TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
yatir yayatih samyatir
ayatir viyatih krtih
sad ime nahusasyasann
indriyaniva dehinah
Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King Pariksit, as the embodied soul has six
senses, King Nahusa had six sons, named Yati, Yayati, Samyati, Ayati,
Viyati and Krti.
TEXT 2
TEXT
rajyam naicchad yatih pitra
dattam tat-parinamavit
yatra pravistah purusa
atmanam navabudhyate
When one enters the post of king or head of the government, one cannot
understand the meaning of self-realization. Knowing this, Yati, the
eldest son of Nahusa, did not accept the power to rule, although it was
offered by his father.
TEXT 3
TEXT
pitari bhramsite sthanad
indranya dharsanad dvijaih
prapite ‘jagaratvam vai
yayatir abhavan nrpah
Because Nahusa, the father of Yayati, molested Indra’s wife, Saci, who
then complained to Agastya and other brahmanas, these saintly brahmanas
cursed Nahusa to fall from the heavenly planets and be degraded to the
status of a python. Consequently, Yayati became the king.
TEXT 4
TEXT
catasrsv adisad diksu
bhratrn bhrata yaviyasah
krta-daro jugoporvim
kavyasya vrsaparvanah
King Yayati had four younger brothers, whom he allowed to rule the
four directions. Yayati himself married Devayani, the daughter of
Sukracarya, and Sarmistha, the daughter of Vrsaparva, and ruled the
entire earth.
TEXT 5
TEXT
sri-rajovaca
brahmarsir bhagavan kavyah
ksatra-bandhus ca nahusah
rajanya-viprayoh kasmad
vivahah pratilomakah
Maharaja Pariksit said: Sukracarya was a very powerful brahmana, and
Maharaja Yayati was a ksatriya. Therefore I am curious to know how there
occurred this pratiloma marriage between a ksatriya and a brahmana.
TEXTS 6-7
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
ekada danavendrasya
sarmistha nama kanyaka
sakhi-sahasra-samyukta
guru-putrya ca bhamini
devayanya purodyane
puspita-druma-sankule
vyacarat kala-gitalinalini-
puline ‘bala
Sukadeva Gosvami said: One day Vrsaparva’s daughter Sarmistha, who was
innocent but angry by nature, was walking with Devayani, the daughter of
Sukracarya, and with thousands of friends, in the palace garden. The
garden was full of lotuses and trees of flowers and fruits and was
inhabited by sweetly singing birds and bumblebees.
TEXT 8
TEXT
ta jalasayam asadya
kanyah kamala-locanah
tire nyasya dukulani
vijahruh sincatir mithah
When the young, lotus-eyed girls came to the bank of a reservoir of
water, they wanted to enjoy by bathing. Thus they left their clothing on
the bank and began sporting, throwing water on one another.
TEXT 9
TEXT
viksya vrajantam girisam
saha devya vrsa-sthitam
sahasottirya vasamsi
paryadhur vriditah striyah
While sporting in the water, the girls suddenly saw Lord Siva passing
by, seated on the back of his bull with his wife, Parvati. Ashamed
because they were naked, the girls quickly got out of the water and
covered themselves with their garments.
TEXT 10
TEXT
sarmisthajanati vaso
guru-putryah samavyayat
sviyam matva prakupita
devayanidam abravit
Sarmistha unknowingly put Devayani’s dress on her own body, thus
angering Devayani, who then spoke as follows.
TEXT 11
TEXT
aho niriksyatam asya
dasyah karma hy asampratam
asmad-dharyam dhrtavati
suniva havir adhvare
Oh, just see the activities of this servant-maid Sarmistha!
Disregarding all etiquette, she has put on my dress, just like a dog
snatching clarified butter meant for use in a sacrifice.
TEXTS 12-14
TEXT
yair idam tapasa srstam
mukham pumsah parasya ye
dharyate yair iha jyotih
sivah panthah pradarsitah
yan vandanty upatisthante
loka-nathah suresvarah
bhagavan api visvatma
pavanah sri-niketanah
vayam tatrapi bhrgavah
sisyo ‘sya nah pitasurah
asmad-dharyam dhrtavati
sudro vedam ivasati
We are among the qualified brahmanas, who are accepted as the face of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The brahmanas have created the entire
universe by their austerity, and they always keep the Absolute Truth
within the core of their hearts. They have directed the path of good
fortune, the path of Vedic civilization, and because they are the only
worshipable objects within this world, they are offered prayers and
worshiped even by the great demigods, the directors of the various
planets, and even by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul,
the supreme purifier, the husband of the goddess of fortune. And we are
even more respectable because we are in the dynasty of Bhrgu. Yet
although this woman’s father, being among the demons, is our disciple,
she has put on my dress, exactly like a sudra taking charge of Vedic
knowledge.
TEXT 15
TEXT
evam ksipantim sarmistha
guru-putrim abhasata
rusa svasanty urangiva
dharsita dasta-dacchada
Sukadeva Gosvami said: When thus rebuked in cruel words, Sarmistha was
very angry. Breathing heavily like a serpent and biting her lower lip
with her teeth, she spoke to the daughter of Sukracarya as follows.
TEXT 16
TEXT
atma-vrttam avijnaya
katthase bahu bhiksuki
kim na pratiksase ‘smakam
grhan balibhujo yatha
You beggar, since you don’t understand your position, why should you
unnecessarily talk so much? Don’t all of you wait at our house, depending
on us for your livelihood like crows?
TEXT 17
TEXT
evam-vidhaih suparusaih
ksiptvacarya-sutam satim
sarmistha praksipat kupe
vasas cadaya manyuna
Using such unkind words, Sarmistha rebuked Devayani, the daughter of
Sukracarya. In anger, she took away Devayani’s garments and threw
Devayani into a well.
TEXT 18
TEXT
tasyam gatayam sva-grham
yayatir mrgayam caran
prapto yadrcchaya kupe
jalarthi tam dadarsa ha
After throwing Devayani into the well, Sarmistha went home. Meanwhile,
King Yayati, while engaged in a hunting excursion, went to the well to
drink water and by chance saw Devayani.
TEXT 19
TEXT
dattva svam uttaram vasas
tasyai raja vivasase
grhitva panina panim
ujjahara daya-parah
Seeing Devayani naked in the well, King Yayati immediately gave her
his upper cloth. Being very kind to her, he caught her hand with his own
and lifted her out.
TEXTS 20-21
TEXT
tam viram ahausanasi
prema-nirbharaya gira
rajams tvaya grhito me
panih para-puranjaya
hasta-graho ‘paro ma bhud
grhitayas tvaya hi me
esa isa-krto vira
sambandho nau na paurusah
With words saturated with love and affection, Devayani said to King
Yayati: O great hero, O King, conqueror of the cities of your enemies, by
accepting my hand you have accepted me as your married wife. Let me not
be touched by others, for our relationship as husband and wife has been
made possible by providence, not by any human being.
TEXT 22
TEXT
yad idam kupa-magnaya
bhavato darsanam mama
na brahmano me bhavita
hasta-graho maha-bhuja
kacasya barhaspatyasya
sapad yam asapam pura
Because of falling in the well, I met you. Indeed, this has been
arranged by providence. After I cursed Kaca, the son of the learned
scholar Brhaspati, he cursed me by saying that I would not have a
brahmana for a husband. Therefore, O mighty-armed one, there is no
possibility of my becoming the wife of a brahmana.
TEXT 23
TEXT
yayatir anabhipretam
daivopahrtam atmanah
manas tu tad-gatam buddhva
pratijagraha tad-vacah
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Because such a marriage is not sanctioned
by regular scriptures, King Yayati did not like it, but because it was
arranged by providence and because he was attracted by Devayani’s beauty,
he accepted her request.
TEXT 24
TEXT
gate rajani sa dhire
tatra sma rudati pituh
nyavedayat tatah sarvam
uktam sarmisthaya krtam
Thereafter, when the learned King returned to his palace, Devayani
returned home crying and told her father, Sukracarya, about all that had
happened because of Sarmistha. She told how she had been thrown into the
well but was saved by the King.
TEXT 25
TEXT
durmana bhagavan kavyah
paurohityam vigarhayan
stuvan vrttim ca kapotim
duhitra sa yayau purat
As Sukracarya listened to what had happened to Devayani, his mind was
very much aggrieved. Condemning the profession of priesthood and praising
the profession of uncha-vrtti [collecting grains from the fields], he
left home with his daughter.
TEXT 26
TEXT
vrsaparva tam ajnaya
pratyanika-vivaksitam
gurum prasadayan murdhna
padayoh patitah pathi
King Vrsaparva understood that Sukracarya was coming to chastise or
curse him. Consequently, before Sukracarya came to his house, Vrsaparva
went out and fell down in the street at the feet of his guru and
satisfied him, checking his wrath.
TEXT 27
TEXT
ksanardha-manyur bhagavan
sisyam vyacasta bhargavah
kamo ‘syah kriyatam rajan
nainam tyaktum ihotsahe
The powerful Sukracarya was angry for a few moments, but upon being
satisfied he said to Vrsaparva: My dear King, kindly fulfill the desire
of Devayani, for she is my daughter and in this world I cannot give her
up or neglect her.
TEXT 28
TEXT
tathety avasthite praha
devayani manogatam
pitra datta yato yasye
sanuga yatu mam anu
After hearing Sukracarya’s request, Vrsaparva agreed to fulfill
Devayani’s desire, and he awaited her words. Devayani then expressed her
desire as follows: “Whenever I marry by the order of my father, my friend
Sarmistha must go with me as my maidservant, along with her friends.”
TEXT 29
TEXT
pitra datta devayanyai
sarmistha sanuga tada
svanam tat sankatam viksya
tad-arthasya ca gauravam
devayanim paryacarat
stri-sahasrena dasavat
Vrsaparva wisely thought that Sukracarya’s displeasure would bring
danger and that his pleasure would bring material gain. Therefore he
carried out Sukracarya’s order and served him like a slave. He gave his
daughter Sarmistha to Devayani, and Sarmistha served Devayani like a
slave, along with thousands of other women.
TEXT 30
TEXT
nahusaya sutam dattva
saha sarmisthayosana
tam aha rajan charmistham
adhas talpe na karhicit
When Sukracarya gave Devayani in marriage to Yayati, he had Sarmistha
go with her, but he warned the King, “My dear King, never allow this girl
Sarmistha to lie with you in your bed.”
TEXT 31
TEXT
vilokyausanasim rajan
charmistha suprajam kvacit
tam eva vavre rahasi
sakhyah patim rtau satO King Pariksit, upon seeing Devayani with a nice son, Sarmistha onceapproached King Yayati at the appropriate time for conception. In asecluded place, she requested the King, the husband of her friendDevayani, to enable her to have a son also.TEXT 32TEXTraja-putryarthito ‘patyedharmam caveksya dharmavitsmaran chukra-vacah kaledistam evabhyapadyata
When Princess Sarmistha begged King Yayati for a son, the King was
certainly aware of the principles of religion, and therefore he agreed to
fulfill her desire. Although he remembered the warning of Sukracarya, he
thought of this union as the desire of the Supreme, and thus he had sex
with Sarmistha.
TEXT 33
TEXT
yadum ca turvasum caiva
devayani vyajayata
druhyum canum ca purum ca
sarmistha varsaparvani
Devayani gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu, and Sarmistha gave birth to
Druhyu, Anu and Puru.
TEXT 34
TEXT
garbha-sambhavam asurya
bhartur vijnaya manini
devayani pitur geham
yayau krodha-vimurchita
When the proud Devayani understood from outside sources that Sarmistha
was pregnant by her husband, she was frenzied with anger. Thus she
departed for her father’s house.
TEXT 35
TEXT
priyam anugatah kami
vacobhir upamantrayan
na prasadayitum seke
pada-samvahanadibhih
King Yayati, who was very lusty, followed his wife, caught her and
tried to appease her by speaking pleasing words and massaging her feet,
but he could not satisfy her by any means.
TEXT 36
TEXT
sukras tam aha kupitah
stri-kamanrta-purusa
tvam jara visatam manda
virupa-karani nrnam
Sukracarya was extremely angry. “You untruthful fool, lusting after
women! You have done a great wrong,” he said. “I therefore curse you to
be attacked and disfigured by old age and invalidity.”
TEXT 37
TEXT
sri-yayatir uvaca
atrpto ‘smy adya kamanam
brahman duhitari sma te
vyatyasyatam yatha-kamam
vayasa yo ‘bhidhasyati
King Yayati said, “O learned, worshipable brahmana, I have not yet
satisfied my lusty desires with your daughter.” Sukracarya then replied,
“You may exchange your old age with someone who will agree to transfer
his youth to you.”
TEXT 38
TEXT
iti labdha-vyavasthanah
putram jyestham avocata
yado tata praticchemam
jaram dehi nijam vayah
When Yayati received this benediction from Sukracarya, he requested
his eldest son: My dear son Yadu, please give me your youth in exchange
for my old age and invalidity.
TEXT 39
TEXT
matamaha-krtam vatsa
na trpto visayesv aham
vayasa bhavadiyena
ramsye katipayah samah
My dear son, I am not yet satisfied in my sexual desires. But if you
are kind to me, you can take the old age given by your maternal
grandfather, and I may take your youth so that I may enjoy life for a few
years more.
TEXT 40
TEXT
sri-yadur uvaca
notsahe jarasa sthatum
antara praptaya tava
aviditva sukham gramyam
vaitrsnyam naiti purusah
Yadu replied: My dear father, you have already achieved old age,
although you also were a young man. But I do not welcome your old age and
invalidity, for unless one enjoys material happiness, one cannot attain
renunciation.
TEXT 41
TEXT
turvasus coditah pitra
druhyus canus ca bharata
pratyacakhyur adharmajna
hy anitye nitya-buddhayah
O Maharaja Pariksit, Yayati similarly requested his sons Turvasu,
Druhyu and Anu to exchange their youth for his old age, but because they
were unaware of religious principles, they thought that their flickering
youth was eternal, and therefore they refused to carry out their father’s
order.
TEXT 42
TEXT
aprcchat tanayam purum
vayasonam gunadhikam
na tvam agrajavad vatsa
mam pratyakhyatum arhasi
King Yayati then requested Puru, who was younger than these three
brothers but more qualified, “My dear son, do not be disobedient like
your elder brothers, for that is not your duty.”
TEXT 43
TEXT
sri-purur uvaca
ko nu loke manusyendra
pitur atma-krtah puman
pratikartum ksamo yasya
prasadad vindate param
Puru replied: O Your Majesty, who in this world can repay his debt to
his father? By the mercy of one’s father, one gets the human form of
life, which can enable one to become an associate of the Supreme Lord.
TEXT 44
TEXT
uttamas cintitam kuryat
prokta-kari tu madhyamah
adhamo ‘sraddhaya kuryad
akartoccaritam pituh
A son who acts by anticipating what his father wants him to do is
first class, one who acts upon receiving his father’s order is second
class, and one who executes his father’s order irreverently is third
class. But a son who refuses his father’s order is like his father’s
stool.
TEXT 45
TEXT
iti pramuditah puruh
pratyagrhnaj jaram pituh
so ‘pi tad-vayasa kaman
yathavaj jujuse nrpa
Sukadeva Gosvami said: In this way, O Maharaja Pariksit, the son named
Puru was very pleased to accept the old age of his father, Yayati, who
took the youth of his son and enjoyed this material world as he required.
TEXT 46
TEXT
sapta-dvipa-patih samyak
pitrvat palayan prajah
yathopajosam visayan
jujuse ‘vyahatendriyah
Thereafter, King Yayati became the ruler of the entire world,
consisting of seven islands, and ruled the citizens exactly like a
father. Because he had taken the youth of his son, his senses were
unimpaired, and he enjoyed as much material happiness as he desired.
TEXT 47
TEXT
devayany apy anudinam
mano-vag-deha-vastubhih
preyasah paramam pritim
uvaha preyasi rahah
In secluded places, engaging her mind, words, body and various
paraphernalia, Devayani, the dear wife of Maharaja Yayati, always brought
her husband the greatest possible transcendental bliss.
TEXT 48
TEXT
ayajad yajna-purusam
kratubhir bhuri-daksinaih
sarva-devamayam devam
sarva-vedamayam harim
King Yayati performed various sacrifices, in which he offered abundant
gifts to the brahmanas to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Hari, who is the
reservoir of all the demigods and the object of all Vedic knowledge.
TEXT 49
TEXT
yasminn idam viracitam
vyomniva jaladavalih
naneva bhati nabhati
svapna-maya-manorathah
The Supreme Lord, Vasudeva, who created the cosmic manifestation,
exhibits Himself as all-pervading, like the sky that holds clouds. And
when the creation is annihilated, everything enters into the Supreme
Lord, Visnu, and varieties are no longer manifested.
TEXT 50
TEXT
tam eva hrdi vinyasya
vasudevam guhasayam
narayanam aniyamsam
nirasir ayajat prabhum
Without material desires, Maharaja Yayati worshiped the Supreme Lord,
who is situated in everyone’s heart as Narayana and is invisible to
material eyes, although existing everywhere.
TEXT 51
TEXT
evam varsa-sahasrani
manah-sasthair manah-sukham
vidadhano ‘pi natrpyat
sarva-bhaumah kad-indriyaih
Although Maharaja Yayati was the king of the entire world and he
engaged his mind and five senses in enjoying material possessions for one
thousand years, he was unable to be satisfied.
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