The daughter of the demon king Vrishparva was named Sharmistha, and the daughter of the demons’ guru, Shukracharya, was named Devyani. Sharmistha and Devyani were friends. One day, Sharmistha was heading to the forest for an outing with other princesses. On her way, she invited Devyani, the guru’s daughter, to join them. Thousands of companions strolled through the garden, where trees laden with beautiful flowers, lotus-filled ponds, and the buzzing of bees created a delightful scene. It was truly mesmerizing.
All the princesses were playing and bathing in the pond, enjoying themselves without any clothes. At that moment, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati happened to pass by. Upon seeing them, the girls became shy, hurried to cover themselves, and began putting on their clothes.
In their haste, Sharmistha’s garment ended up in Devyani’s hands, and she unknowingly put it on. Seeing this, Princess Sharmistha became enraged and said, “How dare you? As the daughter of our priest, how could you wear the garment of a princess?” This sparked a heated argument between the two.
The Quarrel Between Sharmishtha and Devyani
Devyani replied, “Don’t speak too much. Do you know who my father, Shukracharya, is? He is the guru of your father and, through his ascetic power, can govern the entire creation. He is equal to the Supreme Being and remains constantly in a divine connection. Even the great protectors of the universe bow before him. I am the daughter of that great ascetic. Your father is his disciple, and you are the daughter of our disciple.”
Hearing Devyani’s words, Sharmistha was enraged and began speaking harshly. She commanded the other princesses, “Throw this guru’s daughter into the well.” Following Sharmistha’s orders, the princesses picked up Devyani and threw her into the well before leaving.
King Yayati Meets Devyani
King Yayati was a mighty emperor, one of the six sons of King Nahusha. One day, he went hunting in the forest. Feeling thirsty, he arrived near a well. His attendants informed him that someone was inside the well. King Yayati threw down a cloth and extended his hand to help the person. When the person emerged, he saw that it was none other than the unclothed Devyani. Devyani stood there, deeply embarrassed.
Yayati said, “I did this purely to save you.” To this, Devyani replied, “No one has ever touched my hand until now. You will be surprised to know who I am. I am Devyani, the daughter of Lord Shukracharya.” Hearing this, King Yayati was stunned. He thought touching the daughter of such a great Sage in an unclothed state might bring him a curse. Yayati said, “I touched you solely to save your life.”
Devyani replied, “Do not be afraid. I have already received a curse that no Sage will accept me as his wife. Only a Kshatriya prince will take me as his wife. I am well aware of this. Therefore, I choose you as my husband.” King Yayati found this connection contrary to the scriptures, but his heart softened when he saw that Devyani was saying this and that she had received such a curse. Furthermore, seeing Devyani’s beauty, his heart melted. Yayati said, “If Lord Shukracharya agrees to this union, then I accept it as well.” Yayati then left Devyani there, deciding in his heart that he would accept her as his wife only when Lord Shukracharya himself brought her.
Shukracharya’s Anger
Weeping, Devyani went to Lord Shukracharya and narrated the entire incident—how Sharmistha had thrown her into the well with the help of the princesses. Upon hearing this, Lord Shukracharya became furious and said, “This girl has mistaken me for an ordinary priest. Does she not know I can create a new world at my will?” Lord Shukracharya took Devyani with him and said, “Let us not stay in such a kingdom anymore.”
Devyani’s Marriage And Sharmistha Becoming A Maid
When Vrishparva learned that if Lord Shukracharya became angry, the destruction of his kingdom was inevitable, he immediately fell at his feet and began pleading for forgiveness. Lord Shukracharya said, “I cannot tolerate the insult to my daughter. If you want me to stay here, you must do whatever will satisfy my daughter.” Vrishparva humbly replied, “Your Majesty, I will follow your command. Please tell me, what does your daughter wish?”
Devyani said, “Sharmistha must serve me as a maid for the rest of her life.” Upon hearing this, Vrishparva turned to Sharmistha and said, “Daughter, if you do not accept this condition, the entire kingdom will fall into trouble.” To save her family and kingdom from this crisis, Sharmistha agreed to Devyani’s terms and consented to become her maid for life.
After this, Lord Shukracharya enthusiastically arranged the marriage of Devyani to King Yayati, and Sharmistha was sent to the palace as a maid. During the wedding, Devyani told King Yayati, “One thing to remember, this maid (Sharmistha) should never come close to you.” Devyani always felt suspicious about Sharmistha, who was not only a princess but also extremely beautiful. King Yayati, too, remained fearful of Devyani, as she was the daughter of Lord Shukracharya.
Sharmistha and King Yayati had three sons
As time passed, one day, Sharmistha secretly caught King Yayati alone. Using her cleverness and skill, Sharmistha managed to captivate King Yayati. This all happened so secretly that Devyani remained unaware of it. After some time, Devyani gave birth to two sons, while Sharmistha bore three sons from King Yayati.
One day, Devyani was wandering in the forest. She saw three princes playing with royal insignia. Surprised, she thought, “King Yayati, the emperor, has only two sons. Who are these boys wearing such royal symbols?” Devyani approached them and asked, “Who are your fathers?” The boys replied, “Our father is King Yayati, the emperor.” Devyani then asked, “Who are your mothers?” The boys answered, “We are the sons of Sharmistha.”
Hearing this, Devyani’s anger reached its peak. Filled with rage, she left her home and went straight to her father, Lord Shukracharya. King Yayati followed her, trying to apologize, but Devyani ignored all his attempts to make peace.
Devyani’s Anger And Yayati’s Old Age
When Devyani reached Lord Shukracharya, he asked, “What happened, my daughter?” Filled with anger, Devyani replied, “This man did not follow my orders. He has borne three sons from the maid’s (Sharmistha’s) womb. Father, please punish him!” Lord Shukracharya asked, “What punishment should be given to him?” Devyani, in a fit of rage, said, “Let old age come upon his body, and let him no longer be capable of engaging in marital relations.”
Hearing Devyani’s words, Lord Shukracharya used his spiritual power to age King Yayati immediately. His body became frail, and all his strength diminished. Distressed, Yayati said to Devyani, “Are you happy now? But you haven’t considered that you’ve struck a blow to your own feet.” Afterwards, Yayati pleaded with Devyani, saying, “Even after indulging in worldly pleasures, I have never felt satisfied. Without satisfaction, there is no detachment. Please, take back my old age, so that I can enjoy life and attain contentment.”
Hearing Yayati’s words, Devyani’s anger softened a little. She prayed to her father, Lord Shukracharya, saying, “Father, please tell me of a solution by which his old age can be removed, and he can become young again.” Lord Shukracharya replied, “If any of his sons are willing to give up their youth for him, he can regain his youth and continue to enjoy the physical pleasures.”
The sacrifice of Yayati’s son, Puru
Yayati asked his sons to give him their youth, but four refused. Finally, his youngest son, Puru, agreed to make this sacrifice. He gave his youth to his father and accepted old age and loss of vitality in return. Maharaja Yayati was extremely pleased with Puru’s selfless sacrifice and said, “Your sacrifice is invaluable. I will remain indebted to you.” After receiving Puru’s youth, Yayati lived for a thousand years, indulging in bodily pleasures.
There Is No Happiness In Pleasures!
Despite indulging in pleasures for a long time, his desire remained unfulfilled. The craving for indulgence stayed strong. Finally, King Yayati, weary of it all, renounced them. He thought, “How fallen have I become, using my own son’s youth, yet still not finding satisfaction! Enough, no more!”
He told Devayani, “Is there anyone else on this earth who is a slave to pleasures like I am? I have become completely a slave to my senses. The feeling of spirituality is far from me; only the indulgence in pleasures remains. I even consumed my son’s youth, yet I never experienced satisfaction. No more!”
“Indulging in pleasures, I consumed my son’s thousand-year life, yet the same thirst and craving for indulgence remained. There is no end to this desire and thirst for pleasure. With God as my witness, I firmly resolve never to accept these pleasures again.”
Yayati’s Renunciation and Surrender
Yayati returned his youth to his son Puru and accepted old age himself. With a sense of detachment, he surrendered to the meditation of God. He handed over the throne to his son Puru, renounced his kingdom, and chose the path of exile.
Living in the forest, Yayati undertook severe penance. Through intense spiritual practices, he renounced all worldly powers and desires. Finally, through self-realization and the purification of his body through his austerities, he attained the supreme divine state and reached the eternal abode of Lord Krishna.
What We Learn From This Story
This story teaches us that the attachment and desire between man and woman keep us away from self-realization. Life is not an easy game—renouncing illusion and attachment is very difficult. The attraction we feel for our family and loved ones is a trap of Maya, and freeing ourselves from it is not easy. Only those upon whom Lord Krishna’s grace rests realize that there is no true happiness in indulgence, that worldly relationships are illusory, and that when one continually directs their mind towards the Supreme, they attain liberation through the grace of Lord Krishna.
Ablon nasani, ab na nasaihon,
Ram-kripa bhav-nisa sirani, jaage phir na dasaihon.
(Shri Ramcharitmanas)
Here, Shri Tulsidas Ji is saying that until now, his life was wasted, but now he will not let it go to waste. When he was under the control of his senses, they made him dance to their whims and mocked him. However, now that he is free, meaning he has gained control over his mind and senses, he will no longer allow them to mock him. From now on, he will focus his mind on the lotus feet of Lord Ram.
No matter how wise or strong they are, whoever abandons control over their senses will surely be destroyed. The moment this truth is realized and embraced in one’s life, their life’s purpose is fulfilled.
Narrated By: Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj
