Mahabharata – 119

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Devyani learned that her husband Yayati had children by her friend & maid Sarmistha.She became angry thereby & rushed to her father.Her husband followed her & reached the great Sukracharya,his father – in – law. And seeing her father,Devyani stood before him in tears,after due salutations.And Yayati also immediately after saluted and worshipped Sukracharya.

 Devayani said, 'Oh Father! virtue has been outdone by vice. The inferior have risen and the superior have fallen.I have been offended again by Sarmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparva.Three sons have been born to Sarmishta by this king Yayati.But,Oh Father!,I am unlucky. I have  only two sons.Oh Father!,this king is renowned for his knowledge of scriptures. Even then he has deviated from the path of righteousness.

Sukrachrya, hearing all this, said, 'Oh King!, You are fully aware of what constitutes virtue.Despite that you have insulted your brahamin wife & transgressed virtue because of your affection. Henceforth you will be crippled with senility & impotence. Old age & degeneration shall paralyse you.

Yayati answered, Oh Lord! I was solicited by the daughter of the demon king to satisfy the thirst of her season. I did it from a sense of virtue and not from other motives.The male person who being solicited by a woman in her season does not grant her wishes, is called by those conversant with the Vedas,a killer of the embryo. I have taken a vow to grant the wishes of any one. Sarmishtha has been given to me by your honour. How can I say no to her.She can not go for another husband than me. She is a virtuous lady.

  Sukracharya then replied, ---- You are dependent on me. You should have waited for my command. Having acted falsely in the matter of your duty you have deviated from virtue. You have been guilty of the sin of theft.'

'Yayati, thus cursed by the angry Sukracharya, was then deprived of his youth.Presently he was  overcome by old age & debility.

And Yayati said, 'O son of Bhrigu, I have not yet been satisfied with  youthful  Devayani. Therefore, be graceful to me so that the old age & debility do not touch me.'

Sukracharya then answered, 'I never speak an untruth. Oh king!,  you are  already attacked by old age & debility. But if you like, you are competent to transfer this your old age & debility to another.' Yayati said, 'Oh great sage! let it be granted by you  that the  son of mine who could give me his youth shall enjoy my kingdom, & shall achieve both virtue and fame.' Sukracharya replied, 'Oh Yayati! If you meditate on me with all your heart you may transfer this old age & debility to whomsoever you like. That son who shall give you his youth shall become your successor to the throne. He shall also have long life, wide fame, and numerous progeny.

Mahabharata – 118

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

King Yayati cohabitted with the beautiful princess Sarmistha,daughter of the demon king Vrishaparva.And as time  passed  by  Sarmistha of sweet smiles conceived in consequence of that union of hers with  the king. And that lotus-eyed lady then in due course of time brought forth a son.It was  a celestial child, as it were, with  lotus- eyes.

When Devayani heard of the birth of this child of Sarmishta, she became sad & addressed Sarmistha thus, 'Oh you  fair lady! what sin  have you committed under  the influence of lust?

And  Sarmistha replied, 'A certain rishi of virtuous soul & well versed in the Vedas came to me. And solicited by me he granted my wishes.My wishes were based on considerations of virtue. I would not seek the  fulfilment of my desires in a sinful way.I tell you truly that this child of mine is by that rishi.

Devayani answered--- It is all right if that be the case.But Oh fair lady! If the  rishi is known to you,I would like to know the  lineage, name and family of that rishi.

Sarmishtha replied, Oh Devyani! In asceticism and energy, that rishi is resplendent like the Sun himself. Seeing him, I did not bother, to make these enquiries.

Devayani then said, 'If this is true, if indeed, You have obtained your child from such a superior brahmana,then, Oh Sarmistha!, I have no cause of enmity with you.

Thus they talked to each other & laughed merrily.Then they parted from one another. Devayani returned to her palace thinking that Sarmistha had told the truth.

And Yayati also begot by Devayani two sons called Yadu and Turvasu, who were like Indra and Vishnu.And Sarmistha,the daughter of Vrishaparva, became the mother of three sons in all,named Drauhyu, Anu, and Puru by Yayati.

  And time glided by & one day Devayani of sweet smiles, accompanied by the king Yayati, went into a solitary part of the woods. And there she saw a few children of celestial beauty playing about.

And Devayani asked in surprise --- Whose children are they? Oh king! they  are so handsome & they look like you in prowess & beauty.

And Devayani without waiting for a reply from the king, asked the children 'Oh children!, What is your lineage? Who is your father? Answer me truly. I desire to know all.' Those children then pointed at the king with their forefingers & told that he was their father. They said that   Sarmistha was their mother.

And having  said so, the children approached the king to embrace. But the king dared not to reciprocate in the presence of Devayani.The boys then left the place weeping in grief and went towards Sarmistha.The king then, at this behaviour of the boys, became very much humiliated. But Devayani observing the affection of the children for the king learnt the secret and addressing Sarmistha said -- How  dare you  injure me being dependent on me? Do you not fear me? You have still the nature of the demons.

Sarmistha said, 'Oh Devyani!, all that I told you of a rishi is perfectly true. I have acted rightly according to the commands of virtue, and therefore. I do  not fear you.Oh fair lady! When you had chosen the king as your husband, I too chose him as mine.A friend's husband is,according to usage,one's own husband as well. You are the daughter of a brahmana and therefore you deserve my worship and regard.

 But you do not know that this sage king deserves greater respect still!

'Devayani then, hearing those words of Sarmishta, exclaimed --- Oh king!,thus you have wronged me, I shall not live here any longer from today. And saying this, she quickly rose,with tearful eyes, to go to her father Sukracharya.And the king was troubled greatly to see her thus. Alarmed greatly, he followed her foot-steps & addressed her to soothe her anger.But Devayani, her eyes red with anger,would not stop. Speaking not a word to the king,she soon reached her father Sukracharya.

Mahabharata – 117

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

The beautiful Devyani the daughter of great Sukracharya was married to the great king Yayati. It was with Devayani that the royal son of Nahusha Yayati spent many years in joy & happiness. And when her season came, the fair Devayani conceived. And she brought forth a boy. He was the  first child of Yayati & Devyani.

And  after a long time,when Vrishaparva's daughter Sarmishtha attained her puberty she saw that her season had come.She became anxious & thought that --My season has arrived. But I have not yet chosen a husband. Oh, what should I do? How shall I materialize  my wishes? Devayani has already become a mother. My youth is ill fated & appears to pass away in vain. But no. I shall choose a husband in the way  Devyani has chosen her husband. This is, indeed, the solution.The king Yayati should give me a son surely. Will not he grant me a private interview?'

While Sarmistha was there,the king travelling from his palace gradually came to that very woods of Asoka,where Sarmistha was.She was over head & years in contemplating on her predicament.Seeing Sarmistha the king stood there in silence.And  then Sarmistha of sweet smiles seeing the king before her with nobody to witness what might happen, approached him and said with joined palms, ------ 'Oh king, no one can see the ladies that dwell in the inner apartments of Soma,Indra,Vishnu,Yama,Varuna, and of yours! You know,that I am both handsome and well-born.I solicit you,Oh king! My season has arrived. See that it goes not in vain.'

Yayati answered --- Well I know that  you are born of a noble line & you have a royal nature. You are also gifted with beauty. I do not,indeed, see even the trace of any fault in your feature.But Sukracharya commanded me,while I married Devayani,that never should I respond to Vrishaparva's daughter’s  entreaties.

Sarmishtha then said ------- It has been said,Oh king!,That it is not sinful to tell a lie when we crack  jokes.It is not sinful to tell a lie when one entertains a woman.It is not sinful to tell a lie on the occasion of wedding.One can legitimately tell a lie when one’s life is at stake & when one’s everything is being looted.Lying is excusable on these five occasions.

But it is a crime to give false witness at the court. Besides when there is a dispute between two parties one must not tell a lie.

Sarmishta’s speech is very significant. It legitimatizes cohabiting with a woman when she seeks it. At the same time it points out that truth need not be told every where.In other words no rule is absolute & universal. But telling lies at the court or during dispute is an offence. This is a fragment of jurisprudence.

 Yayati replied --- A king should ever be the role model with his people.The king who speaks an untruth certainly meets his doom. His subjects follow the king & revel in falsehood & are doomed as well. As for myself,I dare not speak an untruth even if the greatest loss threatens me!'

Sarmishtha answered,'Oh king!, --- One may look upon her friend's husband as her own.One's friend's marriage is the same as one's own. You have been chosen by my friend as her husband.Therefore you are as much my husband.

Yayati then said --- I give whatever people ask from me.I have taken that vow.Tell me what you want. I will act accordingly.

Sarmishta said --- Oh king!Please rescue me from sin & help generating righteousness or dharma.I want to become a mother with your aid.I wish to lead a pious & righteous life thereby.

Oh king! Whatever a wife, an employee & a son earns is not their own. Their earnings belong to their master.

This is a significant legitimation of what should constitute property. The master should own the property that his employees,wife & children earn.

But at the same time it goes without saying that the master should be honest,truthful & he must have the readiness to give away his wealth to others.

Sarmistha observed --- I am the maid of Devyani. Devyani is subordinate to you. Hence you should oblige both of us. So you had better serve me.

Hearing this the king was convinced as to what he should do.So he responded to the prayers of Sarmistha to keep up dharma or righteousness. The king satisfied Sarmishta. And as its consequence he also had lot of enjoyment. Then they bade farewell to each other. The king went back to his palace.

  This episode throws a light on Yayati’s character. He believes that the king is the role model of his people. So the king should be always truthful & honest. We can take a cue from this & rewrite the principle of management. The manager is a role model in an organisation. In other words, character is very important in management science, political science & economics. But it is a pity that none of the above sciences pay heed to this truth. True that Yayati appreciated the youth & beauty of Sarmistha. But he would not transgress the laws of ethics. And of course Yayati was faced with a dilemma. He must try to satisfy every seeker. But he would not deviate from the path of righteousness.

According to the episteme of the Mahabharata society, to beget a child was the goal of every marriage. Carnal pleasures are only the epiphenomenon of this union.

Desire for children is recurrent in the women of the Mahabharata. And it has resulted in curious episodes in the Mahabharata with great consequences.      

Mahabharata – 116

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Yayati then on returning to his palace which was like the palace of Indra, entered into his inner apartments & placed Devayani there.The king now, advised by Devayani, established the demon king’s daughter Sarmishtha with the thousand maids in a  mansion especially erected near  the  woods of Asoka plants.With great pleasure the king made all the arrangements for Sarmishta as to food, water &  garments.

The woods of Asoka plant are significant. Sita was hijacked by Ravana the demon king. She was then placed in a forest of Asoka plant. Ashoka means absence of shoka or sorrow Sita’s heart was full of Rama in whose absence Sita was stolen. And Sita with her sorrowing & love laden heart ceaselessly remembering Rama, spent long winters & long summers confined in the forest of the Ashoka trees. One wonders whether Sarmistha pining for her husband shall have to live in the mansion surrounded by a forest of Ashoka trees! Does it not necessarily mean that at some time in the future Sarmistha’s sorrows will be removed by some unpredictable event?

Mahabharata – 115

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Vaisampayana continued--Oh king Janamejaya! After this, the maid reported to Sukracharya everything as it had happened. And as soon as he had heard all, Sukracharya came and saw Yayati. And seeing Sukracharya Yayati worshipped and adored him,& stood with joined palms in expectation of his commands.

And Devayani then said, Oh Father! He is the king Yayati & he took hold of my hand,& lifted me up when I was in the well.I bow to you. Bestow me upon him. I shall not wed any other person in the world.

Sukracharya said Oh Devyani ! Ethics is something else & lust is something different. Therefore you had already accepted Yayati as your husband before my knowledge & because of the curse of Kacha,no son of a sage will ever marry you.

Sukracharya then said to Yayati --you have, indeed, been accepted by my dearest daughter as her lord.I bestow her upon you.Accept her as your principal wife.

Yayati then said, 'I solicit the boon, Oh great sage! That by so doing, the sin of begetting a Brahmin woman for a wife might not touch me. The scriptures opined that marriage of a kshatrya with a Brahimin woman shatters the social ethos by creating sankara society where caste system & its objects are flung into the four winds. Sukrachrya,however,assured him by saying,that will not happen in this case.Yayati need not to be sad.Here is a legitamation.Firstly many kings in those days could not let passions having upper handover dharma.This is why allthough Yayati was eloquent in appreciating the beauty of Sarmishta,he did not talk much as to the beauty of Devyani.Caste system was a structure internalised in the minds of the kings like Yayati.The kings in this way was law biding & no wonder that their subjects should be law abiding in self same way. Just we say like father like son similarly in those days may be like king like subjects was possible. Besides the legitimation of the above episode is that the great souls like Sukracharya can undo any law decreed by divinity.In other words while on a level certain laws are inviolable on another level no law is absolute. It all depends on whether we belong to the level to Sukrachyarya or to the level of Yayati.

Sukracharya said --- I  shall rescue you  from the sin.I give you  the boon that you desire.Fear not to wed her.

 Maintain your wife the beautiful Devayani virtuously. Enjoy the divine happiness in her company.Sukracharya asked Yayati to maintain Sarmishta the daughter of Vrishaparva with respect. But Yayati must not share the bed with Sarmishta.This is a warning & ironical.

'Thus addressed by Sukracharya,Yayati  circumambulated the great Sukracharya & went through the auspicious ceremony of marriage in accordance with the rites of the scriptures.And having received from Sukracharya the excellent Devayani with Sarmishtha and those two thousand maidens, & duly honoured also by Sukrachrya himself and the Asuras,the  best of the kings commanded by Sukracharya returned to his capital with a joyous heart.

Mahabharata – 114

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Conversation between Devyani & Yayati

Devyani along with Sarmishtha the daughter of the demon king & two thousand maids went to the forest to pass the time in merry making & fun.There was a chance meeting of Yayati with Devayani & her maid of royal line Sarmishtha.Yayati & Devyani introduced each other. After a short  & pleasant conversation  Yayati wanted to take leave of Devyani.

Devyani replied --- 'With my two thousand young girls  & my personal maid Sarmishtha, I wait for  your commands. You are blessed with good fortune & you be my friend & husband.'

Yayati replied, Oh Beautiful One! I do not deserve to become your husband. You are the daughter of a Brahamin & I am a Kshatriya. Therefore your father cannot bestow you upon me.It is not logical. As per the scriptures --- never make love with the wife of others. The bride & the bridegroom must not belong to the same gotra or the same family line. Never marry the daughter in law. Never marry a beggar – woman. Don’t marry your sister or brother. Never marry the woman of a higher caste. Marrying a prostitute is sacrilege. One must not marry a diseased person. 

To this Devayani replied, 'Brahmanas had before this been united with the Kshatriyas, and Kshatriyas with Brahmanas.You are the son of a Rishi and you yourself are a Rishi. Therefore marry me.

 Yayati, replied, 'Oh Devyani! the four orders have, indeed, originated from one body. But their duties and purity are not the same, the Brahmana being truly superior to all.

Devayani answered,Oh king! Once a man holds the hand of a woman the man can not refuse the woman.Therefore,do I accept you as my husband.How shall any other man touch my hand which has been  touched by yourself earlier.And you are a Rishi!

It seems that Devyani alludes to the earlier episode in which Devyani was thrown into a well by Sarmishtha the daughter of the demon king & right now who is a maid of Devyani.Devyani was rescued from the well by Yayati.So Devyani may have  an a  priori tender love & respect for Yayati.

Yayati then said ---  The wise know that a Brahmana is  to be avoided.If you are between  a snake & a Brahamin avoid the Brahamin first.An angry Brahamana is more dangerous than an angry snake of virulent poison.An angry Brahamin is more fearsome than a blazing fire of the spreading flames.

We have already seen how the angry Brahamin Sukracharya wreaked disastour in the fortunes of Sarmishtha the daughter of the demon king.

Devayani then told the king.Why do you, indeed, say that a Brahmana is more dangerous than an angry snake of virulent poison or a blazing fire of spreading flames? Yayati answered, The snake kills only one. The sharpest weapon kills but a single person. The Brahmana, when angry destroys the whole city and the kingdom!

This is very much true in puranic society.Towards the end of the Ramyana Ram sat in secret conference with Kala or Time.Kala said  that no third person should come when they would talk to each other.Rama posted Lakshamana at the gate so that no one could enter Rama’s private chamber when he would be conferring with Kala.While Rama was busy talking to Kala Durvasa showed up.And Lakshmana could not stop him.Because if Durvasa the Brahaman were angry he might burn the whole kingdom of Ayodhya.

  Yayati said to Devyani ---  Oh Beautiful One!, I think that  a Brahmana is more dangerous than a snake. I cannot hence wed you, unless your father bestows you upon me. Devayani then said, you are, indeed, chosen by me. And, O king, it is understood that you will accept me if my father bestows me unto you. You need not  fear to accept me bestowed  upon you. You do not, indeed, ask for me.You please wait for sometime here. And Devayani quickly sent a maidservant to her father.

Yayati in his conversation alludes to the Vedas. Yayati is right when he posits that according to the Vedas all the four castes sprang from the same body but there by   in our opinion it is not proved that the Brahamins are superior to all other castes. Intercaste marriage has been a taboo in Hindu society for thousands of years. This has not been beneficial for the Hindu society. Exogamy invokes multi culturalism. No one should be pent up in the castle of one’s culture.The caste system as practiced today stands in the way of ones expansion of outlook.Expansion is life & contraction is death.By the by the Mahabharata has seen intercaste & intercultural marriage over & over again.

Mahabharata – 113

by 

Sankar Mukherjee

&

Dr. Ramesh Chandra Mukhopadhyaya
                                   Aadivamsavatarana Parva

Devyani meets king Yayati

Devyani’s joys now know no bounds. Because the daughter of the demon king Sarmistha will henceforth serve Devyani as her maid.So the gamesome Devayani of the fairest complexion went into the same woods where they had earlier played in the waters of the lake,Sarmishtha with her thousand maids accompanied Devyani.Devyani along with Sarmistha & the thousand maids  began to wander freely in the forest.

 All the maids waited upon  Devyani.So she was exceedingly happy. And while sporting  they began drinking the honey from the flowers.They ate  various kinds of fruits.They bit  some fruits & threw them away.They played with the butterflies. They responded to the bird’s song with their mellifluous voice. And just at that time, king Yayati while hunting, came there tired and thirsty. And the king saw Devayani and Sarmishtha, and those other maidens also all decked in celestial ornaments. And Devayani, of sweet smiles, was seated amidst them  as their chief. Her seat was  decked with jewels. And amongst them all, one lady was sitting at her ease a little below the seat of  Devyani the daughter of the Brahamana. The lady was gently massaging the feet of the daughter of the Brahamana.The rest of the ladies  were  in a sporting mood.Seeing the handsome Yayati all  of them were  greatly ashamed & shy.

And Yayati seeing all this, addressed both the ladies & said 'Oh amiable ones!, May I ask your names and parentage?. It seems that these two thousand maids attend  you two. Hearing the king, Devayani said, Listen to me, Know that I am the daughter of Sukracharya, the spiritual guide of the Asuras.And this is my companion  Sarmishtha.She is the daughter of the Asura king Vrishaparva, she is my maid & friend. She attends  me wherever I go.

Yayati then said I wonder why & how  this fair lady has been your attendent! She is  the daughter of the great king of demons. She is so beautiful to look at that she can be compared only with the  elfin girls such as a gandharva or a kinnara, or a yaksha dame.To speak the truth   I have never seen such a beautiful lady earlier. The eyes of the daughter of the king of Asura are beautiful like those of Laxmidevi. They are lotus eyes. She is decked with beautiful ornaments. There is a divine grace about her.

The compliments of Yayati to Sarmishata is significant.True that Sarmishta is a daughter of a demon.True that the demons are perpetually at war with the gods. Despite that Yayati does not hesitate to compare Sarmishta’s beauty with that of the goddess Lakshmi. And Yayati finds divine grace in Sarmishta. One wonders whether Yayati is in love with Sarmishta at first sight. 

Yayati continued pointing at Sarmishta  ---This lady must have been your maid due to her ill fate or due to some ascetic power of yours. Otherwise such a beautiful lady may never be a maid.And also your beauty is not comparable with hers as you are also so beautiful. Be that as it may,I am sure that due to some misfortune in her previous birth,she became your maid.

 Devayani replied, 'Oh king, everything is determined by fate.True that she is the gift of fate.So you need not wonder at it.By the by,your feature and strature  are both like those of a king.And it seems that you are well acquanted with the Vedas. Tell me who are you,where from you are coming & whose son you are.

The king replied,'During my vow of Brahmacharya, the whole Vedas entered my ears.I am known as Yayati,a king's son and myself a king.Devayani then enquired, 'Oh king!, what for have you come here ? Is it to gather lotuses or for a hunt?'

Devyani is ironical in her speech.Is Yayati out in the forest to hunt beautiful ladies or to pluck lotuses of beautiful maids. By the by, hunting is recurrent motif in the Mahabharata.

Yayati said, 'O amiable one!,Ahuntig I was thirsty.I have come here in search of water.Oh gracious lady! Thank you very much for your delightful conversation. May I now take your leave & budge?