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
"'Yadu replied, "There are innumerable inconveniences in decrepitude, in
respect of drinking and eating. Therefore, O king, I shall not take thy
decrepitude. This is, indeed, my determination. White hair on the head,
cheerlessness and relaxation of the nerves, wrinkles all over the body,
deformities, weakness of the limbs, emaciation, incapacity to work, defeat
at the hands of friends and companions--these are the consequences of
decrepitude. Therefore, O king, I desire not to take it. O king, thou hast
many sons some of whom are dearer to thee. Thou art acquainted with the
precepts of virtue. Ask some other son of thine to take thy decrepitude."
"'Yayati replied, "Thou art sprung from my heart, O son, but thou givest me
not thy youth. Therefore, thy children shall never be kings." And he
continued, addressing another son of his, "O Turvasu, take thou this
weakness of mine along with my decrepitude. With thy youth, O son, I like
to enjoy the pleasure of life. After the lapse of a full thousand years I
shall give back to thee thy youth, and take back from thee my weakness and
decrepitude."
"'Turvasu replied, "I do not like decrepitude, O father, it takes away all
appetites and enjoyments, strength and beauty of person, intellect, and
even life." Yayati said to him, "Thou art sprung from my heart, O son! But
thou givest me not thy youth! Therefore, O Turvasu, thy race shall be
extinct. Wretch, thou shall be the king of those whose practices and
precepts are impure, amongst whom men of inferior blood procreate children
upon women of blue blood, who live on meat, who are mean, who hesitate not
to appropriate the wives of their superiors, whose practices are those of
birds and beasts, who are sinful, and non-Aryan."'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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