||Om Namo Bhagavathe Vasudevaya ||

Chapter - 141 - The legend of Yayathi -2

Devayani speaks to King Vrishaparva “Oh! Rajan, if you want my father Shukracharya to be with you, you have to send your daughter Sharmishta as my maidservant to serve myself and my future husband King Yayathi.” King Vrishaparva was in dilemma, the demons need constant counseling of their preceptor to rule the Kingdom, so he decided to leave his daughter Sharmishta as a maidservant to Devayani, for the welfare of the Kingdom.  Thus, King Yayathi and highly intelligent  Devayani got married, she asked her father to instruct King Yayathi not to have a child in any other woman except her.

Years passed, Yayathi and Devayani had two children.  One day, she saw three children playing in the portico.  Three of them look alike, she went straight to the children and asked about their mother, and they rushed to the chamber of Sharmishta.  Devayani questioned King Yayathi about the children who had a similar appearance to the King.  Finally, it was confirmed that the King Yayathi had children in Sharmishta too.  Devayani could not control her anger, she left the palace in extreme shame and guilt, went to meet her father Shukracharya.  Devayani narrated the incident to Shukracharya, Yayathi who was following his wife to pacify her was cursed by Shukracharya, and eventually Yayathi became too old with unpleasant look due to the curse.  Yayathi fell at the feet of Shukracharya, he begged for forgiveness and requested for his youthfulness and charming appearance once again.  Shukracharya advised Yayathi to request his youthful children to get back his youthfulness.

King Yayathi got back to the palace and called for his elder son Yadhu born from Devayani. He requested Yadhu for his youthfulness so that he can enjoy being in the wedlock.  Yadhu advised his father about the physical pleasures with the woman is merely an attraction to meat, therefore asked him to leave his desire for bodily pleasures with his mother and stepmother, further advised his father to contemplate upon supreme Lord who resides as a soul in living beings.  King Yayathi got very angry and cursed Yadhu that even though he attains Kingdom, he won’t be recognized as King.  King Yayathi called for his second son, he also advised him to leave attachment to worldly matters and sensual pleasure.  The third son also did the same and the fourth one also had the same advice to his father.  The fifth child Puru noticed the gloominess of his father, inquired the reason to his mother and found his father wants to get back his youthfulness and he requested all his children except him to give their youthfulness, but none were willing to give their youthfulness. 

Puru immediately approached his father Yayathi and said “ Oh! Father, If was a virtuous son, I would have resolved your troubles already, I did not even listen to your troubles or put an effort to resolve it. If I did not listen to your request and fulfill your desire, I would be the immoral child, which is equivalent to your secretion.  Oh! Father, I am unfortunate I could not be a virtuous son, therefore kindly accept my youthfulness, and fulfill all your desire for sensual pleasures.”  Thus Yayathi attained his youthfulness from Puru and immersed in the physical pleasures with the two wives.  Gradually, Yayathi realized that he was heaving himself to the utter desolation and ignorance.