When King Yayāti considered the succession of his kingdom, a great question arose: how could he bestow the throne upon his youngest son, Puru, the son of Devayani and grandson of the sage Shukra, while bypassing his eldest, Yadu? The order of his sons was well known—first Yadu, then Turvasu, Druhyu, Anu, and finally Puru. The elders and advisors questioned the king, asking, “How can the youngest deserve the kingdom over the eldest? This is not the established way—uphold your own duty as tradition commands.” Yayāti, however, gathered together all the classes of his realm, with the Brahmins at their head, and proclaimed his decision: “I will not give the kingdom to the eldest. Yadu, my eldest, disobeyed my command; he acted against his father. Among the virtuous, such a son is not considered a true son. The true son is he who honors the words of his mother and father, who is beneficial and follows the right path—such a one is truly a son and behaves as a son should toward his parents.” He continued, “Not only Yadu, but Turvasu, Druhyu, and Anu also disrespected me and dishonored me greatly. Only Puru fulfilled my command and honored me above all. Though he is the youngest, he is my true heir, for he bore my old age and fulfilled my wish. The great sage Shukra, also called Kavya Ushanas, granted me a boon because of this. Therefore, it is right that the son who follows his father should be king and lord of the earth. Let all agree: Puru shall be anointed as king. A son endowed with virtue, who always acts for the benefit of his mother and father, deserves all auspiciousness—even if he is the youngest, he is master.” Yayāti affirmed, “This kingdom belongs to the worthy, whether eldest or not; he who is dear to you and does what pleases you. By granting a boon to Shukra, I cannot speak otherwise.” With the approval of the people and the satisfaction of his subjects, King Yayāti—also known as Nahusha—anointed his son Puru as king. Having thus given the kingdom to Puru, Yayāti resolved to undertake the life of a forest-dweller. He departed the city, accompanied by Brahmins and ascetics, and renounced worldly life. The lineages of his other sons spread across the world: from Yadu came the Yadavas, from Turvasu the Yavanas, from Druhyu the Bhojas, and from Anu the Mleccha tribes. From Puru arose the Paurava lineage, in which the great Kuru dynasty was born after a thousand years. Thus, King Yayāti joyfully established his chosen son as ruler and retired to the forest to live as a sage. There, with Brahmins for company, he lived on fruits and roots, practicing self-control, until he departed this life, having attained heaven. Yayāti dwelled joyfully in heaven, but after a time, Śakra (Indra) cast him down. Helpless, he fell—not to earth, but into the intermediate space between heaven and earth. It is said that he later returned to heaven, accompanied by King Vasumat, Aṣṭaka, the mighty Pratardana, and Śibi, where they met in the celestial assembly. Curious, the sages asked, “By what deed did Yayāti regain heaven? And how was he cast down by Indra? We wish to hear all this as it truly happened, O sage, in the presence of this divine assembly. Tell us the story of Yayāti, equal to the king of the gods, nourisher of the Kuru lineage, radiant as fire, famed for truthfulness and greatness.” The sage replied, “Indeed, I shall recount the excellent story of Yayāti, both in heaven and on earth, for it is meritorious and destroys all sin. Yayāti, also called Nahusha, joyfully installed Puru, his youngest son, as king and departed for the forest. He entrusted his sons—Yadu and the rest—to their respective destinies, and for a long time lived in the forest, subsisting on fruits and roots. He mastered himself, conquered anger, and offered satisfaction to ancestors and deities, performing the proper rites of a forest-dweller. He honored guests with offerings from the forest and ate only what was left over, never food prepared for himself. For a thousand years, this was his way of life. For three years, he subsisted on water alone, with perfect control of speech and mind. Then, for a year, he lived on air, practicing austerity among five fires. For another year, he stood on one foot, eating only air. Renowned for his virtue, he finally ascended to heaven, traversing the celestial realms. In heaven, King Yayāti was honored by the thirty gods, the Sādhyas, Maruts, and Vasus. From the world of the gods, he journeyed to the world of Brahma, dwelling there for a long time. Once, Yayāti came before Śakra (Indra), who asked, “When Puru, in your form, took on old age and wandered among people, and you gave him the kingdom, what words did you speak to him? Tell me truly.” Yayāti replied, “With the approval of the people, I installed Puru as king and said: ‘Between the Ganges and Yamuna, this entire territory is yours. In the heart of the earth, you are king; your brothers are rulers at the borders.’” He added, “One who is without anger is superior to the angry; the tolerant are superior to the intolerant; among non-humans, the human is foremost; and among the unlearned, the learned is foremost. When insulted, he does not insult in return, but endures the offense; such a one burns away the insulter and attains good fortune.” Thus, the story of King Yayāti, his sons, his renunciation, and his ascent to the heavenly realms is told, a tale of virtue, forbearance, and the true meaning of sonship and kingship.