देवराजोऽभवद् राजा नहुषो नृपसत्तमः ॥
Having gone to the celestial world and associating with the gods, the excellent king Nahusha became the king of the gods.
Verse 19
ततः स देवगन्धर्वैरप्सरोभिश्च सेवितः ।
मुमुदे नहुषो राजा देवराज्ये प्रतिष्ठितः ॥
Then King Nahusha, established in the sovereignty of the gods, enjoyed himself, attended by gods, Gandharvas and Apsaras.
Verse 20
तस्य तत्र महातेजा नहुषस्य महात्मनः ।
अहंकारोऽभवत् तीव्रो देवानामपि दर्पहा ॥
There, the greatly radiant and great-souled Nahusha became intensely proud, even to the point of humbling the gods.
Verse 21
स तु देवगणान् सर्वान् ऋषींश्चाप्यवमन्यत ।
तेन दोषेण महता स्वर्गाद् भ्रष्टोऽभवत् तदा ॥
He then showed disrespect to all the hosts of gods and even to the sages. Because of that great fault, he fell from heaven.
Verse 22
ततः स देवगणैः सर्वैः शप्तोऽथ नृपसत्तमः ।
अजगरत्वमापन्नो भूमौ निपतितस्तदा ॥
Then that excellent king was cursed by all the hosts of gods and became a python, falling down upon the earth.
Verse 23
एवं ययातिनाहुषं चरितं पुण्यवर्धनम् ।
कथितं ते महाभाग सर्वलोकहितावहम् ॥
Thus I have narrated to you the story of Yayati and Nahusha, which increases merit and brings welfare to all the worlds, O greatly fortunate Rama.
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये बाल काण्डे षट्चत्वारिंशः सर्गः ।
Thus ends the forty-sixth Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.