सम्भव पर्व — ययाति की कथा

Vaishampayana said : O sinless one, Prajapati Daksha, Vaivasvata Manu, Manu, Bharata, Kuru, Puru, Ajamidha, Yadava and all the other kings of the Bharata race, O sinless king, I shall now recite the holy, illustrious and long lifebestowing histories of these great men. They were as effulgent as the sun and the great Rishis.

Pracheta had ten sons, who were all devoted to asceticism and they all possessed every virtue. They burnt with the fire of their mouth many medicinal plants.

O lion among the men, from them was born Prachetas Daksha and from Daksha sprang all creatures. Therefore, he was called the Grandsire.

The Rishi Daksha, born of Prachetas, begot one thousand sons, uniting with Virini; they were all of rigid vows like himself.

Narada taught these one thousand sons of Daksha the excellent knowledge of Sankhya, the means of salvation.

Janamejaya, the lord of creation Prajapati Daksha, from the desire of creating more creatures, begot fifty daughters. He made them all his Putrikas.

He bestowed ten of his daughters on Daksha, thirteen on Kashyapa and twentyseven on Chandra who were all engaged in indicating time.

Kashyapa, the son of Marichi, begot on his wife, the daughter of Daksha, who was the eldest among his thirteen wives, Aditya, the greatly effulgent celestials, Indra, being at their head and Vaivasvata also, Vaivasvata's son was born Yama, the great lord.

Martanda (Vaivasvata) begot another son who was gifted with great intelligence and was called Manu. Yama was his younger brother.

Manu was greatly wise and virtuous; he became the progenitor of a race. The offspring of Manu were called Manavas, (human beings.)

It was from Manu that all men, including Brahmanas, Kshatriyas and others have been born. O great king, the Brahmanas and Kshatriyas were subsequently united.

Those sons of Manu, who were Brahmanas, became devoted to the study of the Vedas. Vena, Dhrishnu, Narishyanta, Nabhaga, Ikshvaku, Karusha and Sharyati, the eighth a daughter, named Ila, the ninth Prishadhra, who was gifted with all the virtues of Kshatriyas. Nabhagarishta was the tenth son of Daksha. Besides these, Manu had fifty other sons on earth.

We have heard, they all perished quarrelling with one another. The learned Pururava was born of Ila.

We have heard that Ila was both the father and the mother of Pururava. He had sway over thirteen islands of the sea.

Though he was a human being, yet he remained always surrounded by superhuman companions. Pururava, intoxicated with the pride of power which he possessed, quarrelled with the Brahmanas, caring little for their anger. He robbed them of their wealth.

Seeing this, Sanatkumar came from the region of Brahma and gave him good counsel, which he did not accept. Thereupon, the wrath of the great Rishis was excited and the king, who was intoxicated with the pride of power and who lost his reason, was immediately killed by their curse.

This king (Pururava) brought from the region of the Gandharvas, three kinds of fire for sacrificial purposes with the Apsara Urvashi. He begot six sons on Urvashi, namely Ayush, Dhiman, Amavasu, Dhridhayu, Vanayu and Shatayus. It is said that Ayush begot on the daughter of Svarbhanu five sons, namely Nahusha, Vriddhasharma, Raji, Gaya and Anenasa. Of all the sons of Ayush, Nahusha was exceedingly intelligent and powerful.

O king, He ruled his kingdom with great virtue. King Nahusha equally supported the Pitris, the Devas, the Rishis, the Gandharvas, the Nagas, the Rakshasas, the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas. He suppressed all the robbers with a mighty hand; he made Rishis to pay tribute to himself.

And like animal, the powerful one Nahusha carried them on the back of Rishis. Beating the very dwellers of heaven with his beauty, his asceticism, his prowess and energy, he ruled the earth, as if he was Indra himself. Nahusha begot six sweet-speeched sons, namely, Yati, Yayati, Sanyati, Aayati, Ayati and Dhruva. Yati adopted asceticism and became a great Rishi like Brahma himself.

were Yayati became greatly virtuous. He ruled over the whole earth; he performed many sacrifices; he worshipped the Pitris with great reverence and showed a great respect towards the celestial. He showed great kindness and favour to all his subjects and he was never defeated by any foe. His sons were all great bow-men and gifted with all accomplishments. Ogreat king, they were bom of Devayani and Sharmishtha, his two wives. From Devayani were born Yadus and Turvasu. From Sharinishtha were born Druhyu, Anu and Puru.

O king, after ruling his subjects with virtue for a long time. The son of Nahusha (Yayati) was attacked by the terrible old age which destroyed his personal beauty.

Having been thus attacked by old age, the king thus addressed his sons, namely Yadu, Puru, Turvasu, Druhyu and Anu.

“O Dear sons, I wish to be young and desire to pass my time with young women. Help me in this."

His eldest son, born of Devayani said, “Why do you require? Do you want to have our youth?"

Yayati replied, “Accept my old age.” I would then enjoy myself with your youth.

During a long sacrifice, I was cursed by the Rishi Ushanas and therefore, thus have I lost all my powers of enjoying sensual pleasures. O sons, I shall enjoy myself with your youth.

(Therefore), take any of you my decrepitude and rule the kingdom with my body. I would then enjoy myself with a renovated youthful body.

Yadu and other sons did not agree to take upon them his old age. Thereupon, his youngest son, the virtuous and powerful Puru said-"O king, enjoy again with a renovated body and returned youth. I shall take upon me your old age and I shall rule the kingdom at your command."

Thus being addressed, the royal sage (Yayati) transferred his old age on his highsouled son (Puru) with his power of asceticism.

The king again became a young man with the youth of Puru; and Puru with the old age of his father upon him ruled the kingdom.

Even when one thousand years had thus passed away, Yayati, the best of kings, the invincible hero, remained as strong and powerful as a tiger.

He enjoyed for a long time the sweet company of his two wives. He enjoyed with (Apsara) Vishvachi in the gardens of Chitraratha (Gandharva king.)

That illustrious man had not his desires satiated even after this. Thereupon, the king remembered the following words of the Purana.

"One's desires are never satiated with enjoyments. On On the the other hand, with indulgence they flame up like the sacrificial fire with ghee poured into it.

Even if one enjoys the whole earth, with its wealth, its diamonds, gold, aniimals and women, still his desires will not be satiated.

It is only when a man does not commit a sin in thought, deed or word in respect of any living creatures, it is then that he attains to the purity of Brahma.

When a man fears nothing and when he is feared by none, when he desires for nothing and when he injures none, it is then that he attains to the purity of Brahma."

The greatly wise king, seeing this and having been satisfied that one's desires are never satiated, received back his old age from his son.

Though his desires were not satiated, he gave back his youth to his son Puru and

"From you my race would continue. You are my true son and heir. My race will be known in the world after your name."

Vaishampayana said : That best of kings, (Yayati), having installed Puru on the throne went to the mount Bhrigu to become a great ascetic. After many years he succumbed to the inevitable influence of Time. Observing the vow of fasting, he ascended heaven with his wives.