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The King Yayati  

This epic research work lucidly details the story of the King Yayati as one of the most intriguing and fascinating episodes of Mahabharata. This explains on the spiritual journey of a King Yayati, who was engaged in religious activities and dictated as per Dharma.

The story of King Yayati brings us five of the most memorable characters of the epic Mahabharata. Yayati was a Puranic king and the son of King Nahusha and Ashokasundari. He was one of the ancestors of Pandavas and Kauravas belong. He married seductively beautiful Devayani, who was the darling daughter of Asura Guru Shukracharya and Brahmavadini Urjaswathi. Kacha was son of Brihaspati who became the disciple of Shukracharya. The teenage Devayani fell in love with Kucha, who was sent to learn Mrita Sanjivani Mantra from the Asura Guru Shukracharya. After learning the divine mantra he refused to marry Devayani though he fell in love with love under the pretext that a brother can’t marry sister as laid down in the scriptures. His refusal to marry her resulted in her curse that he would not be able to use Mrita Sanjivani Mantra. Kacha also cursed her that she wouldn't get a husband of strong character. To overcome her depression she was introduced to Princess Sharmishtha, the daughter of the King Vrishaparvan of Asuras by Asura Guru Shukracharya. Soon their friendship was grown.

The King Yayati indulgence in lust for pleasure continued though he was married seductively beautiful Devayani. She gave birth to two sons Yadu and Turvasu. As she suffered the pangs of an unrequited love for Kacha refused to give him his conjugal rights when she came to know that her maid servant Princess Sharmishtha filled his need of lusty gratification as his indulgence was a kind of revenge upon Devayani who begot his three sons Druhyu, Anu, and Puru. This got embroiled in the rivalry, jealousy, and passion between these two friends whose doting fathers helplessly involved. When Devayani came to know about their relationship, she complained to her father, who cursed Yayati with old age for giving pain to her daughter. It was very difficult to get rid of and his quest for the carnal as the lust is a potent force and his desire was a like fire and grew stronger each time and asked his sons for their youth but everyone rejects except Puru. The King Yayati had enjoyed gorgeously beautiful Apsara Viswachi, who fell in love with him. It was a desire to love and to be loved and enjoyed their sexual indulgence in luxury, pleasure, and sensuously. They got a pretty daughter namely Madhavî and was grown up like Satyavati, Kunti, and Draupadi and enjoyed a greater degree of freedom. Each tune after she gave childbirth gained chastity as unique faculty boon granted by her parents! Yet she was the proud mother of a ‘virgin’ status”. Madhavi married four times and had one son with each husband. She married Haryyashwa, Ikshvaku King of Ayodhya and had a son named Vasumanas who became a wealthy king and practiced charity. She married Divodasa, King of Kashi and she bore the mighty warrior King Pratarddana who acquired weapons from Sage Bharadwaja and defeated the Haihayas and the Videhas in battle. She married Ushinara, Bhoja King of Kashi and begot a virtuous son Shibi, who became a Chakravartin Samrat and conquered the world, practiced Dharma and charity. She married Maharishi Vishwamitra had a son named Ashtaka, who became famous for performing sacrifices and charity. Thus, Everyone except Madhavi had something to gain: Yayati had the satisfaction of helping a needy person; the three childless kings beget worthy sons and heirs.

Apsara Viswachi made the King Yayati to realize, "beauty of the female body is only superficial. The beauty of the skin is also superficial and how long are you going to call this body as yours? How long are you going to cling to this perishable body?” He gave up his identification with the body and identified himself with his real nature the Sachidananda Swaroop. This was true wisdom and to successfully pursue happiness he made Puru as his descendant, who gives rise to Kuru dynasty to which Pandavas and Kauravas belong.  As his eldest son, Yadu born to Devayani refused to exchange his years of youth with his father Yayati. So he was cursed by Yayati that none of Yadu's progeny shall possess the dominion under his father's command. Yadu was self-respecting and established Yadu dynasty that had an unprecedented growth and got divided into two branches as the "Haihayas” and the "Yadavas" in which Lord Krishna was born later. Devayani released the fact that her marrying King Yayati was right that gave rise to Yadu dynasty.

Lord Indra held him in high esteem yet his indulgence in lust for pleasure continued though he was married seductively beautiful Devayani also Sharmishtha, the princess turned as his bed-maid whom he loved and enjoyed Apsara Viswachi was sent back meteor-like   flashing down from the heavens and was reused by his daughter Madhavi and her four sons... Yayati finally achieves immortality through his grandchildren’s generosity, having abjured pride and lust

The scripting of this work reveals the differences between the Quests for Immorality and Immortality and reiterates the concept dealt in Rig Veda V11. 8.4 "The Quest for Immorality leads to Doom unless Lust is conquered" in an interesting story form and gives simple solutions for rising above the desires of lust, anger, and greed... Sivkishen, Author