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Your last paragraph - how exactly was Yadu's descendant who regained Yayati's kingdom? Yayati's kingdom was Prathistana - today's Prayag, whereas Vajra was crowned the ruler of Mathura. In that time, completely different lands. Also, from Puru's line, Parikshit was the successor, and since he was the only survivor of Puru, the dynasty from Parikshit onwards was known as the Puru dynasty, since it was the only one that continued the lineage.
I agree w/ you that Yayati was selfish. In fact, if you look at Shukracharya's curse, it was pretty justified. Here are all the events that led to it:
- Devyani and Sharmishta were childhood friends, Devyani being Shukrachaya's daughter, and Sharmishta being the princess of the asuras.
- One day, they had a spat, that resulted in Sharmishta pushing Devyani down a well. Later, after Devyani was rescued, Shukracharya threatened to abandon the asuras, and Sharmista's father, to save his kingdom, agreed that Sharmishta would become Devyani's maid
- Note that Devyani was under a curse from Kacha that no brahmin would ever marry her. As a result, when she came upon Yayati, she married him
- From that marriage, she got Yadu and another son.
- In the meantime, Sharmista, who was her maid, seduced Yayati into marrying him and had 3 sons from him
- When Devyani discovered it, she complained to her father, who accordingly cursed Yayati
So Yayati was pretty much a lowlife in this story. In those times, while it was okay for a king to make his maid his concubine and even marry her, he could not do that w/ his wife's maid w/o her permission, but this is what Yayati did here, and what got Devyani so upset.
From a caste point of view, Sharmista's sons were more worthy of becoming kings, since one was a marriage b/w a brahminess and a kshatriya, and the other was a marriage b/w a kshatriya and a (asura) kshatrani. So had all things been equal, Yadu and his own brother might have been passed over.
@ Vrish
I am Lakshmi. We interacted in SPK forum. Nice to meet you here.
I agree with all the points you mentioned above. But saying Yayati is low in ch,I find it a little bit sad. Isn't Sukracharya too faulty in all this? He used his dominance on King Vrisha Parva and made him offer his daughter a princess as a servant to his daughter. Ofcourse Sarmishtha misbehaved with Dev yani. But isn't it too much to make her a servant and expect her to be so all her life?
Yayati did not agree instantly when Sarmishtha offered herself. A long argument followed with Yayati sticking to his word as per BORI critical Edittion. He said he can not cheat Devyani.
Sarmishtha also has her valid points to argue. She wanted to have children. She said since she is in service of Devyani and Devyani in turn serves Yayati as her husband so she also will come under him . She further says she can not bear her life if he refuses her request.
Devyani can not be informed because she will never agree . She is prejudiced with Sarmishtha. Also kings certainly are allowed to follow polygamy in those days.
Vrish Even Arjun has to oblige Ulupi when she said she will die if he won't oblige and she also wished a son by Arjun. Did Arjun inform his first wife then? No. For saving Ulupi's life is more important at that moment.
Sarmishtha is a princess. She willingly endured being a servant to Devyani. But she was frustrated that her life will be meaningless without children. I feel she is justified. Yayati also did what is to be done to save a life.
Devyani by nature is so arrogant. She is the spoilt daughter of Sukracharya who is equally arrogant . How could he give such curse to his son in law who is a great emperor,human being and most important isn't it his duty to feel concerned towards Sarmishtha who is a princess by birth leading a servant's life?
Yayati tested his sons. Yadu,Turvas and Puru. It is not only his lust that made him do so. He as the King should settle so many matters before becoming a helpless old man. His sons are still young. So he cleverly asks Sukracharya that he still is not satisfied with his association with Devyani. So he got an exchange offer.
The significance of Yayati's marriage with Sarmishtha is to get an able King like Puru to rule Kurus. Ofcourse Yadu also is competent. But still Puru is a kshatrani's son.
The dynasty of Kurus flourished with the marriage of Arjun and Subhadra. Interestingly Kshatriya women became the queens later on. Uttara is a princess. Parikshit is married to Vapushtama,princess of Kashi.
I always liked Sarmishtha . So this long post. Bear with me. In my view Yayati is not lusty. In fact Devyani loved Kacha, Brihaspathi's son so dearly before she married Yayati.
A big hello to all the wonderful people here.
Lakshmi
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