Vaishampayana said: -
1. O descendant of the Bharata race, when Devayani heard of the birth of this boy, she became very sorry and Sharmishtha became an object of her sad reflections. Going to Sharmishtha, Devayani thus spoke to her.
Devayani said: -
2. O girl of fair-eye-brows, what sin is this you have committed out of lust!
Sharmishtha said: -
3. A Rishi of virtuous mind, learned in the Vedas, came to me. He was capable of granting boons and he was solicited by me to grant my wishes based on virtue.
4. O lady of sweet smiles, I would never seek the fulfillment of my desires by sinful means. I tell you truly, this my child was begotten by a Rishi.
Devayani said: -
5. O timid maiden, it is all right if that is the case. If you know the lineage, the name and the family of that Brahmana, tell me I wish to hear them.
Sharmishtha said: -
6. O lady of sweet smiles, that Rishi was as effulgent in asceticism and energy as the sun. Seeing him, I had no power of making these enquiries.
Devayani said: -
7. O Sharmishtha, if this be true, if you have received this your son from such a great Brahmana, I have then no cause for anger.
Vaishampayana said: -
8. They talked and laughed with each other and then they separated, (Devayani) the daughter of the Bhrigu race going to her mansion and believing what Sharmishtha told her.
9. O king, Yayati begot on Devayani two more sons (namely) Yadu and Turvasu, who were like Indra and Vishnu.
10. The daughter of VrishaParva, Sharmishtha, by that royal sage gave birth to three sons in all, namely Druhyu, Anu and Puru.
11. O king, one day Devayani of sweet smiles went with Yayati into a solitary part of the royal park.
12. There she saw three children of celestial beauty, playing with perfect ease. She was surprised and thus spoke to the king.
Devayani said: -
13. O king, whose children are these, so handsome, so like the children of the celestial? They are exactly like you in splendour and beauty.
14. Having asked the king, she asked the children.
Devayani said: -
15. O children, what if your lineage! Who is your father? Answer me truly. I desire to know all.
Vaishampayana said: -
16. The children then pointed to the king with their fingers and said that Sharmishtha was their mother.
17. Having said this, they came to the king to clasp his knees. But the king dared not caress them before Devayani.
18. The boys wept in grief and they left the place, going towards their mother. The king became very much abashed of this conduct of the boys.
19. Seeing the affection of the boys towards the king, (Devayani) understood all. All the addressed Sharmishtha thus:
Devayani said: -
20. How have you dared to do me an injury, dependant as you are on me? Do you not fear to have recourse once more to your Asura conduct?
Sharmishtha said: -
21. O lady of sweet smiles! all that I told you about the Rishi is quite true. My acts were according to the precepts of virtue and right.
22. Therefore, I am not afraid of you. When you chose the king as your husband, I too did the same. 0 beautiful lady, a friend’s husband is one’s own husband according to the precept of religion.
23. You are a daughter of a Brahmana and therefore you deserve my greatest worship and regard. Do you no know that this royal sage (Yayati) is the object of greater esteem to me?
Vaishampayana said:
24. Having heard these words, Devayani said, “O king, you have wronged me, I will not live here any longer.”
25. Having said this, she with tearful eyes quickly rose to go away to her father. And the king was grieved to see her thus angry.
26. He became very much alarmed; and he followed her, trying to appease her wrath. But she did not return. Her eyes were red in anger.
27. She did not speak a word to the king, but she, with her eyes full of tears, soon reached her father, Ushanas, the son of Kavi.
28. Seeing her father, she made to him due salutation and stood before him. Yayati also came immediately after her and he saluted and worshipped the son of Bhrigu.
Devayani said: -
29. O father, virtue has been defeated by vice. The low have risen and the high have fallen. I have been insulted by the daughter of VrishaParva.
30. Three sons have been begotten on her by this king Yayati. O father, unfortunate am I! I have got only two sons.
31. O son of Bhrigu, this king is renowned for his knowledge in religion and virtue. But, O son of Kavi, I tell you, he has fallen from the path of virtue.
Shukra said: -
32. O king, as you have made vice your favourite pursuit, though well-acquainted with the precepts of virtue, terrible decrepitude will overtake you.
Yayati said: -
33. Adorable Rishi, I was solicited by the daughter of the Danava king to make her season fruitful. I did grant her prayer from a sense of virtue.
34. O Rishi, men learned in the Vedas say that he, who does not grant the prayer of a woman in season, commits the sin of killing an embryo.
35. He, who, being solicited in secret by a woman full of desire and in season, does not grant her wishes, loses virtue. The learned say that he becomes a killer of embryo.
36. O son of Bhrigu, for these reason and being afraid of committing a sin, I went to Sharmishtha.
Shukra said: -
37. O king, you are dependent on me. You should have waited to receive my command. O son of Nahusha, having acted falsely in the matter of your duty, you have committed the sin of theft.
Vaishampayana said: -
38. Thus being cursed by the angry Ushanas, Yayati, the son of Nahusha, was then deprived of his youth and terrible decrepitude soon overcame him.
Yayati said: -
39. O son of Bhrigu, I have not been as yet satiated with youth of Devayani. Therefore, O Brahmana, be graceful to me. Let not decrepitude overcome me.
Shukra said: -
40. I never speak an untruth, O king, (see), you have been immediately attacked by old age. But if you like, you can transfer this decrepitude to some other man.
Yayati said: -
41. O Brahmana, let this be ordered by you that, the son of mine who will accept my old age will enjoy my kingdom and gain both virtue and fame.
Shukra said: -
42. O son of Nahusha, remembering me you will be able to transfer your decrepitude to whomever you like.
43. Your son who will give you his youth will become your successor on the throne. He will have long life, widespread fame and a large progeny.
Thus ends the eighty third chapter, the history of Yayati, in the Sambhava of the Adi Parva.