Yayati – Stories from Adi Parva

Yayati is an ancestor of the Kuru lineage. His sons are the ancestors of the Yadavas and the Purus. The full story of Yayati’s marriage, curse, and redemption is narrated in the Mahabharata. 

Nahusha was the emperor of the earth. He and his wife Priyavasa had six sons – Yati, Yayati, Samyati, Ayati, Pancha, and Uddhava. Yayati became the heir and continued to rule the world like his father. He was a capable king who was kind to his subjects. 

Devayani was the daughter of Shukracharya, the guru of the danavas. He was the family purohit of Asura king Vrishaparva. The king had a daughter named Sharmishtha. While the fathers had a decent friendship, their daughters were always fighting and wanting to gain power over the other. As always, the ladies went to take a bath in the river. However, that day, a gust of wind blew their clothes on the riverbank. In a hurry, Sharmishtha picked up Devayani’s clothes and wore them. Devayani was annoyed and said that Sharmishtha was inferior to her and still dared to wear her clothes. 

Sharmishtha replied that if not for her father, Devayani and her father would be without food and housing. As they fought, Sharmishtha pushed Devayani into a well and strode into the city. 

Meanwhile, Yayati was hunting in the nearby forest. He was looking for a well or water source when he heard the calls of a distressed woman. Yayati saw Devayani in the well and helped her climb out safely. He asked who she was and she shared the details. Once she was out, Yayati turned back to return to his troop. Devayani sent her maid Gurmukhi to her father to inform him about the events. When Shukracharya arrived she instigated him against Sharmishtha. He angrily went to the king and informed him of what happened. 

Since Vrishaparva knew how important Shukracharya was for the daityas, he made his daughter apologize to the rishi and Devayani. Devayani wanted Sharmishtha and a thousand other women to be her maids and to do whatever she wanted. The king agreed. Sharmishtha had no choice but to become the maid of the woman she loathed. 

Sometime later, Devayani and the women went to the forest to play. There, she met Yayati again. Yayati wanted to know about Sharmishtha. She asked him about his name and details. Yayati was ready to leave after he answered her questions. Devayani stopped him again and said he should marry her. He replied that it wasn’t possible since she was the daughter of Brahmin which made him unworthy of her. She replied that since he touched her hand, he had to marry her. 

Yayati said he wouldn’t risk angering her father. Devaynai then spoke to Shukracharya about wanting to marry Yayati. The rishi agreed since he knew she was cursed that she wouldn’t have a Brahmin husband. Yayati accepted the marriage proposal. Shukra warned Yayati to be faithful to Devayani and that he should also take care of Sharmishtha and the other maids who would follow Devayani to the kingdom. Yayati agreed. Once they reached his capital, he made arrangements for their living. Soon, he and Devayani had a son. 

A while later, Sharmishtha had attained the marriageable age but since she was Devayani’s slave, she knew her life would be miserable and alone. She decided to approach Yayati. Sharmishtha asked Yayati to help her have a child. He said that Shukra would be furious since he made it very clear that Yayati shouldn’t have any relations with Sharmishtha. However, she managed to convince him by saying he was her king which made it his responsibility to ensure her happiness. Moreover, since she was Devayani’s slave, she technically belonged to him as well, and she was the same as Devayani. 

Yayati agreed. Soon, Sharmishtha conceived and gave birth to a son with beautiful features and a blue lotus complexion. When Devayani heard of this, she went to Sharmishtha and asked for details. Sharmishtha lied that a rishi gave her a boon and she didn’t commit a sin by desiring anyone. After a small conversation, Devayani was happy to let it go. Devayani had two sons – Yadu and Turvasu. Sharmistha had three sons – Druhyu, Anu, and Puru.

One day, when they were in a forest, Devayani saw the three boys and asked who they were since they looked a lot like Yayati. The boys came to him but he didn’t react, fearing Devayani. Seeing the sad boys cry and rush to their mother Sharmishtha, Devayani understood what had happened. She confronted Sharmishtha who said that she did nothing wrong. 

Devayani was upset and left to meet her father. Sukhracharya was angry when he heard the news from his daughter. Yayati tried to defend himself but Shukra cursed him to be deprived of his virility and youth and become an old man for a thousand years. When Yayati pleaded forgiveness, Shukra said he could transfer the curse to anyone who willingly bore the burden on his behalf. 

Back in the capital, Yayati called his sons for a meeting. He first asked Yadu to take on the curse. Yadu declined. The same happened with the others. Only Puru, the youngest child of Sharmishtha, volunteered to accept Yayati’s curse and let his father have years of youth. Yayati made Puru his successor and crowned him the heir. He then cursed his other sons. He said Yadu’s sons would not get a share of the kingdom. Turvasu’s lineage would become extinct with the men becoming weak and acting without morals. Druhyu’s dreams wouldn’t come true and no one in his lineage would become kings. They would have the title of Bhoja and rely on waterways for a living. Anu’s offspring would die young (as soon as they attain youth) and he would never be able to perform a yagna or a fire sacrifice. 

Yayati then blessed Puru that he would regain his youth after a thousand years and that his future generations would continue to be kings for prosperous kingdoms. Yayati became young again while Puru looked like a frail old man. Yayati spent the next thousand years enjoying his youth. However, he ensured to perform the necessary sacrifices and offered donations as expected of him. When the time ended, Yayati told Puru that he had enjoyed his life to the fullest and returned the youth to his son as promised. When Yayati made Puru his heir, many people objected. However, he declared that he had the right to choose his heir and it would be someone worthy like Puru. Installing Puru as the king, Yayati left for the forest. He attained heaven when he died. 

After many years in heaven, Yayati lost his place there due to his arrogance. This happened during his conversation with Indra who asked Yayati if he thought there was anyone equal to him in austerities. Yayati was so proud of his austerities that he said there was none. Indra said that Yayati would fall from heaven for his answer since many great men did better. However, he was suspended in the air without falling to the earth since he still had some merit left. When he was hanging midair, his grandsons (born of his daughter Madhavi and four kings) gave him each a share of their punya to help him regain his place in heaven. Yayati was also able to learn his lesson and get rid of his flaws completely. 

The four grandsons were – Vasumana, Ashtaka, Pratardana, and Sibi. 

As he fell, he first met Ashtaka who asked him why he was filling. They had a detailed conversation where Yayati taught Ashtaka about many things. Ashtaka was so happy with the knowledge that he gave away his share of space in heaven so that Yayati would regain his position. Similar conversations took place with Pratardana, Vasumana, and Sibi, who volunteered to give up their share for Yayati. 

Yayati told the four kings that they had all attained heaven for their selflessness. Then, he asked them whose sons they were and realized they were his grandsons. Yayati said that daughters and grandsons would help the parents find a place in heaven.