Chapter 10 - Āyus’s grandson Yayāti exchanges old age for youth

Parāśara

Yati, Yayāti, Saṃyāti, Āyāti, Viyāti and Kṛti were Nahuṣa’s six brave and powerful sons. 1 As Yati had no desire for sovereignty, Yayāti became the king. 2 He married Uśanas’s daughter Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛṣaparvan. There is a verse about their offspring: 3 ‘Devayānī had two sons, Yadu and Turvasu. Vṛṣaparvan’s daughter Śarmiṣṭhā had three, Druhyu, Anu and Puru.’^[1] 4

Yayāti was cursed by the poet Uśanas to grow old before his time. 5 With the intervention of mighty Indra, whom he had propitiated, Yayāti was able to transfer his old age to another person. Accordingly, he said to his eldest son, Yadu, 6 ‘Your maternal grandfather has cursed me to grow old prematurely, but with Indra’s permission, I can transfer my old age to you for a thousand years. I’m not yet sated with the pleasures of life and want to enjoy myself by taking on your youthfulness. You can’t refuse me!’ Hearing this, Yadu had no desire to accept Yayāti’s old age, so his father cursed him, saying, ‘Your descendants will never be fit to rule.’ 7 The king then asked Turvasu, Druhyu and Anu to exchange their youth for his old age, but they all refused, so he cursed them as well. 8

Yayāti then made the same request to Śarmiṣṭhā’s youngest son, Puru. Having a generous disposition, Puru bowed to his father and said with respect, ‘You’re doing me a great favour.’ So saying, Puru accepted Yayāti’s old age and gave his father his youth. 9 Having acquired Puru’s youthfulness and without offending against virtue, Yayāti indulged in the pleasures of life as suited to his desire, age and energy, while properly defending his subjects. 10

Enjoying himself with the apsaras Viśvācī and with his own wife, Devayānī, he daily thought his desires would eventually cease. 11 Every day, however, pursuing these pleasures, his mind turned again to his exquisite yearning. 12 People sing these verses in this regard:

‘Desires cannot be satisfied when you indulge them. A fire flares up with every offering of butter. 13

All the rice, barley, gold, cattle and women in the world cannot satisfy a man. He must therefore cast off desire. 14

If a man rejects a dim view of the world, then, seeing everything as equal, he’ll find pleasure all around. 15

The feeble-minded person finds it hard to shun desires; they don’t grow old with age. The wise abjure such yearning, as then they’re filled with happiness. 16

Hair grows white with age, and with age the teeth decay. But love of money and love of life never wither, even as one grows old. 17

I’ve spent a thousand years, my heart obsessed with pleasure, But every day desire for more still grows in me. 18

I’ll therefore abandon these desires and set my mind on the Absolute. Free from dualities and selfishness, I’ll roam with wild animals.’ 19

Parāśara:

Yayāti eventually retrieved his old age from Puru and returned his son’s youthfulness. He then anointed Puru as king and retired to the forest to undertake austerities. 20

He invested Turvasu as regent over the south-east, Druhyu over the west and Yadu over the south. 21

He made Anu regent of the north and, having consecrated Puru as king of all the world, retreated to the wilderness. 22

So ends Chapter Ten in Book Four of the glorious Viṣṇu Purāṇa.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

See Mahābhārata, 1.90.9.