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184
MAHABHARATA

his sway and was never vanquished by any foe. And the sons of Yayati were all great bowmen and resplendent with every virtue. And, o king, they were begotten upon his two wives) Devayani and Sarmishtha. And of Devayani were born Yadu and Turvasu, and of Sarmishtha were born Drahyu, Anu, and Puru. And, o king, having virtuously ruled his subjects for a long time, Yayati was attacked with a hideous decrepitude destroying his personal beauty. And attacked by decrepitude, the monarch then spoke, O Bharata, unto his sons Yadu and Puru and Turvashu and Drahya and Anu chese words :-'Ye dear sons, I wish to be a young man and to gratify my appetites in the company of young women. Do you help me therein!' To him his eldest son born of Devayani then said-'What needest thou, O king? Dost thou want to have your youth?' Yayati then told him.-'Accept thou my dectepitude, O son! With thy youth I would enjoy myself. During the time of a great sacrifice I bave been cursed by the Muni Usanes (Sukra). O son, I would enjoy myself with your youth. Take any of you this my decrepitude and with my body rule ye my kingdom! I would enjoy myself with a renovated body. Therefore, ye my sons, take ye my decrepitude. But none of his sons cook his decrepitude. Then his youngest son Puru said unto him,-'0 king.enjoy thou once again with a renovated body and returned youth I I shall take thy decrepitude and at thy command rule thy kingdom. Thus addressed, the royal sage, by virtue of his ascetic power then transferred his own decrepitude unto that high-souled son of his and with the youth of Puru became a youth ; while with the monarch's age Puru ruled his kingdom."

"Then, after a thousand years had passed away, Yayati, that tiger among kings, remained as strong and powerful as a tiger. And he enjoy. ed 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 appetities are never satiated by enjoyment. On the other hand, like sacrificial butter poured into the fire, they flame up with indulgence. Even if one enjoy. ed 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 be 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.