Yayati-Devyani-Sharmistha | Mahabharata paintings

The list of Chandravamsha kings will not be complete without Yayati. I wrote about him earlier as well Jeyamohan’s Yayati and Fellow Indians’ Shah Jahan.

Emperor Yayati https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yayati

When Yayati went to forest, he went deep into it. He heard a voice of a woman inside the forest. He followed the path towards that voice. It came from a well. There was a maiden inside a well, screamed for help to come out. Yayadi extended a helping hand to Devayani.

Devayani was the daughter of Shukra Acharya, the guru of asura-s. Sharmistha was her close friend. Sharmistha was the daughter of asura king Vrishparva.

One day, Devayani and Sharmistha went to bath in a well in the nearby forest. A minor conflict between them became a game changer. Devayani and Sharmistha’s robes were interchanged by mistake. Devyani took it as a serious breach. Sharmistha pushed Devayani inside the water body after a harsh conversation, before she left the place. Yayati came later to rescue her.

O daughter of the Asura (chief), why dost thou take my attire, being, as thou art, my disciple? As thou art destitute of good behaviour, nothing good can happen to thee!
அசுரர் தலைவனின் மகளே, நீ என் சிஷ்யையாக இருந்தும், ஏன் என் உடையை எடுத்துக்கொள்கிறாய்? நீ நல்ல நடத்தை இல்லாதவளாக இருப்பதால், உனக்கு நல்லது எதுவும் நடக்காது!
– Devyani to Sharmistha, Sambhava Parva

Though they are thick friends, the both of them think they are superior, Devyani by her renunciation and Sharmishtha by her power.

Thy father occupying a lower seat, always adoreth with downcast looks, like a hired chanter of praises, my father, whether he sitteth at his ease or reclineth at full length! Thou art the daughter of one that chanteth the praises of others, of one that accepteth alms. I am the daughter of one who is adored, of one who bestoweth alms instead of ever accepting them! Beggar-woman as thou art, thou art free to strike thy breast, to use ill words, to vow enmity to me, to give way to thy wrath. Acceptress of alms, thou weepest tears of anger in vain! If so minded, I can harm thee, but thou canst not. Thou desirest to quarrel. But know thou that I do not reckon thee as my equal!
என் தந்தை, நிம்மதியாக அமர்ந்தாலும் அல்லது முழு நீளமாக சாய்ந்தாலும், கீழ் இருக்கையில் அமர்ந்திருக்கும் உனது தந்தை, எப்பொழுதும் தாழ்ந்த தோற்றத்துடன், கூலிக்கு துதி பாடுபவர் போல. நீ பிறர் புகழ் பாடும் ஒருவரின் மகள், பிச்சை ஏற்கும் ஒருவரின் மகள். போற்றப்படுபவரின் மகள் நான், எதையும் பிறரிடம் பெறாமல் தானம் செய்பவரின் மகள்! யாசகம் பெறுபவரின் பெண்ணே, நீ உன் மார்பில் அடித்துக்கொள்ளவும், தவறான வார்த்தைகளைப் பிரயோகிக்கவும், எனக்கு விரோதமாகச் சபதம் செய்யவும், உனது கோபத்திற்கு வழிவிடவும் சுதந்திரம் பெற்றவள். அன்னதானத்தை ஏற்றுக்கொள்பவளே, வீணாகக் கோபத்தால் கண்ணீர் வடிக்கிறாய்! நினைத்தால், நான் உனக்கு தீங்கு செய்ய முடியும், ஆனால் உன்னால் முடியாது. நீ சண்டையிட விரும்புகிறாய். ஆனால் நான் உன்னை எனக்கு இணையாகக் கருதவில்லை என்பதை நீ அறிந்துகொள்!
– Sharmistha to Devyani, Sambhava Parva

Devyani being rescued from the well by Yayati, painting by BP Banerjee.- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devayani

Devayani complained to her father Shukracharya. Shukara was angry. He refused to perform any yagna-s until Sharmistha apologizes. In addition, Devayani wanted Sharmistha to serve her as a maid. What a grudge!! Not performing yagna-s may weaken the king against his enemies. So the king was left without any choices. He sent his princess as a maid to the daughter of his Guru.

Yayati hold Devyani’s hand when he rescued her from well surrounded by woods. It was agreed as their marriage. A daughter of an acharya became the empress of Hastinapur now. Out of her grudge, Devyani wanted Sharmistha to follow her to Hastinapur as her maid.

Fate did not get out of Devayani’s life. She paid a heavy price for her grudge. She thought Sharmistha will be jelous about her. But what happened was something different.

Devayani was mere a daughter of an Acharya. But Sharmistha was a princess. Her personality attracted Yayati. We know about Chandravamsha kings and their stories. Yayati is not different from them. He married Sharmistha secretly.

O son of Nahusha, no one can behold the ladies that dwell in the inner apartments of Soma, of Indra, of Vishnu, of Yama, of Varuna, and of thee! Thou knowest, O king, that I am both handsome and well-born. I solicit thee, O king! My season hath arrived. See that it goeth not in vain.
நஹுஷனின் மகனே! சோமன், இந்திரன், விஷ்ணு, யமன், வருணன் மற்றும் உன்னுடைய ஆழ்மனதில் வசிக்கும் பெண்களை யாராலும் பார்க்க முடியாது! அரசே, நான் அழகாகவும், நற்குடியில் பிறந்தவளாகவும் இருக்கிறேன் என்பதை நீ அறிவாய். நான் உன்னிடம் வேண்டுகிறேன் அரசே! எனது பருவம் வந்துவிட்டது. அது வீண் போகாமல் பார்த்துக் கொள்ளுங்கள்.
Sharmistha to Yayati, Sambhava Parva

Devayani was unaware of this. When Sharmistha’s children called Yayati as father, she understood everything.

Devayani standing besides Yayati, questions Sharmishtha — Devayani standing besides Yayati, questions Sharmistha

O thou of sweet smiles, all that I told thee of a Rishi is perfectly true. I have acted rightly and according to the precepts of virtue, and therefore, do I not fear thee. When thou hadst chosen the king for thy husband, I, too, chose him as mine. O beautiful one, a friend’s husband is, according to usage, one’s own husband as well. Thou art the daughter of a Brahmana and, therefore, deservest my worship and regard. But dost thou not know that this royal sage is held by me in greater esteem still?
இனிமையான புன்னகை உடையவளே, ஒரு ரிஷி பற்றி நான் உன்னிடம் கூறியது முற்றிலும் உண்மை. நான் நல்லொழுக்கத்தின் விதிகளின்படி சரியாகவும் நடந்து கொண்டேன், எனவே நான் உனக்கு அஞ்சமாட்டேன். நீ உன் கணவனாக ராஜாவைத் தேர்ந்தெடுத்தபோது, நானும் அவனை என்னுடையவனாகத் தேர்ந்தெடுத்தேன். அழகானவளே, ஒரு தோழியின் கணவர், வழமையின்படி, தன் சொந்தக் கணவரும் கூட. நீ ஒரு பிராமணனின் மகள், எனவே, என் வணக்கத்திற்கும் மரியாதைக்கும் தகுதியானவள். ஆனால், இந்த அரச முனிவரை நான் இன்னும் அதிகமாக மதிக்கிறவள் என்பது உனக்குத் தெரியாதா?
-Sharmistha to Devayani, Sambhava Parva

Yayati and Sharmistha tried their best to justify and sooth her, but in vain. Devayani left Yayati and back to her father. Shukracharya cursed Yayati with old age and impotence. Later he modified the curse in a way that he can get back to younger age if any of his sons take back his old age. Else, the curse will affect his own daughter as well. Which lady will be ready to live with a old man?

The cursed Yayāti begs forgiveness of Shukracharya – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yayati

Yayati asked his sons. None accepted except Puru, the youngest. Puru accepted the curse suffering old age and impotence while Yayati became youth and virility.

Few years later, Yayati felt enough of his youthful life and released Puru from curse. He made Puru as the king as well. He cursed other elder sons for not sharing the burden of their fathers.

Prosperity be thine! Receive back this thy youth! Receive thou also my kingdom. Thou art, indeed, that son of mine who has done me the greatest services.
செழிப்பு உனக்கே! இந்த இளமையை திரும்ப பெற்றுக்கொள்! நீயும் என் அரசை ஏற்றுக்கொள். எனக்கு மிகப் பெரிய சேவை செய்த என் மகன் நீயே.’
– Yayati to Puru, Sambhava Parva