Experience of king Yayaati

Experience of King Yayaati

There once lived a King named Yayaati who lived for a full one thousand years of enjoying all the pleasures a King of his position could command. Guru Shukracharya's daughter Devayani was his wife. Guru Shukracharya cursed him to become old because he had intimate relations with a maid servant named Sarmistha. He asked for forgiveness. Shukracharya took pity on him and favourably modified his curse, so that Yayaati could regain his youth if anyone of his sons is ready to get his old age in return. He had still a great desire to enjoy all royal pleasures for some more years, he asked each of his sons (Yadu, Turvasu, Druhyu and Anu), one by one, to take upon himself this old age and give him his youth in return, assuring that after one thousand years he would return the youth and take back his decrepitude. Not one of them was willing to accept the offer except his youngest son named Puru.

Puru gave his youth to his father and got in return old age and its consequent weakness. Yayaati, being exceedingly delighted with his new youth, began to indulge again in sensual pleasures. He enjoyed himself to the full limit of his powers and as much as he desired without violating the precepts of religion. He was very happy, but only one thought troubled him. And that was the thought that the one thousand years would come to an end. He was not satisfied even when the fixed time came to an end. He came to his son Puru and addressed him thus: "O son, I have enjoyed with your youth to the full limit of my powers and all pleasures, according to their seasons. But desires never die. They are never satiated by indulgence. By indulgence they flame up like the sacrificial fire with ghee poured into it."

न जातु कामः कामानामुपभोगेन शाम्यति | हविषा कृष्णवर्त्मेव भूय एवाभिवर्धते ||

He said, "If one becomes the sole lord of all the earth, with its paddy, oats, gems, beasts and women, still it will not be considered by him enough. Therefore, the thirst for enjoyment should be abandoned. The thirst for enjoyment which is difficult to cast off by the wicked, which does not fail even with failing life, is truly a fatal disease in man. To get rid of this thirst is real happiness.

Yayaati's experience is very useful to mankind. He continued, "My mind was attached to the pleasures of life for full one thousand years. My thirst for them, however, without being abated, is daily being increased."

पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं मे विषयासक्तचेतसः | तथाप्यनुदिनं तृष्णा ममैतेष्वभिजायते ||

Yayaati said, "My son, therefore, I shall get rid of it. I shall fix my mind on Brahman (supreme consciousness), and becoming peaceful and having no attachment, I shall pass the rest of my days in the forest with the innocent deer." So saying he installed Puru on the throne after giving him back his youth and retired into the forest to lead the life of an ascetic. Puru's dynasty was named Paurav in which Janmejaya, the son of King Parikshit was born.