01.070
Library: Lineages described, and why Puru’s name is given for the prominent one!
The tale of Yayāti.
Vaiśampāyana said.
In the lineage of Prajāpati Dakṣa, of Manu Vaivasvata, and of Bharata, Kuru, Pūru, and Ajamīḍha. (01-70-1)
I shall fully recount to you, O sinless one, this lineage of the Yādavas, the Pauravas, and likewise the Bhāratas, which is holy, greatly auspicious, blessed, fame-giving, and life-giving. (01-70-2)
All the ten Pracetases, the sons, radiant with splendors and equal in brilliance to great seers, being virtuous, are remembered as ancient forefathers, those mighty ones who were formerly burned by fire born from a cloud. (01-70-3)
From them was born Dakṣa, the Prācetasa. From Dakṣa these progenies came into being, O tiger among men, for he is the grandsire of the world. (01-70-4)
After uniting with Vīriṇī, Dakṣa, the sage descended from Pracetas, begot a thousand sons equal to himself and firm in their vows. (01-70-5)
Nārada taught the assembled thousand sons of Dakṣa liberation, the unsurpassed knowledge of Sāṅkhya. (01-70-6)
Then Prajāpati Dakṣa, wishing to create progeny, appointed fifty daughters as putrikās, O Janamejaya. (01-70-7)
He gave ten to Dharma and thirteen to Kaśyapa. He gave twenty-seven, appointed for the reckoning of Time, to the Moon. (01-70-8)
Among the thirteen wives, the excellent daughter of Dakṣa was she in whom Kaśyapa, the son of Marīci, begot the Ādityas, beginning with Indra, endowed with prowess, and also Vivasvat. (01-70-9)
Vivasvat's son, Yama Vaivasvata, the lord, was born; and Mārtaṇḍa too, the son of Yama, was born, O king. (01-70-10)
Manu, the wise and powerful son, was born from Mārtāṇḍa. From Manu this lineage of humans then became renowned. Brahmins, Kṣatriyas, and the other human groups were born from that Manu. (01-70-11)
Then there, O king, sacred brahminical power became united with royal power; the Brahmins, descendants of Manu, upheld their Veda together with its ancillary limbs. (01-70-12)
Vena, Dhṛṣṇu, Nariṣyanta, Nābhāga, Ikṣvāku, Karūṣa, Śaryāti, and also Ilā as the eighth. (01-70-13)
They say that Manu's mighty sons, devoted to the duty of the warrior order, had Pṛṣadhra as the ninth and Nābhāgāriṣṭa as the tenth. (01-70-14)
Fifty sons of Manu, and likewise others, came into being on the earth. It has been heard by us that they all perished because of mutual division. (01-70-15)
Then the wise Purūravas was born from Ilā. Indeed, it is heard by us that she became both his mother and his father. (01-70-16)
Purūravas, though human, was of great fame; he enjoyed thirteen islands of the ocean and was surrounded by non-human beings. (01-70-17)
Maddened by his valor, Purūravas came into conflict with the Brāhmaṇas. He also took away the Brāhmaṇas' jewels, even as they cried out. (01-70-18)
Having come to him from Brahmā’s world, O king, Sanatkumāra then showed it to him; yet that one did not accept it. (01-70-19)
Then the king, cursed by the angered great seers, immediately perished; endowed with greed, overpowered by pride, and having lost his senses. (01-70-20)
Indeed, he, the sovereign who was dwelling in the Gandharva world and accompanied by Urvaśī, brought the ritually prescribed fires in their proper threefold form for the performance of rites. (01-70-21)
Then six sons were born to Aila: Āyu, the wise Dhīmān, Amāvasu, Dṛḍhāyu, Vanāyu, and Śrutāyu, the sons of Urvaśī. (01-70-22)
They declare Nahuṣa, Vṛddhaśarman, Raji, Rambha, and Anenas to be these sons of Svarbhānavī and sons of Āyu. (01-70-23)
Nahuṣa, the wise son of Āyuṣ, whose prowess was true, ruled the kingdom as lord of the earth with very great righteousness. (01-70-24)
Nahuṣa protected and governed the ancestors, gods, sages, learned Brāhmaṇas, Gandharvas, serpents, Rākṣasas, the Brāhmaṇa and Kṣatriya orders, and also the peoples. (01-70-25)
After slaying bands of bandits, he made the sages pay tribute. The powerful man also made them carry him on their backs like animals. (01-70-26)
Having overpowered the dwellers in heaven through his splendor, austerity, valor, and strength, he brought about the office of Indra. (01-70-27)
Nahusha begot six sons by Priyavasasi: Yati, Yayati, Samyati, Ayati, and Uddhava as the fifth. (01-70-28)
Yayāti, the descendant of Nahuṣa, was a universal emperor of unfailing prowess. He ruled the earth and performed sacrifices with various sava rites. (01-70-29)
The unconquered Yayāti, always purified and worshipping the ancestors and the gods with surpassing capacity, graciously supported all his subjects. (01-70-30)
His sons, great archers endowed with every virtue, were born of Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā, O great king. (01-70-31)
Yadu and Turvasu were born to Devayānī, while Druhyu, Anu, and Pūru were born to Śarmiṣṭhā. (01-70-32)
He, Nāhuṣa, ruled his subjects righteously for many long years, O king, and then attained a very dreadful old age that destroyed his beauty. (01-70-33)
Overcome by old age, that king addressed his sons, Yadu, Pūru, Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu, O descendant of Bharata. (01-70-34)
As a young man, I wish to enjoy pleasures with young women; help me, dear sons. (01-70-35)
The first-born son of Devayānī, Yadu, said to him, "What task of yours is to be done by us, and with our youth?" (01-70-36)
Yayāti said to him, "Please accept my old age; with your youth I would enjoy the objects of sense." (01-70-37)
While I was sacrificing through long sacrificial sessions, and because of the curse of the sage Uśanas, the object of my desire has been lost; because of that I suffer, my dear sons. (01-70-38)
Let one of you rule the kingdom with my body, while I, young in a fresh body, may enjoy the objects of desire. (01-70-39)
Yadu and the others did not accept his old age. Then the younger Pūru, true in valor, said to him. (01-70-40)
O king, enjoy youth with a fresh body; by your command, I will take on old age and remain in the kingdom. (01-70-41)
Thus addressed, that royal sage, relying on the power of austerity, then transferred old age into his great-souled son. (01-70-42)
Then the king, having attained youth through Pūru’s age, made Pūru administer the kingdom with Yayāti’s age as well. (01-70-43)
Then, at the end of a thousand years, the unconquered Yayāti, still unsatisfied by desires, spoke to his son Pūru. (01-70-44)
Through you I have an heir; you are my son who will continue my lineage. Your line will become famous in the world as the Paurava lineage. (01-70-45)
Then that foremost of kings consecrated Pūru in the kingdom, and after a long time he attained the law of Time, that is, death. (01-70-46)
