When the war broke out again between the gods and asuras for power over the universe, the gods could not defeat their enemies for a long time. Ushanas, the priest and mentor of the asuras, mastered the art of reviving the dead, which he acquired during his great thousand-year asceticism. He brought all the asuras whom the gods killed in battles back to life again. Brihaspati, the mentor of the heavenly army, did not know this science, and the gods suffered heavy losses in that war. And then one day the gods, in confusion and fear, came to Brihaspati’s son, the wise Kacha, and said: “Do us a favor, Kacha, help us defeat the treacherous asuras. You are young and beautiful in appearance. Go to Ushanas and become his disciple. By kind behavior and obedience, gain his trust, win the love of his daughter Devayani and find out from the mentor of the asuras his great secret - the ability to revive those killed in battle.”
And, obeying the desire of the gods, Kacha went to the camp of the lord of the asuras. He appeared before Ushanas and said: “I am the son of Brihaspati, grandson of Angiras. Take me as your student. Observing a strict vow of abstinence, I will serve you for ten hundred years." Ushanas Kavya warmly greeted Brihaspati's son, took a vow of obedience from him, and Kacha, becoming his student, began to serve his teacher as befits. But most of all he tried to please Devayani, the proud daughter of Ushanas. He collected fragrant flowers and juicy fruits for her in the forest, sang songs to her, and entertained her with music and dancing. Devayani graciously accepted these services, and imperceptibly her heart bent towards Kacha.
But one day, when Kacha was grazing the teacher’s cows in the forest, the asuras saw him and immediately recognized him. Hating the gods and Brihaspati, they killed Kacha, fearing that he might learn from their mentor the secret of resurrecting the dead. They cut Kacha's body into pieces and threw it to the wolves.
When the cows returned home in the evening without a shepherd, Devayani became worried. Kacha did not return at night, and then Devayani went to her father and said: “O lord, the sun has already set, the fire on the sacrificial altar began to glow in the dark night, the cows returned from the forest, but their shepherd Kacha still did not return home. Did something bad happen to him, did he die in the forest? I can’t live without him, father!”
And Ushanas took pity on his daughter and, loudly calling out to Brihaspati’s son, brought him back to life with the power of his art. At that same moment, Kacha appeared before the asura mentor and his beautiful daughter, alive and unharmed. He told them how the asuras killed him in the forest and threw his body to be devoured by wild animals.
After some time, Kacha again went into the forest to pick flowers for Devayani, and again the asuras saw him. They realized that the almighty Ushanas had revived Kacha. And in order to put an end to the son of Brihaspati forever, the asuras, having killed him, this time burned his body and mixed the ashes in a vessel with wine. The treacherous asuras presented this vessel to their mentor, and he drank the wine mixed with the ashes of Kachi.
And in the evening, the alarmed Devayani again came to her father and began to beg him to find Kacha and return him to her safe and sound. Ushanas told his daughter: “I already revived him once, when the asuras killed him and he went along the path of the dead. But apparently the sons of Diti took his life again. What can I do for him? Leave your sadness, my daughter. It is not fitting for you to grieve for a mortal. Everyone humbles themselves, both gods and people, when no sign of good fortune appears.” But Devayani was inconsolable. “No,” she told her father, “I cannot get rid of sadness. The son of Brihaspati is dear to my heart. And if you don’t return him to me, I will refuse water and food and follow Kacha.”
And, urged by the sorrowful Devayani, Ushanas, angry at the stubborn asuras, again appealed to the son of Brihaspati and tried for the second time to bring him back to life. Then Kacha quietly spoke from the teacher’s womb. Ushananas was incredibly surprised: “Oh Kacha, how did you end up in my womb?” And Kacha told him about everything: how the asuras met him in the forest and killed him again, how they burned his body on fire, how they mixed the ashes with wine and offered this wine to Ushanas. After listening to Kachi’s story, the asura mentor became sad. He began to think about how to bring Kacha back to life; after all, he could not do this without destroying his own body. Only at the cost of his own life could he save his student. Then, for the sake of his daughter’s happiness, Ushapas decided to teach Brihaspati’s son the art of reviving the dead. Having received this great and desired gift from the teacher, Kacha ripped open Ushanasa’s right side and was born into the world safe and sound. The mentor of the asuras then fell to the ground, lifeless. But Kacha, a faithful and grateful student, immediately took advantage of the gift he received to resurrect the teacher. He cast the proper spells, called upon Ushanas, and he came to life and rose from the earth, to the great joy of Devayani and Kachi.
Kacha spent ten hundred years in the service of the mentor of the asuras, and finally the day came when it was time for the son of Brihaspati to return to the abode of the gods. But Devayani, having fallen in love with him, did not want to part with him. And when Kacha, with the permission of the teacher, began to prepare for a long journey, Devayani said to him: “O son of Brihaspati, I love and honor you, and this great love of mine has already saved you from death twice. For my sake, for the sake of my love for you, my father revealed to you the secret of reviving the dead. Will you reject my love, my devotion and friendship? But the pious Kacha refused Devayani, who offered herself to him as a wife. He told her: “You force me to do what is permitted, O maiden with wonderful eyebrows! You are dearer and dearer to me than a teacher, but I was in the womb of your parent, oh moon-faced one! Can I become your husband? I can only be your brother, you are now my sister by law. O beautiful one, I have lived here happily for many years, and there is no discontent in my heart. I request you, O Devayani, allow me to follow my duty and wish me well on my journey.” But the beautiful Devayani did not want to submit to the provisions of the law. Offended by Kacha’s refusal, she said: “You rejected me for the sake of the law, but for this I predict to you: the great art of my father will not bring you any good.” Brihaspati's son, after hearing these words, remained adamant. He humbly replied to Devayani: “Let this great science bear no fruit for me, but it will help those to whom I impart my knowledge.” And, having bowed to Devayani, he set off on a long journey to the abode of the gods,
Filled with joy, the gods met the son of Brihaspati. “You have accomplished a great feat,” they told him, and for this, from now on you will have your share in the sacrifices, O Kacha!
Soon Kacha taught the gods the art of resurrecting the dead. Then the celestials began to prepare for a new battle with the asuras. “Lead us into battle,” they told Indra. “The time has come to show the asuras our strength.” Let us destroy our enemies, O lord!” And the gods set out on a campaign against the asuras; Indra became the head of the heavenly army.
On the way to the battlefield, Indra saw girls bathing in a forest lake. Instantly, turning into the wind, the king of the gods swapped the girls' dresses and returned to his army. And the girls, coming out of the water to the shore, took clothes that were not theirs. Sharmishtha, the daughter of the lord of the asuras Vrishaparvan, took Devayani's dress by mistake, and an unkind argument broke out between the beautiful maidens. “How dare you take my dress? - Devayani said to Sharmnsha. -I am the daughter of a mentor, and you must show me respect. Otherwise you will have no luck in anything, no good will come to you.” The proud princess could not bear the reproach and said to Devayani in anger: “You, beggar woman, are no match for me, and it is not for you to compete with the daughter of the lord of the asuras. Your father glorifies my father and humbly accepts gifts from him. When my father reclines on his bed, yours stands at his feet. You are the daughter of one who asks, takes and praises, but I am the daughter of one who is glorified, who gives but does not receive.” And without giving Devayani her dress, Sharmishtha pushed Ushanas’s daughter into a well that was in that forest, and she herself went home.
At that time, King Yayati, the son of Nahusha, was hunting nearby. And he himself, and his retinue, and his horses were tired and exhausted from thirst. It so happened that King Yayati with his retinue approached the well into which Sharmishtha had pushed Devayani. The king looked into the well and saw that it had long since dried up, and at the bottom of it lay a girl of unearthly beauty. Amazed Yayati asked her tenderly:
“Who are you, fair maiden? Why are you lying in the well and how did you get into it? Why are you sighing and groaning so heavily? Tell me everything that happened to you?” Devayani answered him: “I am the daughter of Ushanas, the mentor of the asuras, the one who resurrects the sons of Diti and Dana, who died in the battle with the gods. My father does not know what happened to me. Here is my right hand, king, take it and pull me out of the well.”
And Yayati pulled Devayani out of the well by the hand, said goodbye to her and returned to his city. And the daughter of Ushanas, indignant at Sharmishtha, not wanting to come to the capital of Vrishanarvan, sent her maid to her father and ordered her to tell him about what happened at the forest lake. The maid found Devayani's father in the Vrishaparvan palace and told him: “Princess Sharmistha pushed your daughter into the well by the forest lake.” Overcome with anger and grief, Ushanas ran into the forest and found his daughter at the well, alive and unharmed. He hugged her and said: “All the misfortunes in the world happen to us through our own fault. Have you, O my daughter, committed any bad act for which you had to pay such a price?
Then Devayani told her father how grievously Sharmishtha had insulted her, calling her a beggar and the daughter of a beggar, and how she had humiliated Ushanas himself, and how she had thrown her, innocent, into a well overgrown with grass. After listening to Devayani, Ushanas did not utter a word, but took her hand and went with her to the palace of the king of the asuras. Entering the palace, Ushanas approached Vrishaparvan, brother of Hirapyakashipu, who was sitting on the throne, and said:
“O king, perfect lawlessness differs from fertile land in that it does not bear fruit immediately. But it will bring them, and if not you yourself, then your children or grandchildren will reap these fruits, there is no doubt about it! And since you twice attempted the life of my disciple, son Brihaspati, and your daughter Sharmistha tried to destroy my daughter, I am leaving your domain forever, sir, along with all my relatives and household.”
The king of the asuras answered him: “You are unfair to me, O son of Bhrigu! O mentor, I have always been respectful to you and never betrayed my soul before you. Be merciful to me. If you leave us, inevitable death awaits us all, you know that! We will only have to seek salvation from our formidable enemies at the bottom of the sea!” But Ushanas was adamant. “Run wherever you want, O Asuras,” he said. “Sink to the bottom of the sea or hide in the underworld, but I am unable to endure the insults inflicted on my daughter, for she is loved by me and my life lies in her alone.” Let the asuras bow before her and ask her forgiveness. And if I am your mentor, if I am the ruler here, giving you life and salvation, may my daughter Devayani be satisfied!”
And then Vrishaparvan said to Devayani: “Tell me your desire, O daughter of Ushanas, and it will be fulfilled, no matter how difficult it may be.” Devayani said to the king of the asuras: “I want your daughter Sharmistha to become my slave, and along with her, let her thousand maidservants also belong to me. Let her follow me everywhere from now on.”
King Vrishaparvan listened to Devayani with humility and sent a maidservant to fetch Sharmistha. When the princess appeared before her father, he told her: “From now on you are Devayani’s slave, and your duty is to follow her everywhere.” At the order of the king of the asuras, his daughter bowed before Devayani, and she said to her: “Remember, I am the daughter of the one who asks and accepts alms, but you are the daughter of the giver and the glorified. How will you be my slave?” Sharmistha answered her humbly: “If for the sake of saving my father and the entire tribe of asuras I need to become your slave, I will become one. After all, if your father leaves my relatives in anger, they will not be able to withstand the battle with the gods.”
So the proud princess Sharmishtha became the slave of Devayani, and the satisfied Ushanas remained with his daughter in the capital of King Vrishaparvan.
Much time passed since then, and one day the beautiful Devayani went for a walk in the forest along with Sharmistha and a thousand of her other maidens. Accompanied by her maids, she had fun and played in the forest, picked flowers, feasted on fruits and quenched her thirst with clean water from the stream. And when the girls got tired and sat down to rest in a forest clearing, Yayati, the son of Nahusha, who again came to this forest to hunt, saw them. When he saw the beautiful Devayani surrounded by thousands of her maidservants and the beautiful Sharmishtha, on whom Devayani rested her feet on her lap, his heart was filled with admiration. “Who are you, young maidens, shining with unearthly beauty? - he asked them. “What family are you from?” I want to hear your names, O lovely maidens.” Devayali identified herself to him and said: “And this is Sharmshitha, the daughter of the king of the asuras Vrishaparvan, my friend and slave.” And she said to Yayati, who was about to leave, having satisfied his curiosity: “I recognized you, O king. It was you who pulled me out of the well by my right hand. No one touched my HAND before you - you were the first. And therefore I myself and my slaves belong to you. Be my husband and master, O great king."
Yayati was glad to take the beautiful Devayani as his wife, but he feared the wrath of her father, the almighty Ushanas. Then Devayani quickly sent a maid to fetch the teacher of the asuras. And when he came to that forest clearing, Devayani said to him: “My father, this is King Yayati, the son of Nahusha. He took me by the hand as he pulled me out of the well where Vrishaparvana’s daughter had thrown me. I want to become his wife, and I will not choose anyone else as my wife.” Ushanas did not oppose Devayani's choice. He said to the son of Nahusha: “O king, you have been chosen as the consort of my beloved daughter. Take it, don’t be afraid, I’m giving it to you. You take my daughter by law, and with her you will find incomparable happiness in this world. Just remember, king, this maiden Sharmishtha is the slave of Devayani, and you should not call her to your bed.” Joyful Yayati bowed to the mentor of the asuras, walked around him respectfully from left to right and went to his capital along with Devayani and her maidservants.
Yayati placed Devayani and her maidens in his palace on the women's side, but they settled Sharmishtha separately, outside the palace, in a small house near the Ashoka grove. And for many years King Yayati enjoyed the happiness of married life with Devayani. And the time came, and Devayani gave birth to a son for King Yayati.
Sharmistha, meanwhile, was tormented by envy. She also wanted to have a son. Devayani had everything: both husband and child, but Sharmishtha’s life was joyless and fruitless. She wished to persuade King Yayati to marry and give birth to powerful sons.
One day the king met Sharmishtha while walking near the Ashoka grove. She went to meet him with a smile and, greeting him respectfully, said: “You know, sir, that I am beautiful and of noble birth and my disposition is cheerful and meek. I ask you, give me a son, O great king.” King Yayati answered her: “I know, Sharmistha, that you are beautiful, that you are of royal family and that your behavior is virtuous. But do you remember what the teacher of the asuras told me: “You should not call the daughter of Vrishaparvan to your bed.”
However, Sharmistha did not want to give up her plan. “They say, O king,” she said, “that five types of deception are excusable for a person - deception when it comes to a woman, deception during a wedding, deception to save life, deception to save wealth and deception for the sake of a joke.” “But the sovereign must be an example for his subjects in everything,” Yayati objected to her. “If he renounces the truth, he will die.” A king must keep his word, even if he is threatened with severe trials and great adversity.” Sharmishtha said: “Devayani chose you as her consort, but I also chose you. Devayani is my friend, and her husband should become my husband too. You must not deviate from this law."
Then Yayati said to Sharmistha: “Reveal to me your desire, daughter of Vrishaparvana. You must give to those who ask—this is my royal vow.” She said: “Save me from sin, O great king. I have no offspring, but it is my duty to have one, and I want to have it from you.”
And Yayati yielded to Sharmistha. They enjoyed love to their fullest, and when the time came, Sharmishtha gave birth to the king a mighty son, in appearance similar to the inhabitants of heaven.
When Devayani heard that Sharmistha had given birth to a son, she came to her, tormented by jealousy, and said: “You have committed a sin, you have broken the law, daughter of Brishaparvana. How dare you ascend to my husband’s bed?” But Sharmistha did not confess her sin. “A certain sage, versed in the law, visited me,” she said to Devayani, “and I asked the noble Brahman to give me a son so that I would not be left without offspring. Out of reverence and respect, I did not dare to ask him what kind of person he was and what his name was.” Devayani believed Sharmishtha's invention and, reassured, returned to the palace.
Meanwhile, King Yayati continued to secretly visit the daughter of the king of the asuras, and after some time she bore him a second son, and then a third. And Devayani had another son during this time. Devayani's sons were Yadu and Turvasa, Sharmishtha's sons were Druhya, Anu and Puru. One day Devayani and her husband went for a walk in the forest, and there she saw three boys of extraordinary beauty. “Whose sons are these, sir? - she asked the king. “They are charming in appearance and surprisingly similar to you.” Devayani called the children to her and asked them: “What family does your father belong to? What is his name and what is your mother's name? Tell me only the truth!”
And the children pointed out the king to her, and called Sharmishtha their mother. They approached their father, but he did not dare to caress them in the presence of Devayani, and the children, upset, ran home to their mother, crying.
Angry, Devayani went to Sharmistha and said to her: “How dare you, slave, cause me such an insult? How dare you lie to your queen?” But Sharmistha answered her without fear: “I did not lie to you, daughter of Ushapas. I told you the truth. I chose the royal sage as my wife. According to the law, a friend’s husband can also be my husband, O most worthy of the daughters of brahmanas!”
Devayani returned to the palace and said to Yayati with tears: “You have caused me great offense, sir, and broken the promise you made to my father. I will not stay under your roof for another day." And she left the palace, and her eyes turned red with anger. She went to the abode of the asura mentor, while the king, embarrassed, followed her, affectionately persuading her to return and forget the insult. But his admonitions were in vain. Both of them reached the monastery of Ushanas, and Devayani, bowing before her father, said: “The law is defeated by lawlessness, the high is trampled under foot! I am offended by Sharmistha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan. She gave birth to three sons to King Yayati, but I, unfortunate one, have only two. King Yayati, renowned for his piety, has broken the law, find out about this! Ushanas said: “If so, punishment awaits him. Well-versed in what is permitted and forbidden, you sought pleasure in sin, O king, and for this you will suffer prematurely from an irresistible, decrepit old age!” King Yayati, in fear of the Brahmin's curse, prayed to Ushanas: “O almighty mentor of the asuras! I did not want to offend Devayani. Vrishaparvan's daughter, filled with desire, asked me for a son; Is it possible, without breaking the law, to refuse a woman to satisfy her desires? After all, he who refuses this is rightly called the destroyer of the fruit. That is why I could not avoid fulfilling Sharmistha’s request. You need a lot of mercy! After all, I have not yet had time to fully enjoy life and youth, O Brahman!” But Ushapas did not change his word. “I said, O king, and old age has already entered into you,” he said to Yayati. “But you can pass on your old age to another if he agrees to accept it, and then youth will return to you.”
Old and decrepit, King Yayati returned to his capital, from where he had left shortly before, full of strength and free of illness. He turned to his eldest son Yad: “The curse of Ushanas has turned me into an old man, my son. Gray hair, and wrinkles, and decrepit infirmity oppress me now, and I have not yet enjoyed life to the fullest. Take my old age, O Yadu, and give me your youth! When a thousand years have passed, I will give you back your youth and take back my old age.” But Yadu did not agree. “Old age is painful,” he told his father. “The old man has gray hair, wrinkles, and sagging skin.” Old age is powerless, old age inspires pity. No, I don’t want such a fate and I won’t exchange my youth for it.” Then Yayati cursed Yadu: “Because you, my own son, deny me your youth, your descendants will never own my kingdom!”
And Yayati turned to his second son, Turvas, with the same request, but Turvas did not want to give his youth to his father. “No, father,” he said, “I don’t need old age, the destroyer of desires and pleasures. Old age destroys beauty, destroys joy and deprives us of life itself - I don’t want it! And Yayati cursed his second son: “I predict to you, Turvas, that your kingdom will perish. Reckless, you will command only those who do not know the law, do not honor the customs of their ancestors, eaters of meat, those whose blood is like that of a wild beast.”
Then Yayati came to Druhyu, the son of Sharmishtha, and said to him: “O my son, take my old age and give me your youth. Let me still enjoy life, and in a thousand years I will give you back your youth.” But Druhyu also said to his father: “What kind of joy does the old man have? Neither an elephant nor a chariot will please him; neither a war horse nor a beloved maiden is available to him. No, father, I don’t want such a fate.” Yayati also cursed Druhya: “None of your cherished desires will ever come true, O Druhyu. And you will live in a deserted place where there are no wide roads or paths. You will never become a king, and only the glorious name of the son of Yayati will remain for you.”
King Yayati then called upon another son of Sharmishtha. “O my son Anu,” he said, “take my old age and my weakness. I will give you back your youth in a thousand years!” But Anu also refused: “The old one is weak and helpless, like a child. He is unclean and does not have the strength to perform the prescribed rites. No, father, I don’t want you to grow old.” Yayati cursed him: “You will not have to rejoice in your youth. You yourself will become decrepit before your time, and your descendants will perish as soon as they enter the time of maturity.”
“O Puru,” Yayati addressed his last son, “you are the most beloved of my sons. You see how early old age befell me. I haven't enjoyed life yet. Give me your youth and I will give it back to you in a thousand years.” Puru said: “O sir, your request is sacred to me. I will take your old age, and you take my youth and enjoy it as much as you wish.” And the joyful Yayati said to his son: “I am pleased with you, O Puru! And I predict to you: the people in your kingdom will always be happy in their desires.”
And King Yayati again became young and strong as before, and indulged in the joys of life. He performed the prescribed rites, worshiped the gods, made memorial sacrifices to the ancestors, bestowed alms on the poor, bestowed rich gifts on the pious Brahmins, favored friends and pacified enemies. But, rejoicing and enjoying life, the king remembered that there was a limit to his youth, and measured out minutes, hours and days, like a thrifty owner.
When a thousand years had passed and the time had come, he said to his son Pur: “So my youth has passed. I have enjoyed my life to the fullest and am returning your gift to you. I am pleased with you, my son, and together with my youth I give you my kingdom.”
But the brahmanas, associates and subjects of Yayati saw this as a violation of the law. His advisers came to him and said: “Puru is your youngest son, sir, you cannot give him the kingdom, bypassing his elder sons - Yada and Turvasa, Druhya and Anu.” Then the king announced to his people: “He who contradicts his father cannot be considered a good son. My older sons ignored their father's request. Only the youngest, dear to my heart Puru, turned out to be a devoted and worthy son. And the almighty Ushapas, my father-in-law, commanded me to place a son in the kingdom who will be obedient to me.” And the people agreed with the king’s decision.
Having handed over the kingdom to Puru, King Yayati, having gone through the rite of initiation as a hermit, accompanied by pious Brahmins, retired to the forest monastery.
And from the sons of Yayati came different tribes on earth. From the eldest, Yadu, the Yadavas began, into which, many centuries later, the famous heroes Baladeva and Krishna were born; but it was not the descendants of Yadu who inherited the kingdom of Pururavas. Turvasu became the ancestor of the Yavanas, from Druhyu came the Bhojas, from Anu the mlecchas, and from Puru the great and glorious family of the Pauravas, into which were born heroes who covered themselves with glory in the great battle of Kurukshetra - the Kauravas and Pandavas and many other mighty kings and warriors. And all the descendants of Yayati's sons had the fate that he predicted for them.
And Yayati himself lived for many more years in the forest, indulging in severe asceticism, eating fruits and roots and quenching his thirst from forest streams and lakes. In tireless repentance, he curbed his passions and humbled his soul. For thirty years he drank only water; for a whole year he ate only air and for six months he stood on one leg, raising his arms to the sky and not moving from his place day or night. For a thousand years, Yayati subjected his body to the most severe tortures and finally gained the favor of the gods. They took Yayati to heaven and restored his youth and beauty.
And Yayati spent many more thousands of years in the beautiful heavenly city of Amaravati, having fun with the gods and Gandharvas in the flowering grove of Nandana, enjoying the enchanting beauty of the apsaras. But one day Indra asked the son of Nahusha if there was anyone in the three worlds who could compare with him in the glory of an ascetic. And Yayati replied: “No, lord, neither gods, nor people, nor gapdharvas can compare with me in holiness!” This is what the son of Nahusha said, succumbing to pride and forgetting about the humility of his soul, and immediately the merits he had acquired on earth dried up. And the stern messenger of the heavenly ruler appeared to him and said three times: “Get lost! Get lost! Get lost!” And King Yayati, cast out from heaven, fell to the ground.
But he didn't stay there long. Expulsion from heaven taught him humility, and the merits of his grandchildren in severe asceticism and repentance again opened the way for him to the blooming gardens of Nandana.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru