Story of Yayati's curse to his sons - An alternate version from Mahabharata

 In the Mahabharata Udyoga Parva, we get an alternate version of the Yayati's curse to his fours sons and his installation of Puru, the youngest son, as his successor. Dhritarashtra was telling this story to Duryadhana in order to persuade the latter to follow Krishna's advice of peace - (excerpt from Kishori Mohan Ganguli's translation of Mahabharata)

The lord of creatures, Soma, was the original progenitor of the Kuru race. Sixth in descent from Soma, was Yayati, the son of Nahusha. Yayati had five best of royal sages as his sons. Amongst them, lord Yadu of mighty energy was the eldest-born. Younger to Yadu was Puru, who, as our progenitor, brought forth by Sarmistha the daughter of Vrishaparvan. Yadu, O best of the Bharatas, was born of Devayani and, therefore, O sire, was the daughter's son of Sukra, otherwise called Kavya, of immeasurable energy. Endued with great strength and prowess, that progenitor of the Yadavas, filled with pride and possessed of wicked understanding, humiliated all the Kshatriyas. Intoxicated with pride of strength, he obeyed not the injunctions of his father. Invincible in battle, he insulted his father and brother. On this earth girt on four sides by the sea, Yadu became all-powerful, and reducing all to subjection, he established himself in this city called after the elephant. His father Yayati, the son of Nahusha, enraged with him, cursed that son of his, and, O son of Gandhari, even expelled him from the kingdom. Angry Yayati also cursed those brothers of Yadu who were obedient to that eldest brother of theirs, who was so proud of his strength.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Similarities between German and Sanskrit

Oi Mahamanab Ase - Netaji's Subhas Chandra Bose's after life and activities Part 1

Swami Vivekananda and Sudra Jagaran or the Awakening of the masses - His visions for a future world order - Part 1