18-Raajaa Yayaati

Shuk Dev Jee said - "Hey Pareekshit, Raajaa Nahush (Pururavaa's son was Aayu, and Aayu's son was Nahush) had six sons - Yati, Yayaati, Sanyaati, Aayati, Viyati and Kriti. Nahush wanted to give his kingdom to his eldest son Yati, but he did not want it, because he knew the result of taking the kingdom. When Nahush wanted to get Indra's wife, Indraanee, Braahman degraded him from Indra's status and converted him into a python. So Yayaati got the throne. He appointed his four brothers in four directions and he himself married to Shukraachaarya's daughter Devayaanee and Daityaraaj Vrishparvaa's daughter Sharmishthaa and started ruling.

Pareekshit asked - "Shukraachaarya was a Braahman and Yayaati was a Kshatriya then how this Vilom marriage got possible?" Shuk Dev Jee said - "Daanav Raaj Vrishparvaa, (Daksh's daughter Danu's son) had a very proud daughter named Sharmishthaa. One day she with her father's Guru's daughter Devayaanee and thousand of friends was taking a stroll in her garden. There was a pond in that garden, so everybody took off her clothes and kept them near it and jumped into the pond and started playing with water. At the same time they saw Shankar Jee coming there with Paarvatee Jee. Seeing him coming all girls got very embarrassed and they immediately put on their clothes. In hurry, Sharmishthaa put on Devayaanee's clothes. At this Devayaanee got very angry and said - "You put on my clothes? I am a Braahman whom even Indra, Brahmaa and Vishnu Bhagavaan also worship. And we are the highest Bhrigu Vanshee Braahman. First of all, you are Asur; second, your father is our disciple, still you put on my clothes?" At this Sharmishthaa also got angry and said - "You are a beggar. As beggars look at our house for alms, you also look at our house." Sharmishthaa thus insulted Devayaanee, snatched her clothes and pushed her into a well.

After Sharmishthaa had left, incidentally Raajaa Yayaati came that side. He needed water to drink, so he peeped in the well and thus could see Devayaanee there. She was without clothes at that time therefore he gave his own cloth to her and took her out holding her hand. At this Devayaanee said softly - "Raajan, Today you have held my hand, now nobody else should ever hold my hand. I have seen you by chance (by falling in this well) this should be considered as an opportunity given by Bhagavaan. We or anybody else have nothing to do with this. Previously I gave Shaap to the son of Rishi Brihaspati, Kach, he also gave me Shaap in return. For the same reason no Braahman will marry me." Although Yayaati did not want to accept this offer because this was not according to Shaastra, but he took it as his fate and accepted her.

When Yayaati went away, she went to her father crying and told everything that Sharmishthaa did to her. Shukraachaarya Jee also did not like the behavior of Sharmishthaa. He thought that being Purohit of some family is not good, it is better to eat grains by picking up from the market. And he left his house with his daughter. When Vrishparvaa got this news he got frightened. Lest his Guru gives him Shaap, he followed him to please him and fell onto his feet on the way. Shukraachaarya Jee said - "Raajan, I cannot leave my daughter, therefore whatever she wants you have to fulfill her wish. Then I will have no objection in going with you." Vrishparvaa agreed to it. Devayaanee said - "Wherever I go, Sharmishthaa should follow me with her friends in my service."

Sharmishthaa, seeing the difficulty of her family accepted it. She started serving her with her 1,000 friends. Shukraachaarya Jee married Devayaanee to Yayaati and gave Sharmishthaa as her maidservant and said - "You should not allow her in your bed." After some time Devayaanee got a son. Seeing her son, Sharmishthaa also had a desire of having a child. So she requested Raajaa Yayaati for a child. Yayaati considered her request justified, so in spite of remembering Shukraachaarya's warning he fulfilled her request. Now Devayaanee had two sons - Yadu and Turvasu and Sharmishthaa had three sons - Druhyu, Anu and Puru. When proud Devayaanee came to know about Sharmishthaa's children, she left for her father's house in great anger. Yayaati tried his best to please her but all methods failed to bring her back. Shukraachaarya Jee also gave him Shaap in anger - "You are a fool, lusty and liar. You get that kind of old age which makes man ugly."

Yayaati said - "I am not satisfied with your daughter yet, [but keep in mind, that] this Shaap will affect your daughter also." At this Shukraachaarya said - "OK, go and exchange your old age with a person who can give you his youth happily." Yayaati came back to his capital and asked his eldest son Yadu - "Son, I want to enjoy worldly pleasures for some more time, so please take my Shukraachaarya-given old age Shaap and give your youth to me." Yadu said - "Father, without the proper time of old age, I don't want to live taking your old age. Because unless somebody has enjoyed worldly pleasures he cannot get Vairaagya."

Shuk Dev Jee said - "Hey Pareekshit,  Thus his other sons - Turvasu, Druhya and Anu also refused to accept his request. In fact they did not know the elements of Dharm. They considered this destructible body as indestructible body. Then he called his youngest son Puru and said the same thing to him. He said - "Father, With the grace of father one can get Parampad. In reality, son's body is given only by his father and in this situation who can return father's Upakaar (kindness, or favors). Best son is he who can understand father's heart without saying it. Who obeys father on saying something, he is only medium type of son. Who does not obey in any way, to call him a son is a mistake." So Hey Pareekshit, Thus Puru accepted his father's old age and gave his youth to his father. Raajaa Yayaati took his youth and ruled over 7-Dweep Prithvi for 1,000 years. Devayaanee was his dearest wife and she started giving him all kinds of pleasures. Yayaati did several Yagya. But even after enjoying the pleasures for 1,000 years he was not satisfied.

19-Yayaati Leaves Home

Shuk Dev Jee said - "Pareekshit, Thus Yayaati enjoyed pleasures for a long time living in the control of a woman. Then one day he felt very bad and said to Devayaanee - "Hey Bhrigu Nandinee, Now you listen to a story which is the real story of a person like me. There was a he-goat. He was roaming around in a forest that he saw a she-goat fallen in a well. To take her out, he dug the Prithvi with his horn and took her out. Then she wanted to love him. That he-goat was very handsome and when other she-goats saw that fallen she-goat has chosen him as her husband then they also married him. Thus he alone enjoyed many she-goats. When the fallen she-goat found out that her husband was enjoying the other she-goats also, she could not tolerate this and went to her master. He-goat also followed her to please her but failed in his mission. She-goat's master was a Braahman, he devoured the he-goat's testicles, but to do good to his she-goat he joined them again. But still that he-goat could not satisfy his desires. Dear, this is my condition.

Dear, all kinds of materials, grains, gold, animals, women cannot satisfy a man who has limitless desires. Enjoyment of pleasures does not satisfy desires. When a man does not love anything and does not take anything then only he can become "Samadarshee" (who sees everything at one level) and this situation is all pleasurable. Indriyaan are very powerful, they don't get satisfied till you are satisfying them. Therefore now I will leave all pleasures and will roam around in forests with deer."

Pareekshit, After saying this Yayaati returned Puru's youth to him and took his own old age back from him. Then he handed over his south-east kingdom to Druhyu, Southern kingdom to Yadu, Western kingdom to Turvasu and Northern part to Anu. He gave his own part to Puru and went to forest. Devayaanee thought that by saying this, Raajaa Yayaati was inspiring her for Moksh, so she also left everything and meditated Shree Krishn and left her physical body.

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