History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c62.90.2

v4.c62.90.2

10 sets out the interesting story that Devāpi and Śāntanu were two brothers, scions of the Kuru family, of whom Devāpi was the eldest, but Śāntanu the younger one got himself crowned king and so Devāpi practised austerities. The result was that there was a drought in Śāntanu's kingdom for 12 years. The brāhmaṇas said to him 'You are guilty of having violated dharma in that passing over the eldest brother you got yourself crowned. Therefore God does not send down rain'. Then Śāntanu desired to give the kingdom to Devāpi, who however said that he would be his purohita and make him perform a sacrifice. The Ṛgveda hymn X. 98 was then composed by Devāpi for bringing down rain. This story shows how long before Yāska the popular belief was that it was a great sin to pass over an elder brother in marriage and other matters and doing so brought down the serious displeasure of the gods. Vide Bṛhad-devatā VII. 156-157 and VIII. 1-9 for the same story in a little greater detail, viz. that Devāpi suffered from a skin disease, that when Devāpi said to the subjects that he did not deserve the kingdom and that Śantanu should be their king, the subjects crowned Śantanu as king. When Yayāti desired to pass over his elder sons Yadu and others because they disobeyed him and wanted to make the younger Pūru his successor the brāhmaṇas and citizens protested 'How can the younger son secure the kingdom passing over the elder one⁵⁰'?