Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.5217

c9.5217

Devayānī sent her maid Ghūrṇikā to her father and informed him about her mishap. The father, sage Śukra became angry towards Vṛṣaparvā, and came down from Daityaloka and settled down in the forest with his daughter. Afraid of his preceptor’s curse and anger, Vṛṣaparvā came to Śukra and offered profuse apologies to him for his daughter’s misconduct. But Śukra answered that he would be prepared to forgive only if Śarmiṣṭhā with 1000 maids would go and serve Devayānī. Finding no other way, Vṛṣaparvā yielded to the condition. Soon Śarmiṣṭhā and her 1000 maids went to the forest and began to serve Devayānī. Śukra returned to Daityaloka. Some time after this, Yayāti came to the forest one day for hunting. There he met Devayānī, being attended by many maids. In the conversation that followed, Devayānī was able to recognize Yayāti. She fell in love with him. But Yayāti insisted that he was not prepared to marry her without the consent of Śukrācārya. So she sent one of her maids to her father and informed him of her desire. The sage readily agreed and had their marriage performed. He also presented them 1,000 maids. After the ceremony, Yayāti returned to his palace with his bride. Śarmiṣṭhā and the 2,000 maids also accompanied them. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapters 76-81).
3) Yayāti’s domestic Life. After his arrival in his capital city, Yayāti made arrangements for Devayānī’s residence in his own palace while Śarmiṣṭhā took up her residence in Aśokavanikā. In due course, Devayānī gave birth to a son. The sight of the child roused the motherly instincts of Śarmiṣṭhā who spent a thousand years in heartburning. One day, while she was brooding alone in her garden, Yayāti happened to come there. As they met, their hearts were moved by tender feelings. Śarmiṣṭhā approached Yayāti and begged for a son. But he tried to evade her by pleading that it was not proper to do anything in violation of Dharma. But in the end, he had to yield to her earnest supplications and philosophical arguments. Thus Śarmiṣṭhā conceived a son in secret. When the child was born and it grew up, Devayānī’s mind was constantly vexed with the thought as to who was the father. Once in an angry mood she questioned Śarmiṣṭhā herself about it. She answered that the child’s father was a sage whose identity she could not ascertain in the excitement of her union with him. Any way, this answer satisfied Devayānī.