The Vishnu Purana
Chapters
The Vishnu Purana: Book IV: Chapter X

Udbhava

Udbhava

Śaryáti

Panśchi

Panchaka

Pava

Champaka

Sunyáti

Pálaka

Viyáti

Andhaka

Meghayáti

Megha

Meghayáti

413:2 Or, as his name implies, he became a devotee, a Yati: Bhágavata, &c.

413:3 The story is told in great detail in the Adi Parvan of the Mahábhárata, also in the Bhágavata, with some additions evidently of a recent taste. Śarmisht́há, the daughter of Vrishaparvan, king of the Daityas, having quarrelled with Devayání, the daughter of Śúkra (the religious preceptor of the same race), had her thrown into a well. Yayáti, hunting in the forest, found her, and taking her to her father, with his consent espoused her. Devayání, in resentment of Śarmisht́há's treatment, demanded that she should become her handmaid; and Vrishaparvan, afraid of Śukra's displeasure, was compelled to comply. In the service of his queen, however, Yayáti beheld Śarmisht́há, and secretly wedded her. Devayání complaining to her father of Yayáti's infidelity, Śukra inflicted on him premature decay, with permission to transfer it to any one willing to give him youth and strength in exchange, as is related in the text. The passage specifying the sons of Yayáti is precisely the same in the Mahábhárata p. 414 as in our text, and is introduced in the same way.

415:4 Bhrigutunga, according to the Bráhma.

415:5 The elder brothers were made Mańd́ala-nripas, kings of circles or districts: Bhágavata. The situation of their governments is not exactly agreed upon.

Váyu and
Padma.

Bráhma
and Hari V.

Bhágavata.

Turvasu

South-east

South-east

West

Druhyu

West

West

South-east

Yadu

South-west

South

South

Anu

North

North

North

[paragraph continues] The Linga describes the ministers and people as expostulating with Yayáti, for illegally giving the supremacy to the youngest son; but he satisfies them by shewing that he was justified in setting the seniors aside, for want of filial duty. The Mahábhárata, Udyoga P. Gálava Charitra, has a legend of Yayáti's giving a daughter to the saint Gálava, who through her means obtains from different princes eight hundred horses, white with one black ear, as a fee for his preceptor Viswámitra. Yayáti, after his death and residence in Indra's heaven, is again descending to earth, when his daughter's sons give him the benefit of their devotions, and replace him in the celestial sphere. It has the air of an old story. A legend in some respects similar has been related in our text, p. 399.

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Hinduism

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