The Story of a Dutiful Son
Once upon a time, in the lunar dynasty, there was a king by name
Nahusha. He was blessed with six valiant
sons. They were Yaathi, Yayaathi,
Samyaathi, Ayaathi, Viyathi and Kruthi.
Among them, Yayaathi was chosen as heir to the throne. He was a sovereign king who ever stood by
Dharma. He had both Sarmishtaa and
Devayanee as his spouses and was blessed with progeny from both his queens.
Yayaathi suffered from the perils of old age prematurely due to the
curse of Devayanee’s father. Relief came
in the form of an amendment to the curse that enabled him to exchange his old
age with the youth of someone who willingly agrees to do so.
Yayaathi requested all his sons to oblige him. First he approached his eldest son Yadhu and
asked him to exchange his youth for his old age. Yadhu refused to accept it. The enraged father cursed Yadhu that his
descendants will never rule the kingdom.
In this manner, one by one, he asked the other sons to accept his old
age. Puru, Sarmishtaa’s youngest son,
who deemed it his duty to fulfil his father’s wish consented to the unpleasant
exchange. After the transfer of youth
from his son, Yayaathi with renewed vigour and characteristic of youth, enjoyed
all the pleasures and governed his Kingdom admirably. Further he realized all his desires in the
company of a devoted celestial nymph (Apsaras) Visvasi. Many years rolled by.
Suddenly it dawned upon Yayaathi that, “Desire is not quenched by
enjoyment. The more the fodder, the more it burns. The never ending desire should not be allowed
to have a free run but should be curbed when a stage is reached. Everlasting happiness is passible only with
equanimity of character. Old age is no
guarantee for the drying up of desires; hence, wise men give up desires. The irresolute one, possessed of a wavering
mind continues to tread the path of desire.”
Yayaathi realized his error and he returned the youth to his noble son
Puru and crowned him as the king. He
retired to the forest to lead the life of an ascetic.
Moral of the story:
Desire leads to disasters. Obeisance and patience shall definitely pay.
(This story is taken from the Mahaa Bharatam, Aadhi Parva, Chapters 82
to 85)
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