Sexual Life in Ancient India: A Study in the Comparative History of Indian Culture v1.c5.61

Language: English

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Some time later Devayānī of the lovely face went into that selfsame forest to play. Together with these thousand slave-girls and Çarmishṭhā she came there to that selfsame spot and wandered about to her heart’s desire, accompanied by all these followers, filled with great joy, as all played merrily,² drank sweet heady drinks, ate cakes of many kinds, and partook of fruits. And once again there happened to come hunting this way Nahusha’s son, the king, craving for water, and worn out with weariness. He saw Devayānī and Çarmishṭhā and these fair young girls drinking and sporting, decked with god-like ornaments. And he saw Devayānī of the bright smile, the woman above others, of incomparable form, sitting among these maidens, waited on by Çarmishṭhā, who was rubbing her feet and doing other services. Yayāti spoke : “Two maidens surrounded by two thousand maidens! I ask family and name of both of you, O fair ladies.” Devayānī spoke : “I will tell thee. Hearken unto my words, O Prince of men! Çukra is the name of the teacher of the Asuras. Know then, that I am his daughter. And she there is my friend and slave who follows me everywhere—Çarmishṭhā, the daughter of the king of the Dānavas, Vṛishaparvan.” Yayāti spoke : “But how comes it that this fair-faced maiden, the daughter of the Asura king, she with the lovely brows, is thy friend and slave? I am very curious as to this.” Devayānī spoke : “Every one, O best of men, obeys his fate.

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Look on it as the gift of fate, and do not make divers speeches. Thy form and garb are those of a king, and thou speakest the speech of the Brahmans (Sanskrit). Who and whence art thou, and whose son? Tell me.” Yayāti spoke : “As a pupil of the Brahmans I have heard the whole Veda, I am a king and a king’s son, famous under the name of Yayāti.” Devayānī spoke : “Why didst thou come this way? Wouldst thou take something dwelling in the water, or hunt the gazelle?” Yayāti spoke : “While hunting gazelle, O kindly one, I came hither for water. But now thou hast well questioned me.¹ Give me leave, therefore, to go.” Devayānī spoke : “With two thousand girls and my slave Ḍarmishṭhā I am at thy bidding. Prithee, be my friend and my husband.” Yayāti spoke : “Know thou, O daughter of Uçana, an it please thee, I am not worthy of thee, O lovely one. For thy father cannot be father-in-law to kings.” Devayānī spoke : “The warrior nobility is closely bound to the Brahmans, the Brahmans are linked with the warrior nobility. Come now, son of Nahusha, do thou wed me as a Ṛishi and a Ṛishi’s son.” Yayāti spoke : “Although the four castes, O fair woman, come from one body, yet have they varying duties and varying rules for purity; of them the Brahman is the first.” Devayānī spoke : “Such a hand-grasp (as thine) men have not so far practised. Thou didst grasp my hand before, therefore do I ask of thee to be my husband.

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How should another now touch the hand of me, the proud one, the hand that has been grasped by thee, the son of a Ṛishi, and a Ṛishi himself!” Yayāti spoke : “As more dangerous than an angry, flaming, venomous snake, everywhere darting, must the Brahman be recognized by the understanding man.” Devayānī spoke : “Why sayest thou, O prince of men : More dangerous than a flaming, venomous snake, everywhere darting, is the Brahman?” Yayāti spoke : “The venomous snake kills one man, and with a weapon one man alone is slain; the Brahman destroys even cities and kingdoms, when he is angered. Therefore do I hold the Brahman as more dangerous, O timid one. And therefore I will not wed thee, unless thy father gives thee to me.” Devayānī spoke : “Wed me, then, O king, when my father has given me thee, and I have chosen thee. For him that asks not, and only takes her that is given him, there is no danger.” Quickly the nurse then faithfully told Devayānī’s father all that Devayānī had entrusted her with for him. And so soon as the scion of the Bhṛigu had heard, he appeared before the king. And when Yayāti, the lord of the earth, saw C̣ukra coming, he showed honour unto the Brahman, the son of Kavi, and stood there with folded hands, humbly bowed. Devayānī spoke : “ This, O father, is the king, son of Nahusha. When I was in evil plight, he clasped my hand. Honour be to thee. Give me to him.

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I will choose no other husband in the world.” C̣ukra spoke : “ Chosen by this my beloved daughter, take her for thy chief wife; I give her thee, O son of Nahusha.” Yayāti spoke : “ May this great hurt done to the law that comes from the mingling of the castes not be avenged here on me, O scion of the Bhṛigu. On this condition I take thee, O Brahman, as father-in-law.” C̣ukra spoke : “ I absolve thee from the hurt to the law. Choose for thyself a favour thou wouldst have. Do not be despondent on account of this marriage.¹ I will drive the evil away from thee. Take thou the slender Devayānī home as thy wife according to the law and custom, and with her win incomparable joy. And this maiden, too, Vṛishaparvan’s daughter, C̣armishthā, shalt thou always honour, O king; and do not call her onto thy bed.” Thus addressed, King Yayāti walked round C̣ukra to the right, and celebrated the happy wedding in the way laid down by the books of instruction. After he had got from C̣ukra many things and the most splendid Devayānī, together with two thousand girls and C̣armishthā, and had been honoured by C̣ukra and the Daityas, the best of princes came into his city, filled with joy, having taken leave of the high-minded one.”