Hear, then, the tale of kings and sages, of virtue, sin, and redemption, as recounted in the ancient lore. Once, there was a chariot of great renown, but it was destroyed by the curse of the wise sage Garga. This curse befell King Janamejaya, for he had committed a grievous act: in his anger, he slew Garga’s young son. Not only that, he brought harm to Akrura and incurred the terrible sin of killing a Brahmin. From that day, the royal sage Janamejaya, marked by the scent of iron—a sign of his guilt—wandered restlessly from place to place. The people of his city and countryside turned their backs on him, and no matter where he sought solace, he found only sorrow and unrest. In his distress, Janamejaya sought refuge with the sage Shaunaka, also known as Indreti, a noble and illustrious seer. Indreti, out of compassion, guided Janamejaya to perform the great ashvamedha sacrifice for purification, summoning the foremost Brahmins to assist. Through this sacred rite, Janamejaya was cleansed of his sins and freed from the taint of iron. In the midst of the ritual bath at the sacrifice’s end, he ascended a radiant, divine chariot, his burdens lifted. From Janamejaya’s line, Vasu, king of the Cedis, was once cast out. Yet, when Indra was pleased, he restored the lineage, and Brihadratha received it anew. Later, Bhima, having slain the mighty Jarasandha, gifted that splendid chariot to Vasudeva, out of deep affection. In the days of old, Yayati, the powerful descendant of Nahusha, chose to anoint his youngest son, Puru, as king. Thus, Puru repaid his father’s love and the debt owed to the best of Brahmins. But the Brahmins, led by their chief, questioned this choice, saying, “How can the grandson of Shukra, the son of Devayani, be made king, surpassing the eldest, Yadu, for the sake of the youngest? We instruct you, O king: uphold righteousness.” Yayati then addressed all the Brahmins, gathered together: “Hear my words. In my case, the kingdom must not go to the eldest. My eldest son, Yadu, disobeyed me; his mind was contrary, and the virtuous do not consider him a true son. A son who follows his parents’ commands is praised by the good; he alone is a true son who honors his mother and father. Yadu disregarded me, as did Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu—all showed me great disrespect. But Puru fulfilled my wishes and honored me above all; though he is the youngest, he is my heir, for in my old age, he sustained me. “Shukra instructed me, and for Devayani’s sake, I sought to pass on my old age; and again, by his power, I was able to transfer it to another. Shukra himself granted a boon to Kāvya Uśanas: ‘That son of yours who follows you shall be the ruler of your kingdom.’ Therefore, let all agree: that son who is virtuous and devoted to his parents should be anointed king—even if he is the youngest. Puru is worthy, for he alone obeyed my commands. By Shukra’s boon, it cannot be otherwise.” Thus, pleasing the people of his realm, Yayati anointed Puru as king. He assigned Turvasu to the southeast, Yadu to the south, and Druhyu and Anu to the west and north, dividing his kingdom among his sons. Having conquered the earth with its seven continents and oceans, Yayati divided his realm into three great parts, entrusting his royal splendor to his sons and finding joy in relinquishing the burdens of rule to his kin. In those days, King Yayati sang these verses, which wise men recall even now, teaching how one may draw in desires from all sides, as a tortoise draws in its limbs: “Not by countless actions does one attain true fortune, but by these alone: desire is never quenched by the enjoyment of desires. Like fire fed by offerings, desire grows ever more. Whatever rice, barley, gold, cattle, or women there are on earth, one may think, ‘All this is not enough for me.’ Only when one seeks peace and harbors no ill will toward any being does true contentment arise. “When, by deed, mind, and speech, one attains Brahman—when one neither fears nor is feared—when one neither reviles nor hates, then one attains Brahman. The craving that is so hard for the foolish to abandon withers away, just as the body withers with age. That disease—craving—which ends life, brings happiness to him who abandons it. As hair and teeth fall away with age, so too does craving wither. The eyes and ears grow old, but craving alone is untroubled; all the bodily faculties age, there is no other way. The hope for life and wealth does not age, even as the body ages. Whatever pleasure of desire exists in this world, or even the greatest pleasures of heaven, do not equal even a sixteenth part of the happiness found in the extinction of craving.” Having spoken thus, the royal sage Yayati, with his wife, entered the forest. There, at the peak of Bhrigu, the illustrious king performed great austerities and vows of fasting, and together with his wife, ascended to heaven. From Yayati’s five sons arose five noble lineages, honored by the divine sages, spreading across the earth like the rays of the sun. Whoever reads or hears the sacred deeds of Yayati becomes wealthy, prosperous in offspring, long-lived, renowned, and wise. Freed from all sins, such a one is honored in the realm of Shiva.