Devayani () is a character in

Hindu literature Hindu texts or Hindu scriptures are manuscripts and voluminous historical literature which are related to any of the diverse traditions within Hinduism. Some of the major Hindu texts include the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Itihasa. Scholars ...

. She is described to be the daughter of

Shukra Shukra (, ) is a Sanskrit word that means "clear" or "bright". It also has other meanings, such as the name of a sage who was the preceptor of the asuras and taught them the Vedas. In medieval mythology and Hindu astrology, the word refers to ...

, the

acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a religious teacher in Hinduism and Buddhism and a spiritual guide to Hindus and Buddhists. The designation has different meanings i ...

(preceptor) of the

asura Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhist context, the wor ...

s, and his wife Jayanti, the daughter of

Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes Indra is the m ...

. She marries King

Yayati Yayati () is an emperor in Hindu tradition. He is described to be a Chandravamsha king. He is regarded to be the progenitor of the races of the Yadavas and the Pandavas. According to the Harivamsa, Yayati is the son of King Nahusha, and ...

, and gives birth to two sons —

Yadu This is a list of ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes that are mentioned in the literature of Indian religions. From the second or first millennium BCE, ancient Indo-Aryan peoples and tribes turned into most of the population in the north ...

and Turvasu.

Legend

Infatuation with Kacha

Kacha is described to be the handsome son of

Brihaspati Brihaspati (, ), is a Hindu god. In the ancient Vedic scriptures, Brihaspati is associated with fire, and the word also refers to a god who counsels the devas and devis (gods and goddesses). In some later texts, the word refers to the large ...

. He is sent by the

devas Devas may refer to: * Devas Club, a club in south London * Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter * Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist * Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club * Devas (band), ...

to Shukra's

ashram An ashram (, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Indian religions, not including Buddhism. Etymology The Sanskrit noun is a thematic nominal derivative from the root 'toil' (< acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a religious teacher in Hinduism and Buddhism and a spiritual guide to Hindus and Buddhists. The designation has different meanings i ...

teaches Kacha the ''Mṛtasañjīvanī'' mantra, and when the disciple bursts out of Shukra's belly, killing him, he revives his acharya by chanting the mantra. His objective achieved, he stays under the tutelage of Shukra until his education is completed. His tutelage complete, Kacha takes his leave from Devayani and her father, and starts to journey back to

Devaloka In Indian religions, a devaloka or deva loka is a plane of existence where deity, gods aka Deva (Hinduism), devas exist. The deva lokas are usually described as places of eternal light and goodness, similar to the concept of Heaven. Teachers ...

. Devayani follows him for a long distance, and requests that he marry her. Kacha reveals to her that Shukra had told him that since he had emerged from the acharya's belly, he is deemed to be his son, and that made Devayani his sister. Furious at his rejection, Devayani curses him that he would be unable to employ the art of the life-reviving mantra himself. Kacha, in turn, curses her that none of the sons of sages would marry her. After the incident, they parted ways, and never met again.

Wife of Yayati

When Shukra serves as the counsellor of the daitya king Vrishaparvan, Devayani becomes a friend of

Sharmishtha Sharmishtha () is a princess appearing in Hindu scriptures. She is described to be the daughter of the daitya king Vrishaparvan. She becomes the second wife of Yayati, due to which she becomes an ancestor of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. She ...

, a princess, and the daughter of the

daitya The daityas () are a race of asuras in Hindu mythology, descended from Kashyapa and his wife, Diti. Prominent members of this race include Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, and Mahabali, all of whom overran the earth, and required three of Vishnu's a ...

king. One day, the two go for a bath in a forest brook, accompanied by their retinue of maids, leaving their clothes on the bank of the stream. While they bathe,

manifests himself as a wind, blowing their garments off the banks. In their hurry to retrieve their clothes, the two women don each other's

sari A sari (also called sharee, saree or sadi)The name of the garment in various regional languages include: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * is a drape (cloth) and a women's garment in the Indian subcontinent. It consists of an un-sti ...

s. A quarrel ensues between the friends, and insults are exchanged regarding each other's fathers. In the ensuing quarrel, Sharmishtha and her maids throw Devayani into a well, leaving her for dead. Devayani is rescued by Yayati, a king of the

Chandravamsha The Lunar dynasty (IAST: Candravaṃśa) is a legendary principal house of the Kshatriyas varna, or warrior–ruling varna (Social Class) mentioned in the ancient Indian texts. This legendary dynasty was said to be descended from moon-related ...

dynasty, who enquires regarding her identity, and returns to his kingdom. Devayani sends Ghurnika, her maid, to her father, conveying the news of her quarrel and dire circumstances. Shukra is furious with Vrishaparvan, and settles down in the forest with his daughter. When the daitya king begs for the acharya's forgiveness in person, Shukra demands that one thousand servants, along with Sharmishtha, are required to serve Devayani as an apology. Fearing the sage's wrath, the king concedes, and sends his daughter and one thousand women to serve Devayani in the forest. After a period of time, Devayani returns to the same forest, along with Sharmishtha and her other servants. Yayati comes to the spot for hunting, and they meet again. The king and the Brahmana's daughter fall in love, and so the former asks for Devayani's hand from Shukra, as was custom. Shukra offers his consent readily, but warns Yayati that he is not to have nuptial relations with Sharmishtha. Yayati marries Devayani, and looks after her well in his palace. Yayati sires two sons, Yadu and Turvasu, with Devayani. Unbeknownst to her, he secretly engages in an affair with Sharmishta as well, and has three sons by her: Druhyu, Anudruhyu, and Puru. When Devayani learns of her husband's infidelity, she leaves him, and returns to her father's place. Shukra curses his son-in-law with premature old age. However, upon hearing Yayati's pleas, he agrees to alter it so that Yayati could swap his old age with the youth of any of his young sons. Yayati swaps his youth with his fifth son, Puru. After a thousand years of enjoying his sensuous youth with his two wives, he receives the curse back from his son, and retires to the forest with Devayani and Sharmishtha.

Notes

Devayani and Kacha
Retold by P. R. Ramachander

External links

Retold by P. R. Ramachander {{HinduMythology Characters in the Mahabharata