A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.2200

c5.2200

YAYĀTI. The fifth king of the Lunar race, and son of Nahusha. He had two wives, Devayānī and Sarmishthā, from the former of whom was born Yadu, and from the latter Puru, the respective founders of the two great lines of Yādavas and Pauravas. In all he had five sons, the other three being Druhyu, Turvasu, and Anu. He was a man of amorous disposition, and his infidelity to Devayānī brought upon him the curse of old age and infirmity from her father, Sukra. This curse Sukra consented to transfer to any one of his sons who would consent to bear it. All refused except Puru, who undertook to resign his youth in his father’s favour. Yayāti, after a thousand years spent in sensual pleasures, renounced sensuality, restored his vigour to Puru, and made him his successor. This story of Puru’s assuming Yayāti’s decrepitude is first told in the Mahā-bhārata. The above is the version of the Vishnu Purāna. In the Padma it is told in a different manner. Yayāti was invited to heaven by Indra, who sent Mātali, his charioteer, to fetch his guest. On their way they held a philosophical discussion, which made such an impression on Yayāti that, when he returned to earth, he, by his virtuous administration, rendered all his subjects exempt from passion and decay. Yama complained that men no longer died, and so Indra sent Kāma-deva, god of love, and his daughter, Asruvindumatī, to excite a passion in the breast of Yayāti. He became enamoured, and in order to become a fit husband for his youthful charmer he made application to his sons for an exchange of their youth and his decrepitude. All refused but Puru, whose manly vigour his father assumed. After awhile the youthful bride, at the instigation of Indra, persuaded her husband to return to heaven, and he then restored to Puru his youth. The Bhāgavata Purāna and the Hari-vansa tell the story, but with variations. According to the latter, Yayāti received from Indra a celestial car, by means of which he in six nights conquered the earth and subdued the gods themselves. This car descended to his successors, but was lost by Jamamejaya through the curse of the sage Gārgya. Yayāti, after restoring his youth to Puru, retired to the forest with his wife and gave himself up to mortification. Abstaining from food, he died and ascended to heaven. He and his five sons are all called Rājarshis.