This chapter corresponds to Bd.P. 2.3.68. For comparison or reference only the verse number is quoted.
This immortal story with a profound moral is repeated in many Purāņas. The story is originally given in details in Mbh Adi. Chs, 84 and 85. The immortal verse uttered by Yayāti:
na jātu kāmaḥ kämānām upabhogena shamyati |
havişhå krishna-vartmeva bhūya eva’ bhivardhate||
has been quoted in Puräņas. It has been the main theme of an epoch making Marathi novel Yayāli by V.S. Khandekar, which secured the much coveted Bharatiya Jñanapitha Prize.
The Sages said:
1. How was his daughter given to the king by Maruta,3 the great soul? Of what prowess were the daughters of Maruta born with great souls4(?)
3. Verses 1-11 speak of Maruta and Mitrajyoti and his descendants. But they are unrelated to the main story of this chapter.
4. The reading jātā marutakanyakah in the text translated above is contradictory and obscure. If emended: jātā maruta-kanyayā (as in Bd. P. 2.3.68.1) meaning of what heroic ability were the noble-souled persons) born of the daughter of Maruta’, it gives cogentness. The references to the Bd.P. are to the above-mentioned chapter. Only verse number is quoted in these notes.
Sūta said:
2. Endowed with great splendour yet desirous of food, the king performed the sacrifice Marut-Soma to Prajeśhvara every month, for sixty years,
3. Thereby the Marut-gods were pleased by the Marut-Soma sacrifice of that king, and granted him never-ending food with requisites for the fulfilment of all desires.
4. His food, cooked once, never got exhausted during that day and night even though given to crores (of people) right from sunrise.
5. Mitrajyoti was born of the daughter of the intelligent Maruta. From him were born (sons) of great strength, knowers of Dharma and seers of salvation.
6. After renouncing domestic rites (the duties of house- holders), they resorted to detachment. Maintaining the duties of recluses (sannyasins), they attained absorption in Brahman.
7. Anapaya was born of him. His son was Dharmapradattavăn. Thereafter was born Kşhatradharma and from him Pratipaksha (Pretipaka in Bd. P.) of great penance.
8. Pratipaksha’s son named Sanjaya was well-known. Jaya was the son of Sanjaya and Vijaya was born of him.
9. Vijaya’s son was Jaya (the second) and his son is remembered as Haryandvata and Haryandvata’s son was the valorous king Sahadeva.
10. Sahadeva’s son was virtuous-souled. He was well known as Adina. Adina’s son was Jayatsena and his son was Sankruti.
11. Sankruti’s son was the pious-souled Krutadharmă of great fame. These were fully endowed with Kşhātra qualities*. Now understand (the descendants) of Nahuşha.
* were the descendants of Kshatradharma?
12. Nahuşha’s successors were six. They had the brilliance comparable to that of Indra. These sons of great prowess were born of Virajā, the daughter of the Pitris.
13. They were Yati, Yayāti, Samyati, Āyati and the twins Viyati, Kruti, (Bd. P.) who were the fifth-born (?) Yati was the eldest of them and Yayāti was the younger brother.
14. Yati attained Gå (Gau), the daughter of Kakutstha as wife. Samyati became a sage. Attaining absolution, he became one with Brahman.
15. Among the (other) five, Yayati became a king. He attained Devayānī, the daughter of Uśhanas, as his wife.
16. He married the Asura lady Sharmishthā, the daughter of Vrushaparvan. Devayānī gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu.
17. Sharmişhthā, the daughter of Vrushaparvan, gave birth to very powerful sons comparable to divine sons, viz. Druhyu, Anu and Pūru.
18. The delighted Rudra gave him a divine golden chariot that shone brilliantly and that could never get stuck up (impeded). He gave him two great inexhaustible quivers also.
19. That chariot was fitted with horses as fast as the mind. It was in this chariot that he drove at the time of his marriage. With the same important chariot he conquered the earth.
20. Yayāti was invincible in battle to Devas, Dänavas and human beings. That chariot belonged to all the Paurava kings.
21. It remained with them up to the time of Kaurava Janamejaya born of a good land(?) The chariot got lost through the curse of the son of Garga, the intelligent sage, when Parīkşhit’s son became a king,
22. The unwise king Janamejaya (the first) who was evil- minded and was known as Loha-gandhin1 (having the odour of iron) killed the (young) son of Gärgya.
1. Emend as in Bd.P. v, 22, as syntactically the text here is obscure. The text: Lohagandham naradhipam is bemended as Lohagandhi narādhipah, as in Bd.P.
23. The saintly king with iron odour began to run here and there. He was abandoned by the citizens and the people of the land. Nowhere did he derive happiness.
24. He was extremely miserable. He did not get peace anywhere. Excessively dejected, he sought refuge in the sage who was the cause of his curse.2
2. The text is confusing. The king did not take resort to Gárgya who cursed him (see v. 22 above) but Indrota Shaunaka (see the next verse). The reading in Bd. P. 68.24: sa prāyacchaunakam rushim- ‘he resorted to the sage Shaunaka’ is relevant and deserves adoption.
25. The sage of liberal mind was famous by the name Indrota. This Indrota, the excellent Brāhmaṇa, a descendant of Shunaka, made the king perform an Aśhvamedha for the sake of purification.
26. After reaching his abode, the iron-ore odour was quelled.3 That divine chariot left him and reached Vasu, the king of Chedi.
3. Bd. P. v. 26 reads avabhrutha for avasatha hereof and means, ‘The king died when he reached the Avabhrutha stage of the sacrifice’. The Bd, P. reading is preferable for if the curse of iron odour was removed and the king was rehabilitated, the divine chariot should have continued with him.
27. Then it was obtained by Shakra who was delighted. From him, Bruhadratha got it. Killing Jarasandha afterwards Bhima, the scion of Kaurava family, gave that excellent chariot to Vasudeva with pleasure.
28. Attaining old age, the saintly king Yayāti, the son of Nahusha, spoke these words to his eldest and most excellent son Yadu:
29. “O dear one, old age, wrinkles and greying hairs have come over (surrounded) me due to the curse of Uśhanas, Kávya (i.e. Shukra). Nor am I fully satiated with youthful age.
30. O Yadu, accept all my sins along with my old age. Take my old age”. Yadu replied to him:
31. “I have promised to give alms to Brāhmaṇas but have not given. That can be achieved only by exertion. (So) I will not take up your old age.
32. There are many defects and ailments in old age affecting (the ability to) drink and eat. Hence, O king, I am not enthusiastic enough to accept your old age.
33-34. In the prime of youth, I do not wish to become a pitiable figure with white moustache and beard, shattered (in every limb) by old age, (skin) with many a wrinkle, with the body bent down, faced with a miserable state, the very form indicating weakness, and incompetent to perform any action. I would be overwhelmed (attacked) by great frightful effects. I do not desire that old age.
35. O King, O knower of virtues, you do have many sons even more beloved than I am. May they take it up. Please request some other son”.
36. On getting this rebuff from Yadu, (Yayati) the fore most among the most eloquent ones, became infuriated. Censuring his eldest son, he said thus:
37-39. “What other Aśhrama do you have? What other holy rite do you have for which you disregard me and say thus? O evil-minded one, o new instructor!” After saying this the angry king cursed Yadu: “Since you, though born of my bosom, do not pass on your (youthful) age unto me, O fool, your progeny shall not get the kingdom.” (Then he said to Turvasu) “O Turvasu, accept my sin along with my old age”.
Turvasu said:
40. O father, I do not like old age that destroys the (worldly pleasures of love. There are many defects in old age affecting the ability to drink and eat. Hence, king, I am not enthusiatic enough to accept your old age.
Yayāti said:
. 41. You, though born of my bosom, do not exchange your (youthful) age with me; O Turvasu, your progeny will meet with utter ruin.
42-43. O deluded one, you will be a king among people of mixed religious rites and practices*, born of anti-caste marriages and other mixed castes, who are meat-eaters and others. There is no doubt that you will be a ruler of the brutish Mlecchas, barbarians and outcastes who are after outraging the modesty of their preceptors’ wives and who are destined to be born as lower animals.
*asamkirnă cha dharmena is obscure as ‘asamkirna’ is a compliment and not a part of a curse. Bd.P.v. 43 reads: ‘sankirneshu cha dharmena’. ‘of mixed or impure religious practices’ is better. Hence accepted here.
Suta said:
44. After cursing his own son Turvasu thus, Yayati spoke these words to his son Druhyu born of Sharmişhtha:
45. “O Druhyu, you accept my old age that destroys your complexion and beauty. Give unto me in exchange your youth for a period of one thousand years.
46. When the thousand years are completed, I shall return your youth and take back again my sin along with the old age.”
Druhyu said:
47. An old man does not enjoy a ride on) elephants, chariots and horses, nor can he enjoy a woman. He has no one to be in contact. Hence I do not like the old age.
Yayāti said:
48. Since you, though born out of my own bosom, do not give unto me your (youthful) age, O Druhya, the pleasures that you love and seek will not be realised by you any where.
49. You will be perpetually staying in a place where people move about in canoes and rafts. You will always be there as a non-king though born of a royal family.1
1. arājabhrājavamshas tvam in the text is obscure. Bd.P. v. 51 reads: arājārajavamshas tvam which is better and is accepted here.
50. (He said to Anu) O Anu, you accept my sin along with my old age. Thus I can move about for a thousand years with your youth.
Anu said:
51. (Defective verse)2 An old man gives (the gift of age) to a child. (If I give up my youth) I shall become impure with your old age. An old man does not perform Homas at the proper time. I do not like that (type of) old age.
2. jirnah shishuvaram datte is obscure though translated above. For this Bd. P. 52 reads:
jirnah shishur ivāshaktah- ‘An old man is weak like a child’.
Yayāti said:
52-53. Since you, though born out of my own bosom do not give unto me your (youthful) age, all those defects of old age mentioned by you will visit (afflict) you. Your children will die on attaining youthful age. You will have to devote to the scattering of fire like this (after cremating your children).
54-56. (He then spoke to Pūru) O Pūru, you accept my sin along with the old age. O dear one, old age, wrinkles and greyish hairs have overwhelmed me as a result of the curse of Kavya Uśhanas (Shukra). I am not satiated with the pleasures of youth. I shall enjoy the worldly pleasures with your youth. When a period of thousand years is completed I shall return you your youthful age. I shall also take back my own sin along with the old age.
Sūta said:
57. Thus requested, the son immediately replied to his father, “O father, I shall do as you wish.
58. O king, I shall accept your sin along with your old age. Take from me my youthful age. Enjoy the pleasures as you wish.
59. I shall become disguised by your old age, assuming your form and age. Giving up my youthful age, I shall carry out what would be suitable (to the age assumed)”.
Yayāti said:
60. O Pūru, I am pleased with you. Welfare unto you. Delightedly I grant this unto you. All the subjects in your kingdom shall flourish and enjoy all pleasures (or your progeny will realise their desires, be affluent and rule over a kingdom).
Sūta said:
61. Permitted by Pūru and by the grace of Bhargava, king Yayati transferred his old age to Pūru.
62. By means of the youthful age, Yayāti, the son of Nahuşha, became highly delighted and enjoyed all worldly pleasures.
63. In accordance with his desire and enthusiasm, in a way conducive to happiness and at the proper time, the leading king enjoyed the pleasures without prejudice to virtuousness (Dharma) and it was what he alone deserved.
64. He propitiated Devas by means of Yajñas; Pitrus by means of Shrāddhas; the poor people by favourable presents; and the excellent Brāhmaṇas by whatever they desired.
65. He delighted guests with foods and drinks; Vaishyas by affording due protection; and Shūdras by (prevention of their harassment) showing kindness. He checked robbers by restraining and killing them.
66. Duly delighting the subjects by means of virtuous actions, Yayāti ruled the realm like another Indra.
67. The king of leonine exploits and youthful age indulged in worldly pleasures. Without prejudice to Dharma, he enjoyed excellent pleasures.
68-69. In the parks of Vaibhrāja and Nandana, he sported with (the celestial damsel) Viśhvāchi. He scrutinised all sexual
pleasures to find out the hidden defect1. When the king saw that the desire to enjoy was increasing the more he enjoyed it. he approached Pūru and took back his own old age.
1. Bd. P.v. 69 reads: atad-dosha-nidaršhanāt because he failed to notice the defects (of passionate indulgence)’. This is a better reading as it states why he went with Viśhvāchi.
70. After enjoying the pleasures and desires, the king was both contented and dejected. The king then remembered the stipulated time-limit of one thousand years.
71. Counting (even the small units of time such as) Kalas and Kashthās, he considered that the time limit was complete and so he spoke to his son Pūru:
72. “O son, O suppressor of enemies, with your youthful age, all worldly pleasures have been enjoyed by me in accordance with my zeal befitting the time and in a way conducive to happiness.
73. O Pūru, I am delighted. Welfare up to you, you take back your own youthful age. Accept the realm too. You alone have been my beloved son who carried out what is pleasing to me’.
74. King Yayati, the son of Nahusha, took back his old age and Pūru regained his own youthful age.
75. When the king evinced his desire to crown his youngest son Pūru, people of all castes with Brāhmaṇas as the chief of them, spoke these words.2
2. Verses 75-86 show that subjects did not allow injustice even if committed by the king. Some sort of public sanction seems to be necessary for appointing a new king.
76. “O lord, why do you set aside (the claim of) your eldest son, the excellent Yadu, the grandson of Shukra, the son of Devayāni, and bestow the kingdom on Pūru?
77. Yadu is your eldest son, Turvasu was born next to him. Sharmişhtha’s eldest son is Druhyu, then comes Anu and then only Pūru.
78. How can the younger son deserve the kingdom superseding (the claims of) the elder ones? Hence we urge you to abide by the (traditional) Dharma.”
Yayāti said:
79. O people of all castes with Brāhmaṇas as leaders! Let all of you listen to my speech why I do not intend to give the kingdom to the elder ones.
80. Only that son who carries out the words (orders) of his father and mother is considered praiseworthy. My behest was not obeyed by the eldest son Yadu.
81. That son who is antagonistic to his father is not honoured or approved by good men. He is the real son who does his duties to his parents.
82. I have been slighted by Yadu and also by Turvasu. Much discourtesy was shown by Druhyu and Anu too.
83. I have been specially honoured by Pūru who had carried out my behest. Though he is the youngest, he shall be my successor. It was he who accepted my old age. It was he who fulfilled all my desires. Everything has been done by Pūru who carried out his duties as a son.
84. This boon has been granted by Shukra, Kavya, Uśhanas, himself- ‘O highly intelligent one, that son who is favourable to you shall be the king to succeed you.’
85. Permitted by you all, may Pūru be crowned as the ruler of the kingdom. The son who is endowed with all qualities and who is always loyal to his parents deserves all welfare. He is to be the lord (the king), though he may be the youngest.
86. “Pūru who is your favourite son and who has done what is pleasing to you, deserves this kingdom. Due to the boon granted by Shukra, nothing more can be said (against this decision).”
87-89. Thus addressed by the delighted citizens and the people of the realm, the son of Nahuşha crowned his own son Pūru in his own realm. He established Turvasu in the south eastern territories. The king established the eldest excellent Yadu in the south-western territories. Druhyu and Anu were established in the west and the north. After conquering the earth consisting of the seven continents and the oceans, the son of Nahuşha, king Yayati, divided it into five regions and gave them to his five sons.
90. The whole of this earth consisting of the seven continents and (many) towns is being ruled over by them, the knowers of Dharma, righteously and in close adherence to their own respective lands.
91. Thus handing over the earth to his sons and transferring his royal glory to them, king Yayāti, the son of Nahusha, became delighted.
92. Leaving aside his bow and arrows, entrusting his kinsmen with all duties and responsibilities and his sons with the kingdom, the king became glad.
93. In this connection the following Gātrās (verses)1 have been sung by the great king Yayati, who after desiring pleasures, withdrew from them all like a tortoise that withdraws all its limbs (within itself).
1. Verses 94-100 are the immortal verses quoted in various works and they constitute the moral of this episode.
94. “Never can lust subside by enjoyment of pleasures, Just as the fire gets ablaze all the more by ghee-oblations, so also desires get increased by indulgence,
95. All the grains and barley seeds, all the gold, all the cattle and all the women in the world are not sufficient for even one (person). He who realises this, does not become deluded.
96. When one maintains the purifying (auspicious) attitude to all living beings in thought, speech and action, one attains (realizes) Brahman.
97. When one is not afraid of others, when others are not afraid of him, when one neither desires nor hates (anything), one attains Brahman.
98. Happiness comes to one who eschews Trushņā (covetousness), which cannot be got rid of by evil-minded ones, which does not subside even when one grows old and which is a foul disease full of fatal faults.
99. When one grows old, the hairs grow old; the teeth decay along with old age; but the hope for longevity and acquisition of wealth never grow old.
100. The happiness arising from enjoyment of lust or by attaining the great pleasure in heaven does not deserve even a sixteenth part of the happiness resulting from the destruction of covetousness”.
101. After saying this, the saintly king went to the forest along with his wife. He performed a great penance on Bhrugu turga1 and performed hundreds of holy rites. Earning great fame, he attained Svarga.
1. A mountain in Nepal on the eastern bank of Gandak. Here was the hermitage of Bhrugu. (De 34).
102. His races are five thus. They are holy and revered by Devas and sages. The whole earth is pervaded by them as if with the rays of the sun.
103. An excellent Brāhmaṇa who reads this entire narrative of Yayāti or listens to it, shall become wealthy, long-lived and renowned. He will be blessed with children.