ययाति

यन्त्रोपारोपितकोशांशः

कल्पद्रुमः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ययातिः, पुं, नहुषराजपुत्त्रः । तत्पर्य्यायः । नाहुषिः २ । इति त्रिकाण्डशेषः ॥ नाहुषः ३ । इति जटाधरः ॥ तस्योपाख्यानं यथा, -- “नहुषस्य प्रवक्ष्यामि पुत्त्रान् सप्तैव धार्म्मिकान् । यतिर्ययातिः संयातिरुद्भवः पञ्चमस्तथा ॥ स्वर्यातिर्मेघयातिश्च सप्तैते वंशवर्द्धनाः । ययातिरकरोद्राज्यं धर्म्मैकशरणस्तदा ॥ शर्म्मिष्ठा तस्य भार्य्याभूत् दुहिता वृषपर्व्वणः । भार्गवस्याङ्गजा तद्वद्देवयानी च सुव्रता ॥ ययातिर्देवयान्यान्तु पुत्त्रावजनयन्नृपः । यदुञ्च तुर्व्वसुञ्चैव शक्रविष्णू इवापरौ ॥ तस्मादेव तु राजर्षेः शर्म्मिष्ठा वार्षपर्व्वणी । द्रुह्यञ्चानुञ्च पूरुञ्च त्रीन् कुमारानजीजनत् ॥ ततः काले च कस्मिंश्चिद्देवयानी शुचिस्मिता । ययातिसहिता राजन् जगाम हरितं वनम् ॥ ददर्श च तदा तत्र कुमारान् देवरूपिणः । क्रीडमानान् सुविश्रब्धान् विस्मिता चेदमब्रवीत् ॥ किन्नामधेयं गोत्रं वः पुत्रकाः ! ब्राह्मणः पिता । विब्रूत मे यथातथ्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तं ह्यहम् ॥ तेऽदर्शयन् प्रदेशिन्या तमेव नृपसत्तमम् ॥ बुद्ध्वा च तत्त्वतो देवी शर्म्मिष्ठामिदमब्रवीत् ॥ ममाधीना सती कस्मादकार्षीर्विप्रियं मम ॥ शर्म्मिष्ठोवाच । यदा तया वृतो राजा वृत एव तदा मया । त्वत्तो हि मे पूज्यतमो राजर्षिः किं न वेत्सि तत् ॥ शौनक उवाच । श्रुत्वा तस्यास्ततो वाक्यं देवयान्यब्रवीदिदम् । राजन्नाद्येह वत्स्यामि विप्रियं मे त्वया कृतम् ॥ अविब्रुवन्ती किञ्चिच्च राजानं साश्रुलोचना । अचिरादेव संप्राप्ता काव्यस्योशनसोऽन्तिके ॥ देवयान्युवाच । शर्म्मिष्ठयातिवृत्तास्मि दुहित्रा वृषपर्व्वणः । त्रयोऽस्यां जनिताः पुत्रा राज्ञानेन ययातिना । दुर्मगाया मम द्वौ तु पुत्रौ तात ! ब्रवीमि वः ॥ शुक्र उवाच । धर्म्मज्ञः सन् महाराज ! योऽधर्म्ममकृथाः प्रियम् । तस्माज्जरा त्वामचिराद्धर्षयिष्यति दुर्ज्जया ॥ ययातिरुवाच । ऋतुकामां स्त्रियं यस्तु गम्यां रहसि याचितः । नोपैति सह धर्म्मेण भ्रूणहेत्युच्यते बुधैः ॥ शौनक उवाच । एवमुक्तः प्रत्युवाच पूरुः पितरमञ्जसा । यथात्थ त्वं महाराज ! तत् करिष्यामि ते वचः ॥ ययातिरुवाच । पूरो ! प्रीतोऽस्मि ते वत्स प्रीतश्चेदं ददामि ते । सर्व्वकामसमृद्धा ते प्रजा राज्ये भविष्यति ॥” इति मात्स्ये ३३ अध्यायः ॥ * ॥ शौनक उवाच । “पौरवेणाथ वयसा ययातिर्नहुषात्मजः । प्रीतियुक्तो नरश्रेष्ठश्चचार विषयान् सुखी ॥ पूर्णं मत्वा ततः कालं पूरुं पुत्रमुवाच ह । पूरो ! प्रीतोऽस्मि भद्रं ते गृहाणेदं स्वयौ- वनम् ॥ राज्यञ्चापि गृहाणेदं यत् त्वयोपकृतं पुरा ॥ शौनक उवाच । एवं स नाहुषो राजा ययातिः पुत्त्रमीप्सितम् । राज्येऽभिषिच्य मुदितो वानप्रस्थोऽभवन्मुनिः ॥ उषित्वा वनवासं स ब्राह्मणैः सह संश्रितः । फलमूलाशनो दान्तो यथा स्वर्गमितो गतः ॥” इति मात्स्ये ३५ अध्यायः ॥ * ॥

वाचस्पत्यम्

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ययाति¦ पु॰ यस्य वायोरिव यातिः सर्वत्र रथनतिरस्य। नहु-षात्मजे राजभेदे।

शब्दसागरः

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ययाति¦ m. (-तिः) A monarch of India the fifth of the lunar race and son of NAHUSA. At first he married De4vaja4ni, the only child of SU4KRA, the preceptor of the demons and subsequently S4ARMIST'HA4 the daughter of VRISHAPARVAN, who was ordered by her father to attend on De4vaja4ni as a servant, as a punishment for her throwing her in a well. For his marrying and making love to S4HARMIST'HA4 Yaja4ti became old and infirm before his time through the curse of SUKRA, but having appeased his father-in-law obtained permission to transfer his decrepitude to any one who would consent to take it. Out of his five sons PURU complied with his father's wishes. The King being endowed with renovated youth, passed his time in the enjoyment of pleasures for a full thousand years, and after which he restored his youth to PURU and resuming his own de- crepitude departed to the wood of penance. E. यस्य वायोरिव याति- सर्वत्र रथगतिरस्य |

Apte

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ययातिः [yayātiḥ], [यस्य वायोरिव यातिः सर्वत्र रथगतिर्यस्य Tv.] N. of a celebrated king of the lunar race, son of Nahuṣa; ययातेरिव शर्मिष्ठा भर्तुर्बहुमता भव Ś.4.7. [He married Devayānī, daughter of Śukra, and Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of the king of Asuras, was told by her father to be her servant as a sort of recompense for her insulting conduct towards her on a previous occasion. (See Devayānī.) But Yayāti fell in love with this servant and privately married her. Aggrieved at this, Devayānī went to her father and complained of the conduct of her husband, on whom, therefore, Śukra inflicted premature infirmity and old age. Yayāti, however, propitiated him and obtained from him permission to transfer his decrepitude to any one who would consent to take it. He asked his five sons, but all refused except Puru, the youngest. Yayāti accordingly transferred his infirmity to Puru, and being once more in the prime of youth, passed his time in the enjoyment of sensual pleasures. This he did for 1 years, and yet his desire was not satisfied. At last, however, with a vigorous effort he renounced his sensual life, restored his youth to Puru, and having made him successor to the throne, repaired to the woods to lead a pious life and meditate upon the Supreme Spirit.]

Monier-Williams

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

ययाति m. (prob. fr. यत्)N. of a celebrated monarch of the lunar race (son of king नहुषwhom he succeeded Page847,2 ; from his two wives came the two lines of the lunar race , यदुbeing the son of देवयानी, daughter of उशनस्or शुक्र, and पुरुof शर्मिष्ठा, daughter of वृष-पर्वन्; ययातिनाहुषis also represented as the author of RV. ix , 101 , 4-6 ) RV. MaitrUp. MBh. Ka1v. etc.

Purana index

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

--the middle son of नहुष and विरजा, the mind- born daughter of Ajyapas: married शर्मिष्ठा, daughter of वृषपर्वन्, फलकम्:F1: भा. VI. 6. ३२; Br. III. १०. ९५; ६८. १२-4; M. १५. २३; वा. 1. १४३; ७३. ४६.फलकम्:/F and had three sons by her; pleased with him Indra gave him a golden chariot yoked with swift horses and which became the ratha of the Paurava kings. फलकम्:F2: Ib. ९३. १६-20.फलकम्:/F Became king after his father: desire for more territory; placed his [page३-018+ ४४] younger brothers in charge of the four quarters of the king- dom; nature of his good rule described; in the course of a hunting expedition, he heard the cry of a girl coming out of a well and going near it found a girl inside standing help- less and naked; he gave her his upper cloth to wear and lifted her up. She was देवयानी, the daughter of शुक्र and she became his wife and bore him two sons, Yadu and Turvasu. शुक्र in offering his daughter to the king asked him not to share his bed with शर्मिष्ठा. In a weak moment, forgetting his promise, he yielded to the entreaties of शर्मिष्ठा and on this देवयानी departed to शुक्र's place. ययाति followed her and was cursed by शुक्र to become old; but शुक्र said that he could take the youth of somebody by exchanging it for his old age. He enquired of all his sons and all except पूरु refused to comply with his request. With पूरु's youth he enjoyed for long the company of देवयानी; narrated to her an old story of an ewe found in a well, loving a ram, who was not faithful at first but who spent ultimately a long time of enjoyment with her. He compared himself to that ram and said that he should thereafter bestow his thought on Hari. So he returned his youth to पूरु and led a life of penance at भृगुतुन्ग after anointing पूरु on the throne and appoint- ing his other sons in different parts of the kingdom; dis- courses of, to पूरु on gentleness and friendliness to all; was devoted to Hari. परीक्षित् compared to ययाति for his धर्म। फलकम्:F3: भा. IX. ch. १८ (whole); १९. 1-२५; XII. 3. १०; X. ६०. ४१; I. १२. २४; Br. III. ६८. १४-105; M. २४. ५०, ६६; २७. १४-22; chh. ३०-35; ३४. 4-7; ३६. 6-१३; वा. ९३. १३-16 and २०-76.फलकम्:/F Cursed that Yadu and his line be debarred from succeeding to the throne, though five dynasties of his sons are distinguished like the sun's rays. फलकम्:F4: भा. X. ४५. १३; ७४. ३६; Br. III. ७१. २०२; ७४. २७५; वा. ९३. ७६-102.फलकम्:/F Tenth in genera- tion from प्रजापति. फलकम्:F5: M. २५. 4.फलकम्:/F Went to heaven but Indra sent him back; one version is that he stands in the अन्तरिक्ष and the other is that he went back to heaven; met Indra and narrated पूरु's coronation: Indra told him of the completion of his righteousness and hence birth on the earth. फलकम्:F6: Ib. ३५. 4-5; chh. ३६-37.फलकम्:/F Falling down, met अष्टक and the other grandsons, who cleared him of his doubts regarding the course of fate and man's helpless- ress, the fruits of karma, the worlds enjoyed by him, the [page३-019+ २६] bhauma naraka, the means to get सम्ज्ञा, and the duties of four आश्रमस् and munis. फलकम्:F7: Ib. chh. ३८-40.फलकम्:/F These with Pratardana, Vasuman and शिबि offered a part of their punyam to make ययाति enjoy heaven. शिबि leading ययाति to heaven in a golden chariot as a result of their good deeds and truthfulness. फलकम्:F8: Ib. ४२. १३-28; २७३. ८०.फलकम्:/F

(II)--a याम deva. Br. II. १३. ९२.

Purana Encyclopedia

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

YAYĀTI : An eminent king of the Lunar dynasty.

1.) Genealogy and Birth. From Viṣṇu were descended in the following order--Brahmā--Atri--Candra--Budha -Purūravas--Āyus--Nahuṣa--Yayāti.

Sage Atri had three sons--Candra, Durvāsas and Dattā- treya--by his wife Anasūyā. Candra's son was Budha, Budha's son was Purūravas, Purūravas's son was Āyus, Āyus's son was Nahuṣa who had six sons--Yati, Yayāti, Saṁyāti, Āyāti, Ayati and Dhruva. Yayāti had two wives, Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā. Two sons, Yadu and Turvasu, were born to Devayāni. Of them, Yadu became the founder of Yaduvaṁśa. Śarmiṣṭhā had three sons who were Druhyu, Anudruhyu and Pūru. The Puru- vaṁśa traces its origin to Puru.

2). Yayāti's marriage. Yayāti married Devayānī, the daughter of sage Śukra and Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā.

There is a story behind this marriage, given in Mahā- bhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 76. Once there was keen rivalry between Devas and Asuras. For achieving victory Devas accepted Bṛhaspati and Asuras accepted Śukra as their preceptors. Although Devas slaughtered all Asuras they were restored to life by Śukra by the power of his mantra. Devas and Asuras resumed their battle. “Mṛtasañjīvanī” (the art of revi- ving the dead) was then unknown to the gods. Devas sent the handsome youth Kaca to Śukra, to learn Mṛtasañjīvanī from him. There, Kaca fell in love with Devayānī, Śukra's daughter. But after acquiring the knowledge about Mṛtasañjīvanī he returned, without marrying Devayānī. At the time of his departure, Kaca and Devayānī cursed each other. Devayānī's curse was that Kaca's newly acquired knowledge would not produce the desired result, while Kaca's curse was that Devayānī would not be married by any youthful ṛṣi.

Śarmiṣṭhā was the daughter of Vṛṣaparvā, the Daitya king. Devayānī was the daughter of Śukra, the Daitya preceptor. One day they were enjoying a bath in a forest brook with their maids, after leaving their clothes on the bank of the stream. At that time Devendra who came that way, transformed himself into a strong wind and carried all the clothes to a place and put all of them in a heap. Seeing this, the women rushed out of the water and in the hurried confusion in snatching their garments Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā happened to put on each other's clothes. A quarrel took place bet- ween them on this mistake and the angry Śarmiṣṭhā pushed Devayānī into an unused well. Thinking that Devayānī was dead, Śarmiṣṭhā and her maids went to the palace.

At this time, Yayāti who was a king of the lunar dynasty happened to come there exhausted after his hunting. After rescuing Devayānī from the well and enquiring about her identity and the circumstances in which she fell into the well, he returned to his palace

Devayānī sent her maid Ghūrṇikā to her father and in- formed him about her mishap. The father, sage Śukra became angry towards Vṛṣaparvā, and came down from Daityaloka and settled down in the forest with his dau- ghter. Afraid of his preceptor's curse and anger, Vṛṣa- parvā came to Śukra and offered profuse apologies to him for his daughter's misconduct. But Śukra answered that he would be prepared to forgive only if Śarmiṣṭhā with 1000 maids would go and serve Devayānī. Finding no other way, Vṛṣaparvā yielded to the condition. Soon Śarmiṣṭhā and her 1000 maids went to the forest and began to serve Devayānī. Śukra returned to Daityaloka. Some time after this, Yayāti came to the forest one day for hunting. There he met Devayānī, being attended by many maids. In the conversation that followed, Deva- yānī was able to recognize Yayāti. She fell in love with him. But Yayāti insisted that he was not prepared to marry her without the consent of Śukrācārya. So she sent one of her maids to her father and informed him of her desire. The sage readily agreed and had their marriage performed. He also presented them 1,000 maids. After the ceremony, Yayāti returned to his palace with his bride. Śarmiṣṭhā and the 2,000 maids also accompanied them. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapters 76-81).

3) Yayāti's domestic Life. After his arrival in his capital city, Yayāti made arrangements for Devayānī's residence in his own palace while Śarmiṣṭhā took up her residence in Aśokavanikā. In due course, Devayānī gave birth to a son. The sight of the child roused the motherly inst- incts of Śarmiṣṭhā who spent a thousand years in heart- burning. One day, while she was brooding alone in her garden, Yayāti happened to come there. As they met, their hearts were moved by tender feelings. Śarmiṣṭhā approached Yayāti and begged for a son. But he tried to evade her by pleading that it was not proper to do anything in violation of Dharma. But in the end, he had to yield to her earnest supplications and philosophical arguments. Thus Śarmiṣṭhā conceived a son in secret.

When the child was born and it grew up, Devayānī's mind was constantly vexed with the thought as to who was the father. Once in an angry mood she questioned Śarmiṣṭhā herself about it. She answered that the child's father was a sage whose identity she could not ascertain in the excitement of her union with him. Any way, this answer satisfied Devayānī.

Soon after, another son was born to Devayānī. The first boy was named Yadu and the second son, Turvasu. As a result of the secret relations between Yayāti and Śarmiṣṭhā, three boys were born to her and they were named Druhyu, Anudruhyu and Pūru, respectively. These boys also grew up in Aśokavanikā.

Once Devayānī was in her garden with her husband and children. Just then, Śarmiṣṭhā's children also happened to come there. Devayānī who somehow had her own suspicions, enquired of them their parentage and the innocent children replied that their mother was Śarmiṣṭhā and their father was Yayāti. Devayānī who became furious, immediately went to Asuraloka and informed her father Śukra about it. On hearing it, the sage who was beside himself with anger owing to his paternal affection, cursed Yayāti so that he fell a victim to the infirmities of old age. Yayāti entreated Śukra to withdraw the curse since he had not enjoyed his youth to the full.

Śukra lifted the curse by assuring him that one of Yayāti's sons would accept his father's old age in ex- change for his youth and the son would be crowned King after Yayāti. (M.B. Ādi Parva, Chapters 82 and 83).

4) Rejuvenation. Yayāti asked his eldest son Yadu for his youthfulness. But the latter was not prepared to exchange it for his father's old age. Next the father approached his younger sons, Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anudruhyu, with the same request, but all of them in turn refused to oblige him. Even though Yayāti promised to return the youthfulness to them after a thousand years, they refused to exchange it for his old age. Yayāti in his anger, cursed Yadu that his progeny would never become Kings. Turvasu's family would be completely destroyed and Druhyu would float down the river, with unfulfilled desires and faded prosperity. Pūru wholeheartedly accepted his father's old age in exchange for his youth and went to the forest. From that day Yayāti began his reign with a cheerful heart. (M.B. Ādi parva, Chapters 84 and 85).

In Padma Purāṇa, there is a slightly different version about the way in which Yayāti fell a victim to the in- firmities of old age. It is as follows:--Seeing the rigorous observance of Yayāti's virtuous life, Devendra began to be alarmed at the thought that he might be dislodged from his place. He called his charioteer Mātali and ordered him to bring Yayāti with him to Indraloka. When Mātali failed in his mission, Devendra sent some Gandharvas to enact the drama of “Vāmanāvatāra” before Yayāti. Enchanted by the charm and perform- ance of Rati on the stage, the King became irresistibly fascinated by the female sex.

Once the Rākṣasī named Jarā and Madana got access to Yayāti's body. While in that state, one day he went to the forest for hunting. There he happened to meet a beautiful girl named “Aśrubindumatī”. From her companion-maid, Viśālā, the King came to know of her history. Viśālā said to Yayāti--“Long ago when Kāma- deva was burnt Rati was in deep grief. The gods were moved to pity by her tears and they restored Kāma to life. Rati who was extremely happy, began to shed tears of joy. A beautiful girl was born from the tears which fell from her left eye. This maid who is standing before you is that girl. She is now looking for a suitable person for her Svayaṁvara.” On hearing this story the King expressed his desire to marry her. Aśrubindumatī agreed to become his wife on condition that he exchang- ed his old age with some young person for his youth- fulness.

Yayāti returned to his palace and asked each of his sons to give him his youth. Pūru alone fulfilled his father's desire. After this Yayāti married Aśrubindumatī. But he was compelled to submit to another condition also, that he should not maintain any contact with his other wives. Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā naturally, became distressed and furious when they saw Yayāti and Aśrubindumatī as husband and wife. So Yayāti asked Yadu to kill both of them. But Yadu refused to obey him. Yayāti who became angry at this, cursed his son that one of his descendants would marry his uncle's daughter and become heir to his mother's wealth.

After some time, on Menakā's advice, Aśrubindumatī urged Yayāti to go on a visit to Heaven. So he entrust- ed his kingdom to Pūru and went to Vaikuṇṭha.

5) Yayāti's reign. The Purāṇas describe Yayāti as a noble and eminent King. Some of the events which took place during his reign and which deserve special praise, are given below:

(i) Gift of cows. Once when King Yayāti was in the company of his subjects, a Brāhmaṇa approached him with a request for Gurudakṣiṇā. At once Yayāti gave him a gift of 1,000 cows. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 195).

(ii) Yayāti and Gālava. See para 6 under Gālava.

(iii) His end. After a thousand years, Yayāti handed over his kingship to Pūru and went to the forest. He spent many years living in Bhṛgutuṅga in the company of sages, and feeding on fruits, roots, etc. and in the end died in the forest and attained Heaven.

(iv) Yayāti's fall from Heaven. Yayāti remained in Heaven for many years. Once he insulted the Devas, Indra and other gods and kings in the divine assembly. The gods looked at one another, wondering who this proud fellow was. They asked how this man reached Heaven without renouncing his pride. In the meantime Yayāti lost his balance and fell down from Heaven to the earth. While descending, he prayed that he should fall in the midst of good men.

Just at this time, four kings named Pratardana, Vasu- manas, Śibi and Aṣṭaka were performing a Yāga in Naimiṣāraṇya. Yayāti happened to fall head down- wards into their midst. But since they caught him in his fall he did not crash to the ground. He explained his story to them. They allowed him to accept the fruit of their Yajña and to go to Heaven. But since he was a Kṣatriya he told them he had no right to it. Just then, his daughter Mādhavī arrived there. She allowed him to take half of the divine grace which she had earned and with the help of it Yayāti ascended to Heaven again. (M.B. Udyoga Parva, Chapter 120).

6) Other details.

(i) Yayāti witnessed the battle between Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas which was fought as a result of the theft of King Virāṭa's cows. (M.B. Virāṭa Parva, Chapter 56, Verse 9).

(ii) In Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, Chapter 8, Verse 8, it is stated that King Yayāti continues to be in Yama's assembly.

(iii) Yayāti once gave 1,000 cows to a Brāhmaṇa as “Gurudakṣiṇā”. (M.B. Vana Parva, Chapter 195).

(iv) He came riding in Indra's chariot and witnessed the battle between Arjuna and Kṛpācārya, from the sky. (M.B. Virāṭa Parva, Chapter 56, Verse 9).

(v) Mahābhārata, Udyoga Parva, Chapter 115, men tions that Yayāti had conducted 1,000 Yāgas and that he was the leader of all Kings.


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*5th word in left half of page 896 (+offset) in original book.

Vedic Index of Names and Subjects

पृष्ठभागोऽयं यन्त्रेण केनचित् काले काले मार्जयित्वा यथास्रोतः परिवर्तयिष्यते। तेन मा भूदत्र शोधनसम्भ्रमः। सज्जनैः मूलमेव शोध्यताम्।

Yayāti is mentioned twice in the Rigveda, once as an ancient sacrificer, and once as Nahuṣya, ‘descendant of Nahuṣa,’ apparently a king. There is no trace whatever of his connexion with Pūru, as in the Epic, the tradition of which must be deemed to be inaccurate.