King Nahusha, in his wisdom, assigned his sons—Yadu, Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu, along with their younger brothers—to the outer regions of his realm. He bestowed the central kingdom upon his youngest son, Pūru. With this decision, Nahusha’s illustrious descendant, King Yayāti, resolved to renounce his throne and embrace a life of asceticism in the forest. Accompanied by the Brahmanas and ascetics, and together with his wives, Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā, Yayāti departed from the city. There, in the quiet of the woods, they devoted themselves to the highest austerities. From these sons, great lineages arose: the Yādavas from Yadu, the Yavanas from Turvasu, the Bhojas from Druhyu, and the Mleccha tribes from Anu. Pūru, Yayāti’s youngest and most favored son, became the founder of the Paurava dynasty, from which the mighty Kuru lineage—and you, O king—descended. This dynasty was renowned for ruling the kingdom for thousands of years. Yayāti, the son of Nahusha, joyfully installed Pūru upon the throne, entrusting him with the kingdom. He then entered the forest, embracing the life of an ascetic sage. There, he lived among the Brahmanas, observing strict vows, eating only fruits and roots, and practicing self-control. After a long period of such discipline, Yayāti departed from this world and ascended to heaven. In the celestial realms, Yayāti dwelled joyfully among the gods. Yet, after not a very long time, Śakra (Indra) cast him down from heaven. Suspended between earth and sky, unable to reach either, Yayāti remained in a state of limbo, as tradition tells. Eventually, he again attained heaven, accompanied by King Vasumat and the valiant Ashtaka. He joined Pratardana and Śivi in the divine assembly, and it was through a certain deed that Yayāti returned to heaven, a tale eagerly sought by the sages. Yayāti, equal to the lord of the gods, shone with the radiance of fire and was a great enhancer of the Kuru lineage. His deeds, famed both on earth and in heaven, were celebrated far and wide. The story of his further journey, both celestial and terrestrial, was recounted by the sages, for it brings merit and destroys all sin. Yayāti had entrusted his elder sons to Pūru’s care, then lived for a long time in the forest, subsisting on fruits and roots. With self-restraint and his anger conquered, he satisfied the ancestors and gods by offering oblations to the sacred fires, following the rule of forest-dwelling ascetics. He honored guests with offerings from the forest, adopting the humble gleaner’s way of life, eating only what remained after others. For a thousand years, Yayāti lived thus; for thirty autumns, he subsisted on air alone, restraining his speech and mind. Then, for a year, he lived on wind, untiring, and performed austerities amidst five fires. He stood on one foot for six months, sustained by air. At last, famed for his virtue, Yayāti ascended to heaven, traversing earth and sky. In heaven, Yayāti was honored by the Thirty gods, the Sādhyas, Maruts, and Vasus. He roamed the worlds of the gods and of Brahma, dwelling there for a long time with virtue and self-control. Once, Yayāti came before Indra, and after their conversation, Indra asked him: “When your son Pūru took on your form and bore your old age, ruling the earth while you gave him the kingdom, what did you say to him?” Yayāti replied: “Between the Ganges and Yamuna, this entire realm is yours. In the heart of the earth, you are king, and your brothers rule the outer lands. A man should not act from dejection, deceit, or anger, nor should he cause defeat, envy, or enmity anywhere. The wise should never despise their mother, father, elder, learned man, ascetic, or the patient one. The strong always forgive; the weak become angry. The wicked hate the good, and the powerless hate the powerful. The ugly hate the beautiful, the poor hate the wealthy, the idle hate the active, and the unrighteous hate the righteous. The unvirtuous hate the virtuous—this, my son, is the mark of the wicked; the opposite is the mark of the good. Whether Brahmin, king, merchant, or even servant—if devoted to the noble, they are praised as illustrious. Therefore, a man should set his mind on the noble; those not devoted to the noble are ignorant, as are your brothers. You, O king, know the law and boast of supreme righteousness; tell me again today the highest tale of worldly conduct. He who does not get angry is superior to the angry; the patient is superior to the impatient. Among non-humans, humans are foremost; the learned are foremost among the unlearned. When insulted, the patient man does not respond with harsh words; he burns the abuser and attains merit. One should not be a reviler nor speak cruel words; nor should one take from those who are inferior. If one’s speech causes another to be disturbed, one should not utter such harsh, blameworthy words. A person who is a reviler, whose words are sharp, who wounds others with verbal thorns, and who is most devoid of fortune among people, bears ruin bound upon his mouth.” Thus, the story of King Yayāti—his renunciation, his ascetic life, his ascension and fall from heaven, and his wise counsel to his son—shines as a beacon of virtue and merit for all who hear it.