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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

King Yayāti Regains His Youth

This chapter gives the history of King Yayāti, the son of Nahuṣa. Among Yayāti’s five sons, the youngest son, Pūru, accepted Yayāti’s invalidity.

When Nahuṣa, who had six sons, was cursed to become a python, his eldest son, Yati, took sannyāsa, and therefore the next son, Yayāti, was enthroned as king. By providence, Yayāti married the daughter of Śukrācārya. Śukrācārya was a brāhmaṇa and Yayāti a kṣatriya, but Yayāti married her nonetheless. Śukrācārya’s daughter, named Devayānī, had a girlfriend named Śarmiṣṭhā, who was the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā. King Yayāti married Śarmiṣṭhā also. The history of this marriage is as follows. Once Śarmiṣṭhā was sporting in the water with thousands of her girlfriends, and Devayānī was also there. When the young girls saw Lord Śiva, seated on his bull with Umā, they immediately dressed themselves, but Śarmiṣṭhā mistakenly put on Devayānī’s clothes. Devayānī, being very angry, rebuked Śarmiṣṭhā, who also became very angry and responded by rebuking Devayānī and throwing her into a well. By chance, King Yayāti came to that well to drink water, and he found Devayānī and rescued her. Thus Devayānī accepted Mahārāja Yayāti as her husband. Thereafter, Devayānī, crying loudly, told her father about Śarmiṣṭhā’s behavior. Upon hearing of this incident, Śukrācārya was very angry and wanted to chastise Vṛṣaparvā, Śarmiṣṭhā’s father. Vṛṣaparvā, however, satisfied Śukrācārya by offering Śarmiṣṭhā as Devayānī’s maidservant. Thus Śarmiṣṭhā, as the maidservant of Devayānī, also went to the house of Devayānī’s husband. When Śarmiṣṭhā found her friend Devayānī with a son she also desired to have a son. Therefore, at the proper time for conception, she also requested Mahārāja Yayāti for sex. When Śarmiṣṭhā became pregnant also, Devayānī was very envious. In great anger, she immediately left for her father’s house and told her father everything. Śukrācārya again became angry and cursed Mahārāja Yayāti to become old, but when Yayāti begged Śukrācārya to be merciful to him, Śukrācārya gave him the benediction that he could transfer his old age and invalidity to some young man. Yayāti exchanged his old age for the youth of his youngest son, Pūru, and thus he was able to enjoy with young girls.

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
यतिर्ययाति: संयातिरायतिर्वियति: कृति: ।
षडिमे नहुषस्यासन्निन्द्रियाणीव देहिन: ॥ १ ॥

Text

śrī-śuka uvāca
yatir yayātiḥ saṁyātir
āyatir viyatiḥ kṛtiḥ
ṣaḍ ime nahuṣasyāsann
indriyāṇīva dehinaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; yatiḥ — Yati; yayātiḥ — Yayāti; saṁyātiḥ — Saṁyāti; āyatiḥ — Āyati; viyatiḥ — Viyati; kṛtiḥ — Kṛti; ṣaṭ — six; ime — all of them; nahuṣasya — of King Nahuṣa; āsan — were; indriyāṇi — the (six) senses; iva — like; dehinaḥ — of an embodied soul.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King Parīkṣit, as the embodied soul has six senses, King Nahuṣa had six sons, named Yati, Yayāti, Saṁyāti, Āyati, Viyati and Kṛti.

Devanagari

राज्यं नैच्छद् यति: पित्रा दत्तं तत्परिणामवित् ।
यत्र प्रविष्ट: पुरुष आत्मानं नावबुध्यते ॥ २ ॥

Text

rājyaṁ naicchad yatiḥ pitrā
dattaṁ tat-pariṇāmavit
yatra praviṣṭaḥ puruṣa
ātmānaṁ nāvabudhyate

Synonyms

rājyam — the kingdom; na aicchat — did not accept; yatiḥ — the eldest son, Yati; pitrā — by his father; dattam — offered; tat-pariṇāma-vit — knowing the result of becoming powerful as a king; yatra — wherein; praviṣṭaḥ — having entered; puruṣaḥ — such a person; ātmānam — self-realization; na — not; avabudhyate — will take seriously and understand.

Translation

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 Nahuṣa, did not accept the power to rule, although it was offered by his father.

Purport

Self-realization is the prime objective of human civilization, and it is regarded seriously by those who are situated in the mode of goodness and have developed the brahminical qualities. Kṣatriyas are generally endowed with material qualities conducive to gaining material wealth and enjoying sense gratification, but those who are spiritually advanced are not interested in material opulence. Indeed, they accept only the bare necessities for a life of spiritual advancement in self-realization. It is specifically mentioned here that if one enters political life, especially in the modern day, one loses the chance for human perfection. Nonetheless, one can attain the highest perfection if one hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This hearing is described as nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was involved in politics, but because at the end of his life he heard Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he attained perfection very easily. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore suggested:

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
ye prāyaśo ’jita jito ’py asi tais tri-lokyām

Regardless of whether one is in the mode of passion, ignorance or goodness, if one regularly hears Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the self-realized soul, one is freed from the bondage of material involvement.

Devanagari

पितरि भ्रंशिते स्थानादिन्द्राण्या धर्षणाद्द्विजै: ।
प्रापितेऽजगरत्वं वै ययातिरभवन्नृप: ॥ ३ ॥

Text

pitari bhraṁśite sthānād
indrāṇyā dharṣaṇād dvijaiḥ
prāpite ’jagaratvaṁ vai
yayātir abhavan nṛpaḥ

Synonyms

pitari — when his father; bhraṁśite — was caused to fall down; sthānāt — from the heavenly planets; indrāṇyāḥ — of Śacī, the wife of Indra; dharṣaṇāt — from offending; dvijaiḥ — by them (upon her lodging a complaint with the brāhmaṇas); prāpite — being degraded to; ajagaratvam — the life of a snake; vai — indeed; yayātiḥ — the son named Yayāti; abhavat — became; nṛpaḥ — the king.

Translation

Because Nahuṣa, the father of Yayāti, molested Indra’s wife, Śacī, who then complained to Agastya and other brāhmaṇas, these saintly brāhmaṇas cursed Nahuṣa to fall from the heavenly planets and be degraded to the status of a python. Consequently, Yayāti became the king.

Devanagari

चतसृष्वादिशद् दिक्षु भ्रातृन् भ्राता यवीयस: ।
कृतदारो जुगोपोर्वीं काव्यस्य वृषपर्वण: ॥ ४ ॥

Text

catasṛṣv ādiśad dikṣu
bhrātṝn bhrātā yavīyasaḥ
kṛta-dāro jugoporvīṁ
kāvyasya vṛṣaparvaṇaḥ

Synonyms

catasṛṣu — over the four; ādiśat — allowed to rule; dikṣu — directions; bhrātṝn — four brothers; bhrātā — Yayāti; yavīyasaḥ — young; kṛta-dāraḥ — married; jugopa — ruled; ūrvīm — the world; kāvyasya — the daughter of Śukrācārya; vṛṣaparvaṇaḥ — the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā.

Translation

King Yayāti had four younger brothers, whom he allowed to rule the four directions. Yayāti himself married Devayānī, the daughter of Śukrācārya, and Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā, and ruled the entire earth.

Devanagari

श्रीराजोवाच
ब्रह्मर्षिर्भगवान् काव्य: क्षत्रबन्धुश्च नाहुष: ।
राजन्यविप्रयो: कस्माद् विवाह: प्रतिलोमक: ॥ ५ ॥

Text

śrī-rājovāca
brahmarṣir bhagavān kāvyaḥ
kṣatra-bandhuś ca nāhuṣaḥ
rājanya-viprayoḥ kasmād
vivāhaḥ pratilomakaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-rājā uvāca — Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired; brahma-ṛṣiḥ — the best of the brāhmaṇas; bhagavān — very powerful; kāvyaḥ — Śukrācārya; kṣatra-bandhuḥ — belonged to the kṣatriya class; ca — also; nāhuṣaḥ — King Yayāti; rājanya-viprayoḥ — of a brāhmaṇa and a kṣatriya; kasmāt — how; vivāhaḥ — a marital relationship; pratilomakaḥ — against the customary regulative principles.

Translation

Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: Śukrācārya was a very powerful brāhmaṇa, and Mahārāja Yayāti was a kṣatriya. Therefore I am curious to know how there occurred this pratiloma marriage between a kṣatriya and a brāhmaṇa.

Purport

According to the Vedic system, marriages between kṣatriyas and kṣatriyas or between brāhmaṇas and brāhmaṇas are the general custom. If marriages sometimes take place between different classes, these marriages are of two types, namely anuloma and pratiloma. Anuloma, marriage between a brāhmaṇa and the daughter of a kṣatriya, is permissible, but pratiloma, marriage between a kṣatriya and the daughter of a brāhmaṇa, is not generally allowed. Therefore Mahārāja Parīkṣit was curious about how Śukrācārya, a powerful brāhmaṇa, could accept the principle of pratiloma. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was eager to know the cause for this uncommon marriage.

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
एकदा दानवेन्द्रस्य शर्मिष्ठा नाम कन्यका ।
सखीसहस्रसंयुक्ता गुरुपुत्र्या च भामिनी ॥ ६ ॥
देवयान्या पुरोद्याने पुष्पितद्रुमसङ्कुले ।
व्यचरत्कलगीतालिनलिनीपुलिनेऽबला ॥ ७ ॥

Text

śrī-śuka uvāca
ekadā dānavendrasya
śarmiṣṭhā nāma kanyakā
sakhī-sahasra-saṁyuktā
guru-putryā ca bhāminī
devayānyā purodyāne
puṣpita-druma-saṅkule
vyacarat kala-gītāli-
nalinī-puline ’balā

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; ekadā — once upon a time; dānava-indrasya — of Vṛṣaparvā; śarmiṣṭhā — Śarmiṣṭhā; nāma — by name; kanyakā — a daughter; sakhī-sahasra-saṁyuktā — accompanied by thousands of friends; guru-putryā — with the daughter of the guru, Śukrācārya; ca — also; bhāminī — very easily irritated; devayānyā — with Devayānī; pura-udyāne — within the palace garden; puṣpita — full of flowers; druma — with nice trees; saṅkule — congested; vyacarat — was walking; kala-gīta — with very sweet sounds; ali — with bumblebees; nalinī — with lotuses; puline — in such a garden; abalā — innocent.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: One day Vṛṣaparvā’s daughter Śarmiṣṭhā, who was innocent but angry by nature, was walking with Devayānī, the daughter of Śukrācārya, 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.

Devanagari

ता जलाशयमासाद्य कन्या: कमललोचना: ।
तीरे न्यस्य दुकूलानि विजह्रु: सिञ्चतीर्मिथ: ॥ ८ ॥

Text

tā jalāśayam āsādya
kanyāḥ kamala-locanāḥ
tīre nyasya dukūlāni
vijahruḥ siñcatīr mithaḥ

Synonyms

tāḥ — they; jala-āśayam — to the lakeside; āsādya — coming; kanyāḥ — all the girls; kamala-locanāḥ — with eyes like lotus petals; tīre — on the bank; nyasya — giving up; dukūlāni — their dresses; vijahruḥ — began to sport; siñcatīḥ — throwing water; mithaḥ — on one another.

Translation

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.

Devanagari

वीक्ष्य व्रजन्तं गिरिशं सह देव्या वृषस्थितम् ।
सहसोत्तीर्य वासांसि पर्यधुर्व्रीडिता: स्त्रिय: ॥ ९ ॥

Text

vīkṣya vrajantaṁ giriśaṁ
saha devyā vṛṣa-sthitam
sahasottīrya vāsāṁsi
paryadhur vrīḍitāḥ striyaḥ

Synonyms

vīkṣya — seeing; vrajantam — passing by; giriśam — Lord Śiva; saha — with; devyā — Pārvatī, the wife of Lord Śiva; vṛṣa-sthitam — seated upon his bull; sahasā — quickly; uttīrya — getting out of the water; vāsāṁsi — garments; paryadhuḥ — put on the body; vrīḍitāḥ — being ashamed; striyaḥ — the young girls.

Translation

While sporting in the water, the girls suddenly saw Lord Śiva passing by, seated on the back of his bull with his wife, Pārvatī. Ashamed because they were naked, the girls quickly got out of the water and covered themselves with their garments.

Devanagari

शर्मिष्ठाजानती वासो गुरुपुत्र्या: समव्ययत् ।
स्वीयं मत्वा प्रकुपिता देवयानीदमब्रवीत् ॥ १० ॥

Text

śarmiṣṭhājānatī vāso
guru-putryāḥ samavyayat
svīyaṁ matvā prakupitā
devayānīdam abravīt

Synonyms

śarmiṣṭhā — the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā; ajānatī — without knowledge; vāsaḥ — the dress; guru-putryāḥ — of Devayānī, the daughter of the guru; samavyayat — put on the body; svīyam — her own; matvā — thinking; prakupitā — irritated and angry; devayānī — the daughter of Śukrācārya; idam — this; abravīt — said.

Translation

Śarmiṣṭhā unknowingly put Devayānī’s dress on her own body, thus angering Devayānī, who then spoke as follows.

Devanagari

अहो निरीक्ष्यतामस्या दास्या: कर्म ह्यसाम्प्रतम् ।
अस्मद्धार्यं धृतवती शुनीव हविरध्वरे ॥ ११ ॥

Text

aho nirīkṣyatām asyā
dāsyāḥ karma hy asāmpratam
asmad-dhāryaṁ dhṛtavatī
śunīva havir adhvare

Synonyms

aho — alas; nirīkṣyatām — just see; asyāḥ — of her (Śarmiṣṭhā); dāsyāḥ — just like our servant; karma — activities; hi — indeed; asāmpratam — without any etiquette; asmat-dhāryam — the garment meant for me; dhṛtavatī — she has put on; śunī iva — like a dog; haviḥ — clarified butter; adhvare — meant for offering in the sacrifice.

Translation

Oh, just see the activities of this servant-maid Śarmiṣṭhā! Disregarding all etiquette, she has put on my dress, just like a dog snatching clarified butter meant for use in a sacrifice.

Devanagari

यैरिदं तपसा सृष्टं मुखं पुंस: परस्य ये ।
धार्यते यैरिह ज्योति: शिव: पन्था: प्रदर्शित: ॥ १२ ॥
यान् वन्दन्त्युपतिष्ठन्ते लोकनाथा: सुरेश्वरा: ।
भगवानपि विश्वात्मा पावन: श्रीनिकेतन: ॥ १३ ॥
वयं तत्रापि भृगव: शिष्योऽस्या न: पितासुर: ।
अस्मद्धार्यं धृतवती शूद्रो वेदमिवासती ॥ १४ ॥

Text

yair idaṁ tapasā sṛṣṭaṁ
mukhaṁ puṁsaḥ parasya ye
dhāryate yair iha jyotiḥ
śivaḥ panthāḥ pradarśitaḥ
yān vandanty upatiṣṭhante
loka-nāthāḥ sureśvarāḥ
bhagavān api viśvātmā
pāvanaḥ śrī-niketanaḥ
vayaṁ tatrāpi bhṛgavaḥ
śiṣyo ’syā naḥ pitāsuraḥ
asmad-dhāryaṁ dhṛtavatī
śūdro vedam ivāsatī

Synonyms

yaiḥ — by which persons; idam — this entire universe; tapasā — by austerity; sṛṣṭam — was created; mukham — the face; puṁsaḥ — of the Supreme Person; parasya — transcendental; ye — those who (are); dhāryate — is always born; yaiḥ — by which persons; iha — here; jyotiḥ — the brahmajyoti, the effulgence of the Supreme Lord; śivaḥ — auspicious; panthāḥ — way; pradarśitaḥ — is directed; yān — to whom; vandanti — offer prayers; upatiṣṭhante — honor and follow; loka-nāthāḥ — the directors of the various planets; sura-īśvarāḥ — the demigods; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; api — even; viśva-ātmā — the Supersoul; pāvanaḥ — the purifier; śrī-niketanaḥ — the husband of the goddess of fortune; vayam — we (are); tatra api — even greater than other brāhmaṇas; bhṛgavaḥ — descendants of Bhṛgu; śiṣyaḥ — disciple; asyāḥ — of her; naḥ — our; pitā — father; asuraḥ — belong to the demoniac group; asmat-dhāryam — meant to be worn by us; dhṛtavatī — she has put on; śūdraḥ — a non-brāhmaṇa worker; vedam — the Vedas; iva — like; asatī — unchaste.

Translation

We are among the qualified brāhmaṇas, who are accepted as the face of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The brāhmaṇas 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 Bhṛgu. Yet although this woman’s father, being among the demons, is our disciple, she has put on my dress, exactly like a śūdra taking charge of Vedic knowledge.

Devanagari

एवं क्षिपन्तीं शर्मिष्ठा गुरुपुत्रीमभाषत ।
रुषा श्वसन्त्युरङ्गीव धर्षिता दष्टदच्छदा ॥ १५ ॥

Text

evaṁ kṣipantīṁ śarmiṣṭhā
guru-putrīm abhāṣata
ruṣā śvasanty uraṅgīva
dharṣitā daṣṭa-dacchadā

Synonyms

evam — thus; kṣipantīm — chastising; śarmiṣṭhā — the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā; guru-putrīm — unto the daughter of the guru, Śukrācārya; abhāṣata — said; ruṣā — being very angry; śvasantī — breathing very heavily; uraṅgī iva — like a serpent; dharṣitā — offended, trampled; daṣṭa-dat-chadā — biting her lip with her teeth.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When thus rebuked in cruel words, Śarmiṣṭhā was very angry. Breathing heavily like a serpent and biting her lower lip with her teeth, she spoke to the daughter of Śukrācārya as follows.

Devanagari

आत्मवृत्तमविज्ञाय कत्थसे बहु भिक्षुकि ।
किं न प्रतीक्षसेऽस्माकं गृहान् बलिभुजो यथा ॥ १६ ॥

Text

ātma-vṛttam avijñāya
katthase bahu bhikṣuki
kiṁ na pratīkṣase ’smākaṁ
gṛhān balibhujo yathā

Synonyms

ātma-vṛttam — one’s own position; avijñāya — without understanding; katthase — you are talking madly; bahu — so much; bhikṣuki — beggar; kim — whether; na — not; pratīkṣase — you wait; asmākam — our; gṛhān — at the house; balibhujaḥ — crows; yathā — like.

Translation

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?

Purport

Crows have no independent life; they fully depend on the remnants of foodstuffs thrown by householders into the garbage tank. Therefore, because a brāhmaṇa depends on his disciples, when Śarmiṣṭhā was heavily rebuked by Devayānī she charged Devayānī with belonging to a family of crowlike beggars. It is the nature of women to fight verbally at even a slight provocation. As we see from this incident, this has been their nature for a long, long time.

Devanagari

एवंविधै: सुपरुषै: क्षिप्‍त्वाचार्यसुतां सतीम् ।
शर्मिष्ठा प्राक्षिपत् कूपे वासश्चादाय मन्युना ॥ १७ ॥

Text

evaṁ-vidhaiḥ suparuṣaiḥ
kṣiptvācārya-sutāṁ satīm
śarmiṣṭhā prākṣipat kūpe
vāsaś cādāya manyunā

Synonyms

evam-vidhaiḥ — such; su-paruṣaiḥ — by unkind words; kṣiptvā — after chastising; ācārya-sutām — the daughter of Śukrācārya; satīm — Devayānī; śarmiṣṭhā — Śarmiṣṭhā; prākṣipat — threw (her); kūpe — into a well; vāsaḥ — the garments; ca — and; ādāya — taking away; manyunā — because of anger.

Translation

Using such unkind words, Śarmiṣṭhā rebuked Devayānī, the daughter of Śukrācārya. In anger, she took away Devayānī’s garments and threw Devayānī into a well.

Devanagari

तस्यां गतायां स्वगृहं ययातिर्मृगयां चरन् ।
प्राप्तो यद‍ृच्छया कूपे जलार्थी तां ददर्श ह ॥ १८ ॥

Text

tasyāṁ gatāyāṁ sva-gṛhaṁ
yayātir mṛgayāṁ caran
prāpto yadṛcchayā kūpe
jalārthī tāṁ dadarśa ha

Synonyms

tasyām — when she; gatāyām — went; sva-gṛham — to her home; yayātiḥ — King Yayāti; mṛgayām — hunting; caran — wandering; prāptaḥ — arrived; yadṛcchayā — by chance; kūpe — in the well; jala-arthī — desiring to drink water; tām — her (Devayānī); dadarśa — saw; ha — indeed.

Translation

After throwing Devayānī into the well, Śarmiṣṭhā went home. Meanwhile, King Yayāti, while engaged in a hunting excursion, went to the well to drink water and by chance saw Devayānī.

Devanagari

दत्त्वा स्वमुत्तरं वासस्तस्यै राजा विवाससे ।
गृहीत्वा पाणिना पाणिमुज्जहार दयापर: ॥ १९ ॥

Text

dattvā svam uttaraṁ vāsas
tasyai rājā vivāsase
gṛhītvā pāṇinā pāṇim
ujjahāra dayā-paraḥ

Synonyms

dattvā — giving; svam — his own; uttaram — upper; vāsaḥ — cloth; tasyai — unto her (Devayānī); rājā — the King; vivāsase — because she was naked; gṛhītvā — catching; pāṇinā — with his hand; pāṇim — her hand; ujjahāra — delivered; dayā-paraḥ — being very kind.

Translation

Seeing Devayānī naked in the well, King Yayāti immediately gave her his upper cloth. Being very kind to her, he caught her hand with his own and lifted her out.

Devanagari

तं वीरमाहौशनसी प्रेमनिर्भरया गिरा ।
राजंस्त्वया गृहीतो मे पाणि: परपुरञ्जय ॥ २० ॥
हस्तग्राहोऽपरो मा भूद् गृहीतायास्त्वया हि मे ।
एष ईशकृतो वीर सम्बन्धो नौ न पौरुष: ॥ २१ ॥

Text

taṁ vīram āhauśanasī
prema-nirbharayā girā
rājaṁs tvayā gṛhīto me
pāṇiḥ para-purañjaya
hasta-grāho ’paro mā bhūd
gṛhītāyās tvayā hi me
eṣa īśa-kṛto vīra
sambandho nau na pauruṣaḥ

Synonyms

tam — unto him; vīram — Yayāti; āha — said; auśanasī — the daughter of Uśanā Kavi, Śukrācārya; prema-nirbharayā — saturated with love and kindness; girā — by such words; rājan — O King; tvayā — by you; gṛhītaḥ — accepted; me — my; pāṇiḥ — hand; para-purañjaya — the conqueror of the kingdoms of others; hasta-grāhaḥ — he who accepted my hand; aparaḥ — another; — may not; bhūt — become; gṛhītāyāḥ — accepted; tvayā — by you; hi — indeed; me — of me; eṣaḥ — this; īśa-kṛtaḥ — arranged by providence; vīra — O great hero; sambandhaḥ — relationship; nau — our; na — not; pauruṣaḥ — anything man-made.

Translation

With words saturated with love and affection, Devayānī said to King Yayāti: 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.

Purport

While taking Devayānī out of the well, King Yayāti must certainly have appreciated her youthful beauty, and therefore he might have asked her which caste she belonged to. Thus Devayānī would have immediately replied, “We are already married because you have accepted my hand.” Uniting the hands of the bride and bridegroom is a system perpetually existing in all societies. Therefore, as soon as Yayāti accepted Devayānī’s hand, they could be regarded as married. Because Devayānī was enamored with the hero Yayāti, she requested him not to change his mind and let another come to marry her.

Devanagari

यदिदं कूपमग्नाया भवतो दर्शनं मम ।
न ब्राह्मणो मे भविता हस्तग्राहो महाभुज ।
कचस्य बार्हस्पत्यस्य शापाद् यमशपं पुरा ॥ २२ ॥

Text

yad idaṁ kūpa-magnāyā
bhavato darśanaṁ mama
na brāhmaṇo me bhavitā
hasta-grāho mahā-bhuja
kacasya bārhaspatyasya
śāpād yam aśapaṁ purā

Synonyms

yat — because of; idam — this; kūpa-magnāyāḥ — fallen in the well; bhavataḥ — of your good self; darśanam — meeting; mama — with me; na — not; brāhmaṇaḥ — a qualified brāhmaṇa; me — my; bhavitā — will become; hasta-grāhaḥ — husband; mahā-bhuja — O great mighty-armed one; kacasya — of Kaca; bārhaspatyasya — the son of the learned brāhmaṇa and celestial priest Bṛhaspati; śāpāt — because of the curse; yam — whom; aśapam — I cursed; purā — in the past.

Translation

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 Bṛhaspati, he cursed me by saying that I would not have a brāhmaṇa for a husband. Therefore, O mighty-armed one, there is no possibility of my becoming the wife of a brāhmaṇa.

Purport

Kaca, the son of the learned celestial priest Bṛhaspati, had been a student of Śukrācārya, from whom he had learned the art of reviving a man who has died untimely. This art, called mṛta-sañjīvanī, was especially used during wartime. When there was a war, soldiers would certainly die untimely, but if a soldier’s body was intact, he could be brought to life again by this art of mṛta-sañjīvanī. This art was known to Śukrācārya and many others, and Kaca, the son of Bṛhaspati, became Śukrācārya’s student to learn it. Devayānī desired to have Kaca as her husband, but Kaca, out of regard for Śukrācārya, looked upon the guru’s daughter as a respectable superior and therefore refused to marry her. Devayānī angrily cursed Kaca by saying that although he had learned the art of mṛta-sañjīvanī from her father, it would be useless. When cursed in this way, Kaca retaliated by cursing Devayānī never to have a husband who was a brāhmaṇa. Because Devayānī liked Yayāti, who was a kṣatriya, she requested him to accept her as his bona fide wife. Although this would be pratiloma-vivāha, a marriage between the daughter of a high family and the son of a lower family, she explained that this arrangement was made by providence.

Devanagari

ययातिरनभिप्रेतं दैवोपहृतमात्मन: ।
मनस्तु तद्गतं बुद्ध्वा प्रतिजग्राह तद्वच: ॥ २३ ॥

Text

yayātir anabhipretaṁ
daivopahṛtam ātmanaḥ
manas tu tad-gataṁ buddhvā
pratijagrāha tad-vacaḥ

Synonyms

yayātiḥ — King Yayāti; anabhipretam — not liked; daiva-upahṛtam — brought about by providential arrangements; ātmanaḥ — his personal interest; manaḥ — mind; tu — however; tat-gatam — being attracted to her; buddhvā — by such intelligence; pratijagrāha — accepted; tat-vacaḥ — the words of Devayānī.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Because such a marriage is not sanctioned by regular scriptures, King Yayāti did not like it, but because it was arranged by providence and because he was attracted by Devayānī’s beauty, he accepted her request.

Purport

According to the Vedic system, the parents would consider the horoscopes of the boy and girl who were to be married. If according to astrological calculations the boy and girl were compatible in every respect, the match was called yoṭaka and the marriage would be accepted. Even fifty years ago, this system was current in Hindu society. Regardless of the affluence of the boy or the personal beauty of the girl, without this astrological compatibility the marriage would not take place. A person is born in one of three categories, known as deva-gaṇa, manuṣya-gaṇa and rakṣasa-gaṇa. In different parts of the universe there are demigods and demons, and in human society also some people resemble demigods whereas others resemble demons. If according to astrological calculations there was conflict between a godly and a demoniac nature, the marriage would not take place. Similarly, there were calculations of pratiloma and anuloma. The central idea is that if the boy and girl were on an equal level the marriage would be happy, whereas inequality would lead to unhappiness. Because care is no longer taken in marriage, we now find many divorces. Indeed, divorce has now become a common affair, although formerly one’s marriage would continue lifelong, and the affection between husband and wife was so great that the wife would voluntarily die when her husband died or would remain a faithful widow throughout her entire life. Now, of course, this is no longer possible, for human society has fallen to the level of animal society. Marriage now takes place simply by agreement. Dāmpatye ’bhirucir hetuḥ (Bhāg. 12.2.3). The word abhiruci means “agreement.” If the boy and girl simply agree to marry, the marriage takes place. But when the Vedic system is not rigidly observed, marriage frequently ends in divorce.

Devanagari

गते राजनि सा धीरे तत्र स्म रुदती पितु: ।
न्यवेदयत्तत: सर्वमुक्तं शर्मिष्ठया कृतम् ॥ २४ ॥

Text

gate rājani sā dhīre
tatra sma rudatī pituḥ
nyavedayat tataḥ sarvam
uktaṁ śarmiṣṭhayā kṛtam

Synonyms

gate rājani — after the departure of the King; — she (Devayānī); dhīre — learned; tatra sma — returning to her home; rudatī — crying; pituḥ — before her father; nyavedayat — submitted; tataḥ — thereafter; sarvam — all; uktam — mentioned; śarmiṣṭhayā — by Śarmiṣṭhā; kṛtam — done.

Translation

Thereafter, when the learned King returned to his palace, Devayānī returned home crying and told her father, Śukrācārya, about all that had happened because of Śarmiṣṭhā. She told how she had been thrown into the well but was saved by the King.

Devanagari

दुर्मना भगवान् काव्य: पौरोहित्यं विगर्हयन् ।
स्तुवन् वृत्तिं च कापोतीं दुहित्रा स ययौ पुरात् ॥ २५ ॥

Text

durmanā bhagavān kāvyaḥ
paurohityaṁ vigarhayan
stuvan vṛttiṁ ca kāpotīṁ
duhitrā sa yayau purāt

Synonyms

durmanāḥ — being very unhappy; bhagavān — the most powerful; kāvyaḥ — Śukrācārya; paurohityam — the business of priesthood; vigarhayan — condemning; stuvan — praising; vṛttim — the profession; ca — and; kāpotīm — of collecting grains from the field; duhitrā — with his daughter; saḥ — he (Śukrācārya); yayau — went; purāt — from his own residence.

Translation

As Śukrācārya listened to what had happened to Devayānī, his mind was very much aggrieved. Condemning the profession of priesthood and praising the profession of uñcha-vṛtti [collecting grains from the fields], he left home with his daughter.

Purport

When a brāhmaṇa adopts the profession of a kapota, or pigeon, he lives by collecting grains from the field. This is called uñcha-vṛtti. A brāhmaṇa who takes to this uñcha-vṛtti profession is called first class because he depends completely on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and does not beg from anyone. Although the profession of begging is allowed for a brāhmaṇa or sannyāsī, one does better if he can avoid such a profession and completely depend on the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead for maintenance. Śukrācārya was certainly very sorry that because of his daughter’s complaint he had to go to his disciple to beg some mercy, which he was obliged to do because he had accepted the profession of priesthood. In his heart, Śukrācārya did not like his profession, but since he had accepted it, he was obliged to go unwillingly to his disciple to settle the grievance submitted by his daughter.

Devanagari

वृषपर्वा तमाज्ञाय प्रत्यनीकविवक्षितम् ।
गुरुं प्रसादयन् मूर्ध्ना पादयो: पतित: पथि ॥ २६ ॥

Text

vṛṣaparvā tam ājñāya
pratyanīka-vivakṣitam
guruṁ prasādayan mūrdhnā
pādayoḥ patitaḥ pathi

Synonyms

vṛṣaparvā — the King of the demons; tam ājñāya — understanding the motive of Śukrācārya; pratyanīka — some curse; vivakṣitam — desiring to speak; gurum — his spiritual master, Śukrācārya; prasādayat — he satisfied immediately; mūrdhnā — with his head; pādayoḥ — at the feet; patitaḥ — fell down; pathi — on the road.

Translation

King Vṛṣaparvā understood that Śukrācārya was coming to chastise or curse him. Consequently, before Śukrācārya came to his house, Vṛṣaparvā went out and fell down in the street at the feet of his guru and satisfied him, checking his wrath.

Devanagari

क्षणार्धमन्युर्भगवान् शिष्यं व्याचष्ट भार्गव: ।
कामोऽस्या: क्रियतां राजन् नैनां त्यक्तुमिहोत्सहे ॥ २७ ॥

Text

kṣaṇārdha-manyur bhagavān
śiṣyaṁ vyācaṣṭa bhārgavaḥ
kāmo ’syāḥ kriyatāṁ rājan
naināṁ tyaktum ihotsahe

Synonyms

kṣaṇa-ardha — lasting only a few moments; manyuḥ — whose anger; bhagavān — the most powerful; śiṣyam — unto his disciple, Vṛṣaparvā; vyācaṣṭa — said; bhārgavaḥ — Śukrācārya, the descendant of Bhṛgu; kāmaḥ — the desire; asyāḥ — of this Devayānī; kriyatām — please fulfill; rājan — O King; na — not; enām — this girl; tyaktum — to give up; iha — in this world; utsahe — I am able.

Translation

The powerful Śukrācārya was angry for a few moments, but upon being satisfied he said to Vṛṣaparvā: My dear King, kindly fulfill the desire of Devayānī, for she is my daughter and in this world I cannot give her up or neglect her.

Purport

Sometimes a great personality like Śukrācārya cannot neglect sons and daughters, for sons and daughters are by nature dependent on their father and the father has affection for them. Although Śukrācārya knew that the quarrel between Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā was childish, as Devayānī’s father he had to side with his daughter. He did not like to do this, but he was obliged to because of affection. He plainly admitted that although he should not have asked the King for mercy for his daughter, because of affection he could not avoid doing so.

Devanagari

तथेत्यवस्थिते प्राह देवयानी मनोगतम् ।
पित्रा दत्ता यतो यास्ये सानुगा यातु मामनु ॥ २८ ॥

Text

tathety avasthite prāha
devayānī manogatam
pitrā dattā yato yāsye
sānugā yātu mām anu

Synonyms

tathā iti — when King Vṛṣaparvā agreed to Śukrācārya’s proposal; avasthite — the situation being settled in this way; prāha — said; devayānī — the daughter of Śukrācārya; manogatam — her desire; pitrā — by the father; dattā — given; yataḥ — to whomever; yāsye — I shall go; sa-anugā — with her friends; yātu — shall go; mām anu — as my follower or servant.

Translation

After hearing Śukrācārya’s request, Vṛṣaparvā agreed to fulfill Devayānī’s desire, and he awaited her words. Devayānī then expressed her desire as follows: “Whenever I marry by the order of my father, my friend Śarmiṣṭhā must go with me as my maidservant, along with her friends.”

Devanagari

पित्रादत्तादेवयान्यै शर्मिष्ठासानुगातदा ।
स्वानां तत् सङ्कटं वीक्ष्य तदर्थस्य च गौरवम् ।
देवयानीं पर्यचरत् स्त्रीसहस्रेण दासवत् ॥ २९ ॥

Text

pitrā dattā devayānyai
śarmiṣṭhā sānugā tadā
svānāṁ tat saṅkaṭaṁ vīkṣya
tad-arthasya ca gauravam
devayānīṁ paryacarat
strī-sahasreṇa dāsavat

Synonyms

pitrā — by the father; dattā — given; devayānyai — unto Devayānī, the daughter of Śukrācārya; śarmiṣṭhā — the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā; sa-anugā — with her friends; tadā — at that time; svānām — of his own; tat — that; saṅkaṭam — dangerous position; vīkṣya — observing; tat — from him; arthasya — of the benefit; ca — also; gauravam — the greatness; devayānīm — unto Devayānī; paryacarat — served; strī-sahasreṇa — with thousands of other women; dāsa-vat — acting as a slave.

Translation

Vṛṣaparvā wisely thought that Śukrācārya’s displeasure would bring danger and that his pleasure would bring material gain. Therefore he carried out Śukrācārya’s order and served him like a slave. He gave his daughter Śarmiṣṭhā to Devayānī, and Śarmiṣṭhā served Devayānī like a slave, along with thousands of other women.

Purport

In the beginning of these affairs concerning Śarmiṣṭhā and Devayānī, we saw that Śarmiṣṭhā had many friends. Now these friends became maidservants of Devayānī. When a girl married a kṣatriya king, it was customary for all her girlfriends to go with her to her husband’s house. For instance, when Vasudeva married Devakī, the mother of Kṛṣṇa, he married all six of her sisters, and she also had many friends who accompanied her. A king would maintain not only his wife but also the many friends and maidservants of his wife. Some of these maidservants would become pregnant and give birth to children. Such children were accepted as dāsī-putra, the sons of the maidservants, and the king would maintain them. The female population is always greater than the male, but since a woman needs to be protected by a man, the king would maintain many girls, who acted either as friends or as maidservants of the queen. In the history of Kṛṣṇa’s household life we find that Kṛṣṇa married 16,108 wives. These were not maidservants but direct queens, and Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into 16,108 forms to maintain different establishments for each and every wife. This is not possible for ordinary men. Therefore although the kings had to maintain many, many servants and wives, not all of them had different establishments.

Devanagari

नाहुषाय सुतां दत्त्वा सह शर्मिष्ठयोशना ।
तमाह राजञ्छर्मिष्ठामाधास्तल्पे न कर्हिचित् ॥ ३० ॥

Text

nāhuṣāya sutāṁ dattvā
saha śarmiṣṭhayośanā
tam āha rājañ charmiṣṭhām
ādhās talpe na karhicit

Synonyms

nāhuṣāya — unto King Yayāti, the descendant of Nahuṣa; sutām — his daughter; dattvā — giving in marriage; saha — with; śarmiṣṭhayā — Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā and servant of Devayānī; uśanā — Śukrācārya; tam — unto him (King Yayāti); āha — said; rājan — my dear King; śarmiṣṭhām — Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā; ādhāḥ — allow; talpe — on your bed; na — not; karhicit — at any time.

Translation

When Śukrācārya gave Devayānī in marriage to Yayāti, he had Śarmiṣṭhā go with her, but he warned the King, “My dear King, never allow this girl Śarmiṣṭhā to lie with you in your bed.”

Devanagari

विलोक्यौशनसीं राजञ्छर्मिष्ठा सुप्रजां क्‍वचित् ।
तमेव वव्रे रहसि सख्या: पतिमृतौ सती ॥ ३१ ॥

Text

vilokyauśanasīṁ rājañ
charmiṣṭhā suprajāṁ kvacit
tam eva vavre rahasi
sakhyāḥ patim ṛtau satī

Synonyms

vilokya — by seeing; auśanasīm — Devayānī, the daughter of Śukrācārya; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; śarmiṣṭhā — the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā; su-prajām — possessing nice children; kvacit — at some time; tam — him (King Yayāti); eva — indeed; vavre — requested; rahasi — in a secluded place; sakhyāḥ — of her friend; patim — the husband; ṛtau — at the appropriate time; satī — being in that position.

Translation

O King Parīkṣit, upon seeing Devayānī with a nice son, Śarmiṣṭhā once approached King Yayāti at the appropriate time for conception. In a secluded place, she requested the King, the husband of her friend Devayānī, to enable her to have a son also.

Devanagari

राजपुत्र्यार्थितोऽपत्ये धर्मं चावेक्ष्य धर्मवित् ।
स्मरञ्छुक्रवच: काले दिष्टमेवाभ्यपद्यत ॥ ३२ ॥

Text

rāja-putryārthito ’patye
dharmaṁ cāvekṣya dharmavit
smarañ chukra-vacaḥ kāle
diṣṭam evābhyapadyata

Synonyms

rāja-putryā — by Śarmiṣṭhā, who was the daughter of a king; arthitaḥ — being requested; apatye — for a son; dharmam — religious principles; ca — as well as; avekṣya — considering; dharma-vit — aware of all religious principles; smaran — remembering; śukra-vacaḥ — the warning of Śukrācārya; kāle — at the time; diṣṭam — circumstantially; eva — indeed; abhyapadyata — accepted (to fulfill the desire of Śarmiṣṭhā).

Translation

When Princess Śarmiṣṭhā begged King Yayāti 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 Śukrācārya, he thought of this union as the desire of the Supreme, and thus he had sex with Śarmiṣṭhā.

Purport

King Yayāti was completely aware of the duty of a kṣatriya. When a kṣatriya is approached by a woman, he cannot deny her. This is a religious principle. Consequently, when Dharmarāja, Yudhiṣṭhira, saw Arjuna unhappy after Arjuna returned from Dvārakā, he asked whether Arjuna had refused a woman who had begged for a son. Although Mahārāja Yayāti remembered Śukrācārya’s warning, he could not refuse Śarmiṣṭhā. He thought it wise to give her a son, and thus he had sexual intercourse with her after her menstrual period. This kind of lust is not against religious principles. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (7.11), dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo ’smi: sex life not contrary to the principles of religion is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa. Because Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of a king, had begged Yayāti for a son, their combination was not lust but an act of religion.

Devanagari

यदुं च तुर्वसुं चैव देवयानी व्यजायत ।
द्रुह्युं चानुं च पूरुं च शर्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्वणी ॥ ३३ ॥

Text

yaduṁ ca turvasuṁ caiva
devayānī vyajāyata
druhyuṁ cānuṁ ca pūruṁ ca
śarmiṣṭhā vārṣaparvaṇī

Synonyms

yadum — Yadu; ca — and; turvasum — Turvasu; ca eva — as well as; devayānī — the daughter of Śukrācārya; vyajāyata — gave birth to; druhyum — Druhyu; ca — and; anum — Anu; ca — also; pūrum — Pūru; ca — also; śarmiṣṭhā — Śarmiṣṭhā; vārṣaparvaṇī — the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā.

Translation

Devayānī gave birth to Yadu and Turvasu, and Śarmiṣṭhā gave birth to Druhyu, Anu and Pūru.

Devanagari

गर्भसम्भवमासुर्या भर्तुर्विज्ञाय मानिनी ।
देवयानी पितुर्गेहं ययौ क्रोधविमूर्छिता ॥ ३४ ॥

Text

garbha-sambhavam āsuryā
bhartur vijñāya māninī
devayānī pitur gehaṁ
yayau krodha-vimūrchitā

Synonyms

garbha-sambhavam — pregnancy; āsuryāḥ — of Śarmiṣṭhā; bhartuḥ — made possible by her husband; vijñāya — knowing (from the brāhmaṇa astrologers); māninī — being very proud; devayānī — the daughter of Śukrācārya; pituḥ — of her father; geham — to the house; yayau — departed; krodha-vimūrchitā — frenzied because of anger.

Translation

When the proud Devayānī understood from outside sources that Śarmiṣṭhā was pregnant by her husband, she was frenzied with anger. Thus she departed for her father’s house.

Devanagari

प्रियामनुगत: कामी वचोभिरुपमन्त्रयन् ।
न प्रसादयितुं शेके पादसंवाहनादिभि: ॥ ३५ ॥

Text

priyām anugataḥ kāmī
vacobhir upamantrayan
na prasādayituṁ śeke
pāda-saṁvāhanādibhiḥ

Synonyms

priyām — his beloved wife; anugataḥ — following; kāmī — very, very lusty; vacobhiḥ — by great words; upamantrayan — appeasing; na — not; prasādayitum — to appease; śeke — was able; pāda-saṁvāhana-ādibhiḥ — even by massaging her feet.

Translation

King Yayāti, 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.

Devanagari

शुक्रस्तमाह कुपित: स्त्रीकामानृतपूरुष ।
त्वां जरा विशतां मन्द विरूपकरणी नृणाम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Text

śukras tam āha kupitaḥ
strī-kāmānṛta-pūruṣa
tvāṁ jarā viśatāṁ manda
virūpa-karaṇī nṛṇām

Synonyms

śukraḥ — Śukrācārya; tam — unto him (King Yayāti); āha — said; kupitaḥ — being very angry at him; strī-kāma — O you who have lusty desires for women; anṛta-pūruṣa — O untruthful person; tvām — unto you; jarā — old age, invalidity; viśatām — may enter; manda — you fool; virūpa-karaṇī — which disfigures; nṛṇām — the bodies of human beings.

Translation

Śukrācārya 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.”

Devanagari

श्रीययातिरुवाच
अतृप्तोऽस्म्यद्य कामानां ब्रह्मन् दुहितरि स्म ते ।
व्यत्यस्यतां यथाकामं वयसा योऽभिधास्यति ॥ ३७ ॥

Text

śrī-yayātir uvāca
atṛpto ’smy adya kāmānāṁ
brahman duhitari sma te
vyatyasyatāṁ yathā-kāmaṁ
vayasā yo ’bhidhāsyati

Synonyms

śrī-yayātiḥ uvāca — King Yayāti said; atṛptaḥ — unsatisfied; asmi — I am; adya — till now; kāmānām — to satisfy my lusty desires; brahman — O learned brāhmaṇa; duhitari — in connection with the daughter; sma — in the past; te — your; vyatyasyatām — just exchange; yathā-kāmam — as long as you are lusty; vayasā — with youth; yaḥ abhidhāsyati — of one who agrees to exchange your old age for his youth.

Translation

King Yayāti said, “O learned, worshipable brāhmaṇa, I have not yet satisfied my lusty desires with your daughter.” Śukrācārya then replied, “You may exchange your old age with someone who will agree to transfer his youth to you.”

Purport

When King Yayāti said that he had not yet satisfied his lusty desires with Śukrācārya’s daughter, Śukrācārya saw that it was against the interests of his own daughter for Yayāti to continue in old age and invalidity, for certainly his lusty daughter would not be satisfied. Therefore Śukrācārya blessed his son-in-law by saying that he could exchange his old age for someone else’s youth. He indicated that if Yayāti’s son would exchange his youth for Yayāti’s old age, Yayāti could continue to enjoy sex with Devayānī.

Devanagari

इति लब्धव्यवस्थान: पुत्रं ज्येष्ठमवोचत ।
यदो तात प्रतीच्छेमां जरां देहि निजं वय: ॥ ३८ ॥

Text

iti labdha-vyavasthānaḥ
putraṁ jyeṣṭham avocata
yado tāta pratīcchemāṁ
jarāṁ dehi nijaṁ vayaḥ

Synonyms

iti — thus; labdha-vyavasthānaḥ — getting the opportunity to exchange his old age; putram — unto his son; jyeṣṭham — the eldest; avocata — he requested; yado — O Yadu; tāta — you are my beloved son; pratīccha — kindly exchange; imām — this; jarām — invalidity; dehi — and give; nijam — your own; vayaḥ — youth.

Translation

When Yayāti received this benediction from Śukrācārya, he requested his eldest son: My dear son Yadu, please give me your youth in exchange for my old age and invalidity.

Devanagari

मातामहकृतां वत्स न तृप्तो विषयेष्वहम् ।
वयसा भवदीयेन रंस्ये कतिपया: समा: ॥ ३९ ॥

Text

mātāmaha-kṛtāṁ vatsa
na tṛpto viṣayeṣv aham
vayasā bhavadīyena
raṁsye katipayāḥ samāḥ

Synonyms

mātāmaha-kṛtām — given by your maternal grandfather, Śukrācārya; vatsa — my dear son; na — not; tṛptaḥ — satisfied; viṣayeṣu — in sex life, sense gratification; aham — I (am); vayasā — by age; bhavadīyena — of your good self; raṁsye — I shall enjoy sex life; katipayāḥ — for a few; samāḥ — years.

Translation

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.

Purport

This is the nature of lusty desires. In Bhagavad-gītā (7.20) it is said, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ: when one is too attached to sense gratification, he actually loses his sense. The word hṛta-jñānāḥ refers to one who has lost his sense. Here is an example: the father shamelessly asked his son to exchange youth for old age. Of course, the entire world is under such illusion. Therefore it is said that everyone is pramattaḥ, or exclusively mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma: when one becomes almost like a madman, he indulges in sex and sense gratification. Sex and sense gratification can be controlled, however, and one achieves perfection when he has no desires for sex. This is possible only when one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious.

yadavadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravinde
nava-nava-rasa-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt
tadavadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne
bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu-niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca

“Since I have been engaged in the transcendental loving service of Kṛṣṇa, realizing ever-new pleasure in Him, whenever I think of sex pleasure, I spit at the thought, and my lips curl with distaste.” Sexual desire can be stopped only when one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, and not otherwise. As long as one has desires for sex, one must change his body and transmigrate from one body to another to enjoy sex in different species or forms. But although the forms may differ, the business of sex is the same. Therefore it is said, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām. Those who are very much attached to sex transmigrate from one body to another, with the same business of “chewing the chewed,” tasting sex enjoyment as a dog, sex enjoyment as a hog, sex enjoyment as a demigod, and so on.

Devanagari

श्रीयदुरुवाच
नोत्सहे जरसा स्थातुमन्तरा प्राप्तया तव ।
अविदित्वा सुखं ग्राम्यं वैतृष्ण्यं नैति पूरुष: ॥ ४० ॥

Text

śrī-yadur uvāca
notsahe jarasā sthātum
antarā prāptayā tava
aviditvā sukhaṁ grāmyaṁ
vaitṛṣṇyaṁ naiti pūruṣaḥ

Synonyms

śrī-yaduḥ uvāca — Yadu, the eldest son to Yayāti, replied; na utsahe — I am not enthusiastic; jarasā — with your old age and invalidity; sthātum — to remain; antarā — while in youth; prāptayā — accepted; tava — your; aviditvā — without experiencing; sukham — happiness; grāmyam — material or bodily; vaitṛṣṇyam — indifference to material enjoyment; na — does not; eti — attain; pūruṣaḥ — a person.

Translation

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.

Purport

Renunciation of material enjoyment is the ultimate goal of human life. Therefore the varṇāśrama institution is most scientific. It aims at giving one the facility to return home, back to Godhead, which one cannot do without completely renouncing all connections with the material world. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, niṣkiñcanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya: one who wants to go back home, back to Godhead, must be niṣkiñcana, free from all affinity for material enjoyment. Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam: unless one is fully renounced, one cannot engage in devotional service or stay in Brahman. Devotional service is rendered on the Brahman platform. Therefore, unless one attains the Brahman platform, or spiritual platform, one cannot engage in devotional service; or, in other words, a person engaged in devotional service is already on the Brahman platform.

māṁ ca yo ’vyabhicāreṇa
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa guṇān samatītyaitān
brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

“One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.” (Bg. 14.26) If one attains devotional service, therefore, he is certainly liberated. Generally, unless one enjoys material happiness, one cannot attain renunciation. Varṇāśrama therefore gives the opportunity for gradual elevation. Yadu, the son of Mahārāja Yayāti, explained that he was unable to give up his youth, for he wanted to use it to attain the renounced order in the future.

Mahārāja Yadu was different from his brothers. As stated in the next verse, turvasuś coditaḥ pitrā druhyuś cānuś ca bhārata/ pratyācakhyur adharmajñāḥ. Mahārāja Yadu’s brothers refused to accept their father’s proposal because they were not completely aware of dharma. To accept orders that follow religious principles, especially the orders of one’s father, is very important. Therefore when the brothers of Mahārāja Yadu refused their father’s order, this was certainly irreligious. Mahārāja Yadu’s refusal, however, was religious. As stated in the Tenth Canto, yadoś ca dharma-śīlasya: Mahārāja Yadu was completely aware of the principles of religion. The ultimate principle of religion is to engage oneself in devotional service to the Lord. Mahārāja Yadu was very eager to engage himself in the Lord’s service, but there was an impediment: during youth the material desire to enjoy the material senses is certainly present, and unless one fully satisfies these lusty desires in youth, there is a chance of one’s being disturbed in rendering service to the Lord. We have actually seen that many sannyāsīs who accept sannyāsa prematurely, not having satisfied their material desires, fall down because they are disturbed. Therefore the general process is to go through gṛhastha life and vānaprastha life and finally come to sannyāsa and devote oneself completely to the service of the Lord. Mahārāja Yadu was ready to accept his father’s order and exchange youth for old age because he was confident that the youth taken by his father would be returned. But because this exchange would delay his complete engagement in devotional service, he did not want to accept his father’s old age, for he was eager to achieve freedom from disturbances. Moreover, among the descendants of Yadu would be Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, because Yadu was eager to see the Lord’s appearance in his dynasty as soon as possible, Yadu refused to accept his father’s proposal. This was not irreligious, however, because Yadu’s purpose was to serve the Lord. Because Yadu was a faithful servant of the Lord, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared in his dynasty. As confirmed in the prayers of Kuntī, yadoḥ priyasyānvavāye. Yadu was very dear to Kṛṣṇa, who was therefore eager to descend in Yadu’s dynasty. In conclusion, Mahārāja Yadu should not be considered adharma-jña, ignorant of religious principles, as the next verse designates his brothers. He was like the four Sanakas (catuḥ-sana), who refused the order of their father, Brahmā, for the sake of a better cause. Because the four Kumāras wanted to engage themselves completely in the service of the Lord as brahmacārīs, their refusal to obey their father’s order was not irreligious.

Devanagari

तुर्वसुश्चोदित: पित्रा द्रुह्युश्चानुश्च भारत ।
प्रत्याचख्युरधर्मज्ञा ह्यनित्ये नित्यबुद्धय: ॥ ४१ ॥

Text

turvasuś coditaḥ pitrā
druhyuś cānuś ca bhārata
pratyācakhyur adharmajñā
hy anitye nitya-buddhayaḥ

Synonyms

turvasuḥ — Turvasu, another son; coditaḥ — requested; pitrā — by the father (to exchange old age and invalidity for his youth); druhyuḥ — Druhyu, another son; ca — and; anuḥ — Anu, another son; ca — also; bhārata — O King Parīkṣit; pratyācakhyuḥ — refused to accept; adharma-jñāḥ — because they did not know religious principles; hi — indeed; a-nitye — temporary youth; nitya-buddhayaḥ — thinking to be permanent.

Translation

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Yayāti 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.

Devanagari

अपृच्छत् तनयं पूरुं वयसोनं गुणाधिकम् ।
न त्वमग्रजवद् वत्स मां प्रत्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥ ४२ ॥

Text

apṛcchat tanayaṁ pūruṁ
vayasonaṁ guṇādhikam
na tvam agrajavad vatsa
māṁ pratyākhyātum arhasi

Synonyms

apṛcchat — requested; tanayam — the son; pūrum — Pūru; vayasā — by age; ūnam — although younger; guṇa-adhikam — better than the others by quality; na — not; tvam — you; agraja-vat — like your older brothers; vatsa — my dear son; mām — me; pratyākhyātum — to refuse; arhasi — ought.

Translation

King Yayāti then requested Pūru, 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.”

Devanagari

श्रीपूरुरुवाच
को नु लोके मनुष्येन्द्र पितुरात्मकृत: पुमान् ।
प्रतिकर्तुं क्षमो यस्य प्रसादाद् विन्दते परम् ॥ ४३ ॥

Text

śrī-pūrur uvāca
ko nu loke manuṣyendra
pitur ātma-kṛtaḥ pumān
pratikartuṁ kṣamo yasya
prasādād vindate param

Synonyms

śrī-pūruḥ uvāca — Pūru said; kaḥ — what; nu — indeed; loke — in this world; manuṣya-indra — O Your Majesty, best of human beings; pituḥ — the father; ātma-kṛtaḥ — who has given this body; pumān — a person; pratikartum — to repay; kṣamaḥ — is able; yasya — of whom; prasādāt — by the mercy; vindate — one enjoys; param — superior life.

Translation

Pūru 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.

Purport

The father gives the seed of the body, and this seed gradually grows and develops until one ultimately attains the developed human body, with consciousness higher than that of the animals. In the human body one can be elevated to the higher planets, and, furthermore, if one cultivates Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one can return home, back to Godhead. This important human body is obtained by the grace of the father, and therefore everyone is indebted to his father. Of course, in other lives one also gets a father and mother; even cats and dogs have fathers and mothers. But in the human form of life the father and mother can award their son the greatest benediction by teaching him to become a devotee. When one becomes a devotee, he achieves the greatest benediction because he completely averts the repetition of birth and death. Therefore the father who trains his child in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the most benevolent father in this world. It is said:

janame janame sabe pitā mātā pāya
kṛṣṇa guru nahi mile bhaja hari ei

Everyone gets a father and mother, but if one gets the benediction of Kṛṣṇa and guru, he can conquer material nature and return home, back to Godhead.

Devanagari

उत्तमश्चिन्तितं कुर्यात् प्रोक्तकारी तु मध्यम: ।
अधमोऽश्रद्धया कुर्यादकर्तोच्चरितं पितु: ॥ ४४ ॥

Text

uttamaś cintitaṁ kuryāt
prokta-kārī tu madhyamaḥ
adhamo ’śraddhayā kuryād
akartoccaritaṁ pituḥ

Synonyms

uttamaḥ — the best; cintitam — considering the father’s idea; kuryāt — acts accordingly; prokta-kārī — one who acts on the order of the father; tu — indeed; madhyamaḥ — mediocre; adhamaḥ — lower class; aśraddhayā — without any faith; kuryāt — acts; akartā — unwilling to do; uccaritam — like stool; pituḥ — of the father.

Translation

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.

Purport

Pūru, Yayāti’s last son, immediately accepted his father’s proposal, for although he was the youngest, he was very qualified. Pūru thought, “I should have accepted my father’s proposal before he asked, but I did not. Therefore I am not a first-class son. I am second class. But I do not wish to become the lowest type of son, who is compared to his father’s stool.” One Indian poet has spoken of putra and mūtra. Putra means “son,” and mūtra means “urine.” Both a son and urine come from the same genitals. If a son is an obedient devotee of the Lord he is called putra, or a real son; otherwise, if he is not learned and is not a devotee, a son is nothing better than urine.

Devanagari

इति प्रमुदित: पूरु: प्रत्यगृह्णाज्जरां पितु: ।
सोऽपि तद्वयसा कामान् यथावज्जुजुषे नृप ॥ ४५ ॥

Text

iti pramuditaḥ pūruḥ
pratyagṛhṇāj jarāṁ pituḥ
so ’pi tad-vayasā kāmān
yathāvaj jujuṣe nṛpa

Synonyms

iti — in this way; pramuditaḥ — very pleased; pūruḥ — Pūru; pratyagṛhṇāt — accepted; jarām — the old age and invalidity; pituḥ — of his father; saḥ — that father (Yayāti); api — also; tat-vayasā — by the youth of his son; kāmān — all desires; yathā-vat — as required; jujuṣe — satisfied; nṛpa — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: In this way, O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the son named Pūru was very pleased to accept the old age of his father, Yayāti, who took the youth of his son and enjoyed this material world as he required.

Devanagari

सप्तद्वीपपति: सम्यक् पितृवत् पालयन् प्रजा: ।
यथोपजोषं विषयाञ्जुजुषेऽव्याहतेन्द्रिय: ॥ ४६ ॥

Text

sapta-dvīpa-patiḥ saṁyak
pitṛvat pālayan prajāḥ
yathopajoṣaṁ viṣayāñ
jujuṣe ’vyāhatendriyaḥ

Synonyms

sapta-dvīpa-patiḥ — the master of the entire world, consisting of seven islands; saṁyak — completely; pitṛ-vat — exactly like a father; pālayan — ruling; prajāḥ — the subjects; yathā-upajoṣam — as much as he wanted; viṣayān — material happiness; jujuṣe — enjoyed; avyāhata — without being disturbed; indriyaḥ — his senses.

Translation

Thereafter, King Yayāti 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.

Devanagari

देवयान्यप्यनुदिनं मनोवाग्देहवस्तुभि: ।
प्रेयस: परमां प्रीतिमुवाह प्रेयसी रह: ॥ ४७ ॥

Text

devayāny apy anudinaṁ
mano-vāg-deha-vastubhiḥ
preyasaḥ paramāṁ prītim
uvāha preyasī rahaḥ

Synonyms

devayānī — Mahārāja Yayāti’s wife, the daughter of Śukrācārya; api — also; anudinam — twenty-four hours, day after day; manaḥ-vāk — by her mind and words; deha — body; vastubhiḥ — with all requisite things; preyasaḥ — of her beloved husband; paramām — transcendental; prītim — bliss; uvāha — executed; preyasī — very dear to her husband; rahaḥ — in seclusion, without any disturbance.

Translation

In secluded places, engaging her mind, words, body and various paraphernalia, Devayānī, the dear wife of Mahārāja Yayāti, always brought her husband the greatest possible transcendental bliss.

Devanagari

अयजद् यज्ञपुरुषं क्रतुभिर्भूरिदक्षिणै: ।
सर्वदेवमयं देवं सर्ववेदमयं हरिम् ॥ ४८ ॥

Text

ayajad yajña-puruṣaṁ
kratubhir bhūri-dakṣiṇaiḥ
sarva-devamayaṁ devaṁ
sarva-vedamayaṁ harim

Synonyms

ayajat — worshiped; yajña-puruṣam — the yajña-puruṣa, the Lord; kratubhiḥ — by performing various sacrifices; bhūri-dakṣiṇaiḥ — giving abundant gifts to the brāhmaṇas; sarva-deva-mayam — the reservoir of all the demigods; devam — the Supreme Lord; sarva-veda-mayam — the ultimate object of all Vedic knowledge; harim — the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Translation

King Yayāti performed various sacrifices, in which he offered abundant gifts to the brāhmaṇas to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Hari, who is the reservoir of all the demigods and the object of all Vedic knowledge.

Devanagari

यस्मिन्निदं विरचितं व्योम्नीव जलदावलि: ।
नानेव भाति नाभाति स्वप्नमायामनोरथ: ॥ ४९ ॥

Text

yasminn idaṁ viracitaṁ
vyomnīva jaladāvaliḥ
nāneva bhāti nābhāti
svapna-māyā-manorathaḥ

Synonyms

yasmin — in whom; idam — this entire cosmic manifestation; viracitam — created; vyomni — in the sky; iva — just like; jalada-āvaliḥ — clouds; nānā iva — as if in different varieties; bhāti — is manifested; na ābhāti — is unmanifested; svapna-māyā — illusion, like a dream; manaḥ-rathaḥ — created to be traversed by the chariot of the mind.

Translation

The Supreme Lord, Vāsudeva, 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, Viṣṇu, and varieties are no longer manifested.

Purport

As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19):

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ

“After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, is one with the Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth. Everything is in Him in the beginning, and at the end all manifestations enter into Him. He is situated in everyone’s heart (sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ). And from Him everything has emanated (janmādy asya yataḥ). All material manifestations, however, are temporary. The word svapna means “dreams,” māyā means “illusion,” and manoratha means “mental creations.” Dreams, illusions and mental creations are temporary. Similarly, all material creation is temporary, but Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the eternal Absolute Truth.

Devanagari

तमेव हृदि विन्यस्य वासुदेवं गुहाशयम् ।
नारायणमणीयांसं निराशीरयजत् प्रभुम् ॥ ५० ॥

Text

tam eva hṛdi vinyasya
vāsudevaṁ guhāśayam
nārāyaṇam aṇīyāṁsaṁ
nirāśīr ayajat prabhum

Synonyms

tam eva — Him only; hṛdi — within the heart; vinyasya — placing; vāsudevam — Lord Vāsudeva; guha-āśayam — who exists in everyone’s heart; nārāyaṇam — who is Nārāyaṇa, or an expansion of Nārāyaṇa; aṇīyāṁsam — invisible to material eyes, although existing everywhere; nirāśīḥ — Yayāti, without any material desires; ayajat — worshiped; prabhum — the Supreme Lord.

Translation

Without material desires, Mahārāja Yayāti worshiped the Supreme Lord, who is situated in everyone’s heart as Nārāyaṇa and is invisible to material eyes, although existing everywhere.

Purport

King Yayāti, although externally seeming very fond of material enjoyment, was internally thinking of becoming an eternal servant of the Lord.

Devanagari

एवं वर्षसहस्राणि मन:षष्ठैर्मन:सुखम् ।
विदधानोऽपि नातृप्यत् सार्वभौम: कदिन्द्रियै: ॥ ५१ ॥

Text

evaṁ varṣa-sahasrāṇi
manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhair manaḥ-sukham
vidadhāno ’pi nātṛpyat
sārva-bhaumaḥ kad-indriyaiḥ

Synonyms

evam — in this way; varṣa-sahasrāṇi — for one thousand years; manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhaiḥ — by the mind and five knowledge-acquiring senses; manaḥ-sukham — temporary happiness created by the mind; vidadhānaḥ — executing; api — although; na atṛpyat — could not be satisfied; sārva-bhaumaḥ — although he was the king of the entire world; kat-indriyaiḥ — because of possessing impure senses.

Translation

Although Mahārāja Yayāti 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.

Purport

The kad-indriya, or unpurified senses, can be purified if one engages the senses and the mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam. One must be freed from all designations. When one identifies himself with the material world, his senses are impure. But when one achieves spiritual realization and identifies himself as a servant of the Lord, his senses are purified immediately. Engagement of the purified senses in the service of the Lord is called bhakti. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate. One may enjoy the senses for many thousands of years, but unless one purifies the senses, one cannot be happy.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Ninth Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “King Yayāti Regains His Youth.”