The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Adi Parva
Religion
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Translated into English Prose: Adi Parva
Epic literature, Sanskrit
"'Sukra, hearing all this, said, "O monarch, since thou hast made vice thy
beloved pursuit, though fully acquainted with the precepts of religion,
invincible decrepitude shall paralyse thee!" Yayati answered, "Adorable
one, I was solicited by the daughter of the Danava king to fructify her
season. I did it from a sense of virtue and not from other motives. That
male person, who being solicited by a woman in her season doth not grant
her wishes, is called, O Brahmana, by those conversant with the Vedas, a
slayer of the embryo. He who, solicited in secret by a woman full of
desire and in season, goeth not in unto her, loseth virtue and is called
by the learned a killer of the embryo. O son of Bhrigu, for these reasons,
and anxious to avoid sin, I went into Sarmishtha." Sukra then replied,
"Thou art dependent on me. Thou shouldst have awaited my command. Having
acted falsely in the matter of thy duty, O son of Nahusha, thou hast been
guilty of the sin of theft."'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Yayati, the son of Nahusha, thus cursed by the
angry Usanas, was then divested of his youth and immediately overcome by
decrepitude. And Yayati said, "O son of Bhrigu, I have not yet been
satiated with youth or with Devayani. Therefore, O Brahmana, be graceful
unto me so that decrepitude might not touch me." Sukra then answered, "I
never speak an untruth. Even now, O king, art thou attacked by decrepitude.
But if thou likest, thou art competent to transfer this thy decrepitude to
another." Yayati said, "O Brahmana, let it be commanded by thee that that
son of mine who giveth me his youth shall enjoy my kingdom, and shall
achieve both virtue and fame." Sukra replied, "O son of Nahusha, thinking
of me thou mayst transfer this thy decrepitude to whomsoever thou likest.
That son who shall give thee his youth shall become thy successor to the
throne. He shall also have long life, wide fame, and numerous progeny!"'"
SECTION LXXXIV
(Sambhava Parva continued)
"Vaisampayana said, 'Yayati, then, overcome with decrepitude, returned to
his capital and summoning his eldest son Yadu who was also the most
accomplished, addressed him thus, "Dear child, from the curse of Kavya
called also Usanas, decrepitude and wrinkles and whiteness of hair have
come over me. But I have not been gratified yet with the enjoyment of
youth. Do thou, O Yadu, take this my weakness along with my decrepitude. I
shall enjoy with thy youth. And when a full thousand years will have
elapsed, returning to thee thy youth, I shall take back my weakness with
this decrepitude!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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