Sambhava Parva — History of Yayati

Yayati said : I am Yayati, the son of Nahusha and the father of Puru. I am falling down from the region of the celestials, the Siddhas and the Rishis, for the diminution of my virtues. (I am falling), because I disregarded every creature on earth.

As I am older than in age, I did not salute you first. He who is older in age or superior in learning or asceticism is revered by Brahmanas.

Ashtaka said : O king, you say that he, who is older in years, deserves the respect and reverence of others. But it is said that he is truly worthy of respect is superior in learning and asceticism.

Yayati said : It is said that sin destroys the merit of all virtuous acts. Vanity contains the element of that which leads to hell. The virtuous never follow the path of the sinful.

They act in a way as to increase their virtue. I myself had great religious merits, but all is now gone. I shall never be able to regain them with my best efforts. He, who will take lesson from my this fate, will be wise and virtueus.

He who, having acquired great wealth performs sacrifices, who, having acquired all kinds of learning, remains humble, who, having studied the entire Vedas, devotes himself to asceticism, goes to heaven.

No one should be proud of his great wealth; no one should feel exalted, because he has studied the entire Vedas. Men are of different dispositions in the world, but Destiny is supreme. Power and exertion are both futile and useless. Knowing Destiny to be supreme (over all), the wise should neither feel pride nor grief.

Remembering that Destiny is supreme (over all), creatures should know that happiness and misery depend on Destiny and not on their own exertion and power.

The wise should always live contented, without grieving for misery or exalting for happiness. When Destiny is supreme, both grief and exaltation are useless.

O Ashtaka, I never feel terrified with fear, nor do I ever feel grief, for I know that I shall be on earth exactly what the great Ordainer has made me.

The Insects, the worms, all the oviparous creatures, vegetables, crawling animals, vermins, fishes, stones, wood, in fact all created things, are united with the Prakriti when they are freed from their acts.

Happiness and misery are transitory, O Ashtaka, knowing this, why should I grieve? We never know how we are to act to avoid misery. Therefore, grief must be cast off.

Vaishampayana said: King Yayati, possessed of every accomplishment, who was the maternal grand father of Ashtaka, was again asked by him to tell him the account of his living in heaven.

Ashtaka said: O king of the world, tell me in detail the account of all those regions which you have visited and in which you passed your time in bliss. (Tell me also) the period for which you thus lived.

Yayati said: I was a great king on earth, ruling over the whole world as my kingdom. I acquired many high regions by my religious merits. I lived full one thousand years on earth and then I ascended to a very high region.

It is the abode of Indra. It is very beautiful; it has one thousand gates and it extends one hundred Yojanas all around. Here lived I for another one thousand years. And then I ascended to a higher region.

This is the region of supreme beatitude, the abode of the Prajapati, the lord of the earth, a region very difficult to attain. Here lived I for another on thousand years. And I then ascended to a higher region.

It is the abode of the god of gods, (Vishnu), where I lived for many years in supreme bliss. I have lived in various regions and I was adored by the celestials and I possessed splendour and prowess like the celestial.

I was capable of assuming any form at will; I sported for many millions of years with the Apsaras in the gardens of Nandana, under innumerable beautiful trees clad in flowery garb and spreading delicious perfume.

I lived there in celestial happiness for many years, when a celestial messenger of grim visage thrice shouted to me in a loud and deep voice, “Ruined, Ruined, Ruined."

O best of kings, this much I remember that I fell from Nandana and all my religious merits were gone. O king of men, I heard the voices of the celestials in the sky exclaiming in grief.

"What misfortune! The virtuous and meritorious Yayati is falling! His all religious merits are destroyed!” And when I was falling, I asked them, “Where are those wise ones amongst whom am I to fall?"

They pointed out to me this sacred sacrificial region belonging to you. I am hastily coming to this your sacrificial ground, seeing the curls of smoke that rise from the sacrificial fire and blacken the sky. I smelt the perfume of the sacrificial ghee.