Mahabharata – 125

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

King Yayati, having made his youngest son,Puru,the king after cursing his sons Turvasu & other three sons, entered the forest to lead the life of a hermit. And the king eating fruits and roots lived for a long time in the forest. Having his mind and passions under complete control, the king worshipped the Pitris or ancestors by doing Sraddha or offering them food. The king observed sacrificial rites & pleased the gods. And he poured libations of clarified butter on the fire according to the scriptures to please the fire god. He observed the rites for those leading the Vanaprastha mode of life. And the self restrained king Yayati used to entertain the guests and strangers with the foods suitable for the forest life. He supported his own life by the surplus food that remains with him after the guests were feasted. The king, led this sort of life for a full thousand years. And then observing the vow of silence he drank water only for thirty years. After that Yayati  living on air alone focussing his mind only upon God passed one year. Next one  year he practiced the severest austerities in the midst of five fires. And living on air alone, he stood erect on one leg for six months. And then the king of sacred deeds ascended to heaven, covering heaven as well as the earth with the fame of his achievements.