The Daityas, seeking a powerful leader, approached Raji and said, “If you become our lord, let there be no more enmity with the Asuras. What has been accepted by the Asuras, let it also be accepted by the Devas. Be our lord in battle and destroy our enemies.” Raji agreed, and under his command, those who had been invincible—even to the wielder of the thunderbolt—were slain. Indra, pleased with Raji’s valor and actions, accepted him as a son. Raji, in turn, granted the kingdom back to Indra and departed to undertake austerities. However, after Raji’s departure, his sons, empowered by the strength of their asceticism, seized Indra’s splendor, his share of the sacrifices, and his kingdom by force. Stripped of his kingdom and oppressed by Raji’s sons, Indra became deeply afflicted and miserable. In his distress, he turned to Brihaspati, the lord of wisdom, and pleaded, “I have neither the share of the sacrifice nor the kingdom, and I have been defeated, O Brihaspati. Strive for me, so that I may regain my kingdom.” Brihaspati, with his wisdom, performed rites to pacify hostile influences and nourish Indra’s strength, making him proud and powerful once again. Then, adopting the doctrine of the Jinas—which lies outside the Vedas, though he himself was learned in the Vedas—Brihaspati went to Raji’s sons and deluded them. He led them away from the three Vedas, recognizing their nature as outside the Vedic path and filled with disputatious reasoning. Those who had fallen away from dharma, Indra struck down with his thunderbolt. Now, let me tell you of Nahusha’s seven righteous sons: Yati, Yayati, Samyati, Udbhava, Puru, Sharyati, and Meghajati. These seven increased the lineage. Among them, Yati, even in his youth, became a yogi and withdrew to the forest, while Yayati, always devoted to righteousness, ruled the kingdom. Yayati took two wives: Sharmishtha, the daughter of Vrishaparvan, and Devayani, the virtuous daughter of the sage Bhargava. From these unions, Yayati had five sons. Devayani bore him Yadu and Turvasu; Sharmishtha bore Druhyu, Anu, and Puru. Among all his sons, Yadu and Puru became the chief enhancers of the lineage. Yayati, son of Nahusha, was a king of true valor. He protected the earth and performed sacrifices according to the prescribed rules. With great devotion, he always honored the ancestors and the gods, and he ruled his subjects with justice and care. For many ages, Yayati protected his people with righteousness. Yet, as time passed, he was afflicted by the terrible old age that destroys beauty. In his suffering, Yayati called his sons—Yadu, Puru, Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu—and said, “Desiring to enjoy pleasures with young women, I wish to regain my youth. My sons, grant me your assistance.” Yadu, the eldest son born of Devayani, replied, “Why should we assist you with our youth?” Yayati then pleaded with his sons, “Take my old age upon yourselves, so that with your youth I may enjoy the pleasures I seek. Through long sacrifices and the curse of the sage Ushanas, my desire has not abated. I am unsatisfied, my sons. Let one of you restrain this old age with your own body, so that I, with a renewed form, may attain pleasures as a youth.” But none of the sons, beginning with Yadu, accepted his old age. Disappointed, the royal sage Yayati cursed those four sons. Then Puru, the youngest and steadfast in truth, spoke: “Do not give me old age; let me be happy with youth and a new body. Yet, I will take your old age and remain in the kingdom by your command.” Relying on the power of asceticism, he accepted his father’s burden. Yayati then transferred his old age to his noble son Puru and, regaining youth through Puru’s vigor, ruled the kingdom once more. With Puru’s youth, Yayati ruled for a thousand years, remaining undefeated. Yet, even after all that time, his desire was not satisfied. Addressing Puru, he said, “Through you I have obtained an heir; you are the maker of my lineage, my son. The lineage of Puru will attain fame in the world.” Then, that tiger among kings, Yayati, consecrated Puru as king. After a long and illustrious reign, Yayati reached his destined end. Now, let me recount the lineage of Puru, from whom the Bharatas were born, the enhancers of the Bharata line. But why did the lineage of Puru attain supremacy on earth, while the lineage of Yadu, though eldest, declined in prosperity? O Suta, please narrate in detail another account of Yayati’s deeds—virtuous, life-giving, and praised even by the gods. This very question was once asked by Shatanika to Shaunaka: how Yayati, the eldest among us and tenth descendant of Prajapati, obtained the exceedingly rare daughter of Shukra. O possessor of austerity, I wish to hear this from you in detail. Please recount for me, in order, the kings who held the lineage of Pururavas. Yayati, the royal sage whose splendor equaled that of the king of the gods, in former times received the daughters of Śukra and Vṛṣaparvan as wives. Now, as you ask, O best of kings, I shall tell you of Yayati, son of Nahusha, and his union with Devayani. There arose a mutual conflict between the gods and the asuras throughout the three worlds, with all their moving and unmoving beings, for the sake of sovereignty.