वैशंपायन उवाच
हन्त ते कथयिष्यामि ययातेर् उत्तरां कथाम् ॥
दिवि चेह च पुण्यार्थां सर्वपापप्रणाशिनीम् ॥
ययातिर् नाहुषो राजा पूरुं पुत्रं कनीयसम् ॥
राज्ये ऽभिषिच्य मुदितः प्रवव्राज वनं तदा ॥
अन्तेषु स विनिक्षिप्य पुत्रान् यदुपुरोगमान् ॥
फलमूलाशनो राजा वने संन्यवसच् चिरम् ॥
संशितात्मा जितक्रोधस् तर्पयन् पितृदेवताः ॥
अग्नींश् च विधिवज् जुह्वन् वानप्रस्थविधानतः ॥
अतिथीन् पूजयाम् आस वन्येन हविषा विभुः ॥
शिलोञ्छवृत्तिम् आस्थाय शेषान्नकृतभोजनः ॥
पूर्णं वर्षसहस्रं स एवंवृत्तिर् अभून् नृपः ॥
अब्भक्षः शरदस् त्रिंशद् आसीन् नियतवाङ्मनाः ॥
ततश् च वायुभक्षो ऽभूत् संवत्सरम् अतन्द्रितः ॥
पञ्चाग्निमध्ये च तपस् तेपे संवत्सरं नृपः ॥
एकपादस्थितश् चासीत् षण् मासान् अनिलाशनः ॥
पुण्यकीर्तिस् ततः स्वर्गं जगामावृत्य रोदसी ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
hanta te kathayiṣyāmi yayāter uttarāṃ kathām ||
divi ceha ca puṇyārthāṃ sarvapāpapraṇāśinīm ||
yayātir nāhuṣo rājā pūruṃ putraṃ kanīyasam ||
rājye 'bhiṣicya muditaḥ pravavrāja vanaṃ tadā ||
anteṣu sa vinikṣipya putrān yadupurogamān ||
phalamūlāśano rājā vane saṃnyavasac ciram ||
saṃśitātmā jitakrodhas tarpayan pitṛdevatāḥ ||
agnīṃś ca vidhivaj juhvan vānaprasthavidhānataḥ ||
atithīn pūjayām āsa vanyena haviṣā vibhuḥ ||
śiloñchavṛttim āsthāya śeṣānnakṛtabhojanaḥ ||
pūrṇaṃ varṣasahasraṃ sa evaṃvṛttir abhūn nṛpaḥ ||
abbhakṣaḥ śaradas triṃśad āsīn niyatavāṅmanāḥ ||
tataś ca vāyubhakṣo 'bhūt saṃvatsaram atandritaḥ ||
pañcāgnimadhye ca tapas tepe saṃvatsaraṃ nṛpaḥ ||
ekapādasthitaś cāsīt ṣaṇ māsān anilāśanaḥ ||
puṇyakīrtis tataḥ svargaṃ jagāmāvṛtya rodasī ||
Vaishampayana said: 'Well then, I shall tell you the further tale of Yayati — occurring in heaven and here on earth, a holy tale that destroys all sins. King Yayati, son of Nahusha, having anointed his youngest son Puru to the kingdom, joyfully withdrew then into the forest. That king, having settled his sons headed by Yadu on the borders of the realm, subsisting on fruits and roots, lived long in the forest. Self-restrained, having conquered anger, propitiating the ancestors and the deities, in accordance with the rule of the vanaprastha, offering libations into the sacred fires as is proper, the lord honored his guests with forest sacrificial food, subsisting by gleaning fallen ears and grains, eating only what remained of food. That king lived in this manner for a full thousand years; having restrained speech and mind, for thirty autumns he subsisted on water alone. Then for a year, untiring, he subsisted on air alone; for a whole year amid the five fires the king performed austerity. For six months, subsisting on wind alone, he stood on one foot; then, of blessed renown, having filled heaven and earth with his radiance, he ascended to heaven.'
8f3e34081137 · प्रकाशित 12 जुल॰ 2026, 4:06:49 pm UTC
उपलब्ध भाषाएँRUENश्लोक बदलें इन कुंजियों से
Here are described the severe austerities (tapas) by which Yayati ascended to heaven. Significant is the ascent through stages of renunciation: first fruits and roots, then water alone, then air, and finally standing on one foot amid the five fires. Here is the power of asceticism (tapas): the restraint of body and senses accumulates spiritual strength and raises one to heaven. But — as the sequel will show — this very merit becomes a temptation: pride in it will cast Yayati down. Significant too is the king's transformation: once a pleasure-seeker who 'could not be sated with youth,' he is now a severe ascetic, 'having conquered anger,' subsisting on air. Here is an image of conversion: the soul, sated with passion (a thousand years of enjoyment), turns to austerity and renunciation; thus the bitter experience of kama leads to tapas. Note also that Yayati keeps the dharma of the vanaprastha precisely (honoring ancestors, fires, and guests): his renunciation is not flight but the fulfillment of the prescribed duty of old age. Thus scripture shows the fullness of life's path: from kingdom and enjoyment — to austerity and heaven; but — as the fall will show — even heaven is not the limit, so long as pride is not overcome.