“Then, after a thousand years had passed away, Yayati, that tiger among kings, remained as strong and powerful as a tiger.  And he enjoyed for a long time the companionship of his two wives.  And in the gardens of Chitraratha (the king of Gandharvas), the king also enjoyed the company of the Apsara Viswachi.  But even after all this, the great king found his appetites unsatiated.  The king, then recollected the following truths contained in the Puranas, ’Truly, one’s appetites are never satiated by enjoyment.  On the other hand, like sacrificial butter poured into the fire, they flame up with indulgence.  Even if one enjoyed the whole Earth with its wealth, diamonds and gold, animals and women, one may not yet be satiated.  It is only when man doth not commit any sin in respect of any living thing, in thought, deed, or speech, it is then that he attaineth to purity as that of Brahman.  When one feareth nothing, when one is not feared by anything, when one wisheth for nothing, when one injureth nothing, it is then that one attaineth to the purity of Brahman.’  The wise monarch seeing this and satisfied that one’s appetites are never satiated, set his mind at rest by meditation, and took back from his son his own decrepitude.  And giving him back his youth, though his own appetites were unsatiated, and installing him on the throne, he spoke unto Puru thus, ’Thou art my true heir, thou art my true son by whom my race is to be continued.  In the world shall my race be known by thy name.’

“Vaisampayana continued, ’Then that tiger among kings, having installed his son Puru on the throne, went away to the mount of Bhrigu for devoting himself to asceticism.  And, having acquired great ascetic merit, after long years, he succumbed to the inevitable influence of Time.  He left his human body by observing the vow of fasting, and ascended to heaven with his wives.’”

SECTION LXXVI

(Sambhava Parva continued)

“Janamejaya said, ’O thou of the wealth of asceticism, tell me how our ancestor Yayati, who is the tenth from Prajapati, obtained for a wife the unobtainable daughter of Sukra.  I desire to hear of it in detail.  Tell me also, one after another, of those monarchs separately who were the founders of dynasties.’

“Vaisampayana said, ’The monarch Yayati was in splendour like unto Indra himself.  I will tell thee, in reply to thy question, O Janamejaya, how both Sukra and Vrishaparvan bestowed upon him, with due rites, their daughters, and how his union took place with Devayani in special.