RETOLD FROM THE MAHABHARATA

In Hindu m y th o lo g y , Y a y a ti, the son o f N a h us h a , is

depicted as one o f th e w i s e s t and no blest rulers of the
tim es. S u c h w a s his k n o w le d g e th a t even Indra, king of
the celestials, held him in esteem . His e n co u n te r w i t h
D e v a ya n i an d later w i t h S h a rm is h th a , th e A s u r a princess,
is one o f the m o s t ro m a n tic episodes of the M aha bh arata.
It is sign ifican t t h a t a w o m a n in th o s e d a ys enjoyed the
right to c h o o s e the m a n she w a n t e d t o m arry, a right
t h a t D e v a ya n i excercised w h e n she ch o se Y a ya ti.
Y a y a ti fo u n d w i s d o m the hard w a y . T h o u g h the s tu d y of
the scriptures u n d o u b te d ly m o u ld e d his character, he
learnt the tru th of the m a x im s b y his o w n experience.
T h e scriptures up ho ld restraint and s e lf-co n tro l as the
prerequisites of self-realisation. B y experience, Y a ya ti
realised t h a t happiness, peace of m ind and c o n te n tm e n t
elude t h o s e w h o m ake no effo rt a t s e lf-co n tro l in the
m isguide d belief t h a t the c ra vin g s o f the b o d y run t h e m ­
selves o u t in c o u rs e o f tim e; and t h a t the best course is
n o t t o resist b u t to yield.
In p o rtra y in g the ch a ra cters of this tale fr o m the M a h a ­
bharata, w e ha ve deviated slightly fr o m the original fo r
o ur y o u n g readers.

A M A R C H I T R A K A T H A m e a n s g o o d re a d in g .
O v e r 3 3 0 title s a re n o w o n sale

© IBH Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Bombay 400 026.

All rights reserved.

Published by H.G. Mirchandani for IBH Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 22, Bhulabhai
Desai Road, Bombay 400 026 and printed by him at IBH Printers, Marol Naka,
Mathuradas Vissanji Road, Andheri (East), Bombay 400 059.
E dito r: A n a n t Pai
S c rip t: S u b b a Rao Illustrations : S o u re n Roy
 YAYATI

DEVAY AN! WAS THE ONLY DAUGHTER. OF SHUKRA CHARYft, THE PRECEPTOR. OF VR/QHfl- .
PARMA, KING OF THE ASURAS. UNFORTUNATELY 5HE WAS A SPOILT, WILFUL GIRL AS HER.
FATHER. DOTED O N HER., INDULGING HER. EVER.Y WHIM FIND FANCY.

ONE MORNING, SHARMISH THA, THE ASURA

PRINCESS, CALLED ON SHUKRACHARYA.
V HOLY ONE, WE ARE GOING TO TH E Y
GARDEN OF THE GANDHARVAS* IN THE
FOREST, T O SWIM IN TH E LAKE TH E R E ^
WMAY WE TAKE DEVAYANI

SHARMISHTHf) AND DEVAYANI L E F T THE

ASHRAM WITH THEIR FRIENDS.
W CBLBST/ftL M USIC IA N S,/) C LA S S O F 'D E M I G O D S '
 g m a r c h it r a k a th a
AS THE GIRLS APPROACHED THE LAKE, THE , THEY L E F T THEIR. CLOTHES IN
GARDEN RESOUNDED WITH THEIR GABBLE AND SEPARATE HEAPS ON THE BANK
LAUGHTER. AND PLUNGED INTO THE LAKE.

SUDDENLY, A STORM BROKE O U T AND SOON THE CLOTHES WERE ALL JUMBLED UP.
 YAYATI

/)S THEY WERE ABOUT TO

SET OUT HOMEWARDS —
ALL RIGHT, I’L L ANSWER YOU. ) YES.YOU HAVE NOTHING
HOW COULD I BE A TH IEF TO CALL YOUR OWN.
WHEN I’VE ONLY TAKEN YOUR FATHER GIVES
WHAT IS MINE ? YOU W HAT HE
RECEIVES FROM
MY FATHER AS ALMS,
O DAUGHTER OF A jA
V beggar.

HOW DARE YOU CA LL HE 15 ONE ! HE SINGS

MY F A T H E R ,T H E THE PRAISES OF MY
FATHER,BEGS AND
GETS ALMS WHICH
HE PASSES ON TO
> YOU AS GIFTS. V*
 YAYATI

flS SHflRM/SHTHF BEGAN TO WALK ft WAY

GIVE ME BACK
MY CLOTHES,
YOU T H IE F ! ,

DEVAYAN/ RAN AFTER HER AND SHARM/SHTHA GAVE HER A PU&H

PULLED H ER R O B E .
I WON’ T ALLOW YOU )
TO GET AWAY WITH /
YOUR LOOT. ^

' f"

FIND WALKED AWAY WITHOUT LOOKING BACK

H E LP !
 a m a r chitra katha
J U S T THEN, KING YflYflT/ WHO HfiD BEEN HE RODE U P TO THE WELL AND
O U T H U N T IN G PASSED BY. LOOKED IN TO IT. SU DDENLY—

MY THROAT 15 PARCHED
AND TH ER E’S NOT
A POOL IN SIGHT IN
t THIS FOREST... A
A AH ! A W ELL!

I AM TH E DAUGHTER
OF SHUKRACHARYA
WHO BRINGS BACK
TO LIFE TH E ASURAS
SLAIN BY
TH E GODS.
YAYATI
 arrvar chitra katha
MEANWHILE, A T THE ASHRAM
WHY HASN’ T DEVAYANI
i RETURNED Y E T? DEVAYANl!
I’D BETTER GO ^
OUT IN SEARCH ,
‘ OF HER. y

DEV AY AN I TOLD HER FATHER. WHAT

HAD HAPPENED. T H E N —
 YAYATI

FATHER,SHE CALLED
ME THE DAUGHTER
OF A HIRED CHANTER
OF PRAISES WHO
BE6S AND
ACCEPTS ALMS.
 ___________ g r n a r c h i t r a k a t h a

J * / ' HOW CAN SHUKRRCHRRYR COULD N O T BERR.

r / I LIVE IN TH IS TO SEE HIS BELOVED DAUGHTER.
|>[ KINGDOM AS WEEP.
A DEPENDANT
OF THAT ARROGANT COMPOSE YOURSELF,
PRINCESS? . MY DAUGHTER.SHE
WHO HAS HURT
YOU WILL NOT
GO UNPUNISHED.

LEAVING DEVRYRNI IN THE WHEN H E STOMPED INTO THE PRLRCE, KING

FOREST, SHUKRRCHRRY/) LE F T VRISHRPRRVR GOT UP RND RECEIVED H/M WITH
FOR THE CAPITAL OF THE' f)5URR5. THE RESPECT DUE TO R PRECEPTOR.
VRISHAPARVA,! HAVE
COME TO T E L L YOU
I m LEAVING YOUR
KINGDOM — NEVER
T O RETURN
 yayati

HAVE I UNWITTINGLY AND WITHOUT UTTERING ANOTHER.

HURT YOUR FEELINGS? WORD, SHUKRACHARYA WALKED OUT.

HE TURNED ROUND TO GEE QHARM I5HTNA WHEN SHARMISHTHA TOLD HIM

STANDING NEAR HIM. P / y — -----------------------------ST ABOUT THE QUARREL SH E HAD
FATHER, I AM TO T W ITH DEVAYANI —
/ / ' 3E BLAMED FOR J
SHARMISHTHA, YOU
\ THIS CALAMITY. I
SHOULD NOT HAVE m WILLING
FALLEN A PREY
TO ANGER.
 a m a r c h ifr a k a th a

VRISHftPtiRVfi AND SHflRM/SHTHfl L E F T FOR TH E FOREST.

IF TH E RESPECTED SHUKRACHARYA / '
REFU5ES TO RETURN, WE ARE DOOMED.
WHO ELSE WILL BRING THE ASURA5
KILLED BY TH E DEVAS BACK TO LIFE ?

DON’T WORRY, FATHER

WE W ILL GRATIFY
DEVAYANI AND BRING
k THEM BACK. A

WHEN THEY REACHED THE FO REST I W ILL,O N ONE

CONDITION. y
0 DEVAYANI,
PLEASE FORGIVE
5 H A R M !S H T H A ^ ANYTHING
yOU ASK FOR
WILL BE
GRANTED.

SHARMISHTHA WITH,
a A THOUSAND MAIDS
_ k SHOULD WAIT ON
ME. SHE M UST
m poLLOW ME
WHEREVER I GO.

12
 •YAYATI

HER ANGER APPEASED, DEV A Y AN! AND &HUKRACHARYA

RETURNED TO THE ASHRAM. I

A FEW DAYS LATER, DEV AY AN I W ENT ONCE

AGAIN TO THE SAME FOREST WITH SHAR-MISHTHA
AND THE OTHER. MAIDS. >

CATCH
ME!

13
 o m a r chitra katha
AFTER, ft WHILE SHARMISHTHA 5 0 A H H
I’ AA TIRED. I’M C O M IN G ^
PLEASE PRESS DEVAYANI. M
, MY FEET.

J U S T THEN, KING YftYftT! HAPPENED TO PASS 3 V. AH ! ISN’ T THAT

TH E GIRL I
7 RE5CUED FROM
L THE W ELL?

DEV AY AN I TOO N O TICED H/M

IT’S H IM ! MY
SAVIOUR! >
 YAYATI

yfly AT/ APPRORCHED DEVfly AN/ AND SHARMISHTHA.

~Q-
 J
ch itra katha

THEN DEVflYflN/ LB/D BfiRE HER. HEftRT.

YES, O KING. YOU ^
TOOK MY HAND IN
YOURS! ACCEPT ME
v h5 YOUR WIFE. A

16
 YAYATI

HOW CAN I BESTOW

UPON A N O TH E R ,TH E
HAND WHICH THIS
v RAJARSHI HAS /
V CLAIM ED! <(

* R.OYftL SAGE
g rn a r c h itr a k a th a

18
 yayati

YflW T/’S S U B JEC TS 6FIVE THEN) ft HOUSING WELCOME

OUR- QUEEN 15 Y 5HE WILL MAKE
PRETTIER. THAN jo ilR KING HAPPY
, AN AP5ARA*! y / V ------------.------------ -

WHEN YftYBTf REACHED HIS PALACE f HOW

f MY LORD, ALTHOUGH GENEROUS
YOU ARE,
SHARMISHTHA HAS BEEN
PEVAVAN!!
GIVEN TO ME AS A N\AID
5HE 15 LIKE A 5ISTER
i TO AAE.PLEA5E HAVE
^ A PALACE BUILT /
F >5^ FOR HER.

19
* CELESTIAL NYMPH
a m a r c h itr a k a th a

20
 YAYATI

5Hf)RM!SH THf) APPROACHED HIM WELCOME

O KING!

W SHARMISHTh'A,
| HOW ARE YOU ? ARE
J ^ Y O U HAPPY ?
# 1

HOW COULD i BE.,0 KING 0 KING, I BEG YOU,

IN A HOUSE WHERE A
CHILD’ S LAUGHTER
V IS NOT HEARD ? /
ACCEPT ME AS YOUR
WIFE AND ENABLE ME
TO BECOME A MOTHER
OF SONS AS BRAVE
AND ACCOMPLISHED
AS YOU.
 am ar chitra katha
WHY DO YOU HESITATE f IT IS MY BUT >
I AM LONELY AND DUTY TO WHAT WILL
UNPROTECTED.' YOU ACCEPT HER DEVAYANI
CAN BRING JO Y AND SAY? y
^SECURITY INTO MY
L IF E .

0 K IN 6 , I m A SLAVE OF YAY A TI HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO MAR.RY

DEVAYANI WHOSE MASTER SHARMISHTHA BY THE GANDHARVA*RITE.
YOU A R E .TH E R E F O R E ,
1 RIGHTFULLY BELONG

AY D U E CO URSE, £>HflR/V)/SHTHA BECAM E THE M O TH E R O F. W & E E SONS — DRUHYU,

anu and puru . jr— .. >-

22
* MUTUAL CONSENT SANCTIFIED A GANDHARVA l/)ARR/ftr C
 YAYATI

DEVAYANI, HOWEVER, WAS UNAWARE OF ALL THIS. ONE DAY, A FEW YEARS LATER.
SHE ACCOMPANIED VAYftTI TO THE FOREST. \----- -------------------------------------------- M T --------'

SUDDENLY STOP THE CHARIOT!

THOSE BOYS! HOW
MUCH THEY
■ t B RESEMBLE yOU
fff M IN STRENGTH
K f e r .A N D LOOKS

SHE GOT DOWN AND APPROACHED THEM

WHOSE CHILDREN IT ’S FATHER E w f FflTHER
v ARE YOU ? > H L NO !
 a mar chitra katha
JU S T TH EN 5HRRM15HTHB CAME THERE MY HUSBAND HAS i-
MOTHER! FATHER MARRIED SHARMISHTHfl
WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE
15 HERE TO SEE
THEY HAVE MADE A w
V US.
FOOL OF ME.

SHARMtSHTHA !

0 KIN 6 , YOU HAVE |

DECEIVED M E !
N O T A M O M EN T J 4
LONGER W IL L / ----------- -
1 STAY WITH / PLEASE
YOU ! L IS T E N ,
% VDEVAYANI r DEVAYANI,
COME BACKl
 YAYATI

DEVAYAN/, HOWEVER., DID NOT STOP TILL SHE

REACHED HER I------------------------------------------7 — ----- ;
FATHER'S --------' (F A TH E R .
ASHRAM.

CHILD.
WHAT’S THE
M A TTE R ?
FIND DEV flyAN I TOLD HER.
STORY TO HER. FATHER..

J U S T THEN, Y AYATI WHO HAD FOLLOWED HI5 WIFE, CAME THERE.

O KING,YOU HAD N
PROMISED ME YOU WOULD
NOT HURT MY DAUGHTER
BY YOUR WORDS OR
DEEDS. YOU HAVE
BROKEN YOUR /
PROMISE. ^

SINCE IT WAS TH E CURSE OF

YOUTH TH A T PROMPTED YOU
TO DO SO, MAY YOU LOSE
YOUR YOUTH AND G R O W ^ w ''
OLD T H IS M IN U TE .

•-
u m a r ch itra katha
 YAYATI

I CANNOT REVOKE A / ONE OF MY ^

CURSE, YAYATI. BUT IF DUTIFUL 50NS
ANYONE IS PREPARED WILL CERTAINLY
TO OBLIGE YOU,YOU OBLIGE M E.I’ LL
MAY EXCHANGE HIS GO TO THEM THIS
YOUTH FOR YOUR / V VERY MOMENT. A
O LD AG E.

:A

TA \

I
 a m a rc h itra katha
y/JYA T I’S R EQ UEST WAS TURNED DOWN BY
HIS N EX T THREE SONS ft5 W ELL. A T LA S T
H E ftPPROftCHED THE YOUNGEST.

PURU, YOU 8RE MY ’

O N LY HOPE.OR WILL 1 WON T -
YOU A LS O ...
YAYATI

29
 a m a r c h it r a k a th a

FATHER, WOULD YOU N O , PURU. I HAVE

LIKE TO RETAIN FOUND T H A T DESIRES
MY YOUTH FOR ARE NEVER GRATIFIED,
ANOTHER THOUSAND BY IN D U LG E N C E .
YEARS ? PLEASE DO,
IF YOU SO DESIRE
 YAYATI

AND THE N E X T M OM ENT, PURL/ REGAINED HIS YOUTH AND YAYATI

HIS OLD A G E . HE IN STALLED PURU O N TH E TH R O N E...

...A N D W E N T TO THE FO REST WHERE HE B EGAN TO M EDITATE

UPON BRAHMAN, TH E U LTIM A TE R E A L IT Y .
 iTHE BIRTHDAY PRESENT

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