ययातिyayāti

ययाति (yayāti) is a Sanskrit word meaning name of a celebrated monarch of the lunar race, a monarch of India, the fifth of the lunar race, a king, the fifth of the lunar dynasty, name of an ancient patriarch, son of Nahusha, the name of a king, yayāti, an ancient patriarch, son of Nahusha. Its 13 recorded definitions are grouped into 4 contexts, among them King Yayāti: General Identity and Legendary Attributes, King Yayāti: In-depth Epic & Puranic Stories, Vedic Yayāti: Textual Analysis.

Roots: यत् (yat), या (yā)
Etymology: E. यस्य वायोरिव याति- सर्वत्र रथगतिरस्य ।
Definitions: 13

View Declension Tables , 72 forms

Meanings by context

King Yayāti: General Identity and Legendary Attributes

8 definitions

Name of a celebrated monarch of the lunar race

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

Name of an ancient patriarch, son of Nahusha.

— Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary

A monarch of India, the fifth of the lunar race

— Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary

A king, the fifth of the lunar dynasty

— Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

The name of a king

— Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Name of an ancient patriarch.

— Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Yayāti, an ancient patriarch, son of Nahusha

— Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary

the name of a celebrated monarch of the lunar race

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)

King Yayāti: In-depth Epic & Puranic Stories

3 definitions

A monarch of India, the fifth of the lunar race and son of Nahusha.

— Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

An ancient king, son of Nahusha

ययाति (yayāti) [Printed book page 773-2]
Yayāti, an ancient king, son of Nahuṣa. § 3 (Anukra-

maṇik.): I, 1, 47 (°īkṣvākuvaṃśaḥ).—§ 5 (do.): I, 1α,

222 bis (in Nārada's enumeration).—§ 61 (Janamejaya): I,

55, †2109 (°-Māndhātṛ-samaprabhāva, sc. Janamejaya).—

§ 143 (Nahuṣa): I, 75, 3155 (second son of Nahuṣa),

3156 (became king), 3158 (his sons).—§ 144 (cf. Yayātyup.):

Having, after 1,000 years, been attacked with decrepitude,

Y. asked his sons, one by one, to give him their youth and

take upon them his decrepitude, but only the youngest, Puru,

yielded to his wish, and taking upon himself the old age of

Y. he ruled the kingdom, while Y., as strong as a tiger,

enjoyed the company of his two wives and, in the Caitra-

ratha wood, of Viśvācī, but without becoming satiated.

He then recited some verses (vv. 3174—3177) and took back

from his son his own decrepitude, giving him back his youth.

He then installed Pūru on the throne, saying that he was his

true heir, and should continue the lineage which should be

named after him. Y. then retired to Bhṛgutuṅga, and having

spent a long time in ascetism, observing the vow of fasting,

he died and ascended to heaven with his wives (I, 75):

I, 75, 3164, 3171, 3172.—§ 145 (Kaca): I, 76, 3183

(daśamo yaḥ Prajāpateḥ), 3185, 3186 (Devayānyāś ca saṃyogaṃ

Y°er Nāhuṣasya ca).—§ 146 (Devayānī): I, 78, 3292

(Nahuṣātmajaḥ), 3301; 81, (3366), (3369), (3372), 3372,

(3374), (3376), (3378), (3381), (3383), 3387, (3390), 3394

(Y. married Devayānī and promised not to cohabit with

Śarmiṣṭhā).—§ 147 (do.): I, 82, 3397, (3410), (3414),

(3416) (Śarmiṣṭhā prevailed upon Y. to beget sons on her);

83, 3432 (the sons of Y. were the foll.: with Devayānī

Yadu and Turvasu, with Śarmiṣṭhā Druhyu, Anu and

Pūru), 3434, 3450, 3452, (3455), 3460 (Nāhuṣaḥ), (3461),

(3463) (Uśanas cursed Y. to be overcome with decrepitude,

etc.).—§ 148 (cf. Yayātyup.): Y. transferred his decrepitude

to Pūru, etc. (cf. § 144) and cursed his other sons, Yadu (b),

Turvasu (c), Druhyu (d), Anu (e) (I, 84). Y. sported with

Viśvācī in the Nandana wood and in Alakā, and in the northern

summit of Meru. Y. then recited some verses (v. 3510 foll.)

and installed Pūru as king (cf. § 144). The offspring of

Yadu (b), Turvasu (c), Druhyu (d), Anu (e), and Pūru (f)

(I, 85): I, 84, 3466, (3467), (3474), (3478), 3481, (3482),

(3485), (3488), (3490), (3492), (3498), 3499; 85, 3500

(Nahuṣātmajaḥ), 3504, 3517 (Nāhuṣaḥ), (3522).—§ 149

(i.e. Uttara-Yayātyupākhyāna, cf. Sambhavap.): Having

installed Pūru on the throne, Y. entered the wood to lead the

life of a hermit for 1,000 years and then ascended to Svarga

(I, 86), where he was reverenced by the gods, the Sādhyas,

Page774-a+ 63

the Maruts, and the Vasus, wandering about in Devaloka and

Brahmaloka. One day Indra asked him what he had said to

Pūru when he bestowed the kingdom upon him. Y. answered

that he had said: “The whole country between the Gaṅgā and

the Yamunā is thine, this is the central region of the earth,

the outlying regions will be the dominions of thy brothers.

Those without anger are ever superior to those under its

sway, etc.” (I, 87). As Y. said that he did not know his

equal in ascetic austerities among men, gods, Gandharvas,

and maharṣis, Indra declared that, owing to this haughtiness,

he should fall from heaven, yet he should fall among the

virtuous. When falling, he was beheld by the rājarṣi

Aṣṭaka (I, 88), of whom he was the maternal grandfather;

Y. spoke disapprovingly of haughtiness, etc., and told that,

leaving earth, he had obtained many high regions for 1,000

years, then he had dwelt in the town of Indra (having 1,000

gates and extending 1,000 yojanas all around) for 1,000 years,

then for 1,000 years in the world of Prajāpati, then in the

abode of Devadeva (i.e. Viṣṇu); he had also dwelt in

Nandana for 100 ayutas of years, assuming any form at will,

sporting with the Apsarases; then there had come a messenger

of the gods with a grim visage, who thrice had shouted to

him “fall”; then he had fallen from Nandana, hearing,

while falling, the compassionate exclamations of the gods,

who had directed him to fall to the sacrificial place of

Aṣṭaka and his companions (I, 89). Y. continued: Those

who speak of their own merits after having dwelt for 60,000

or 80,000 years in heaven, are doomed to suffer the pains of

the hell called bhauma (i.e. existence on the earth), and are

attacked by certain Rākṣasas with sharp teeth. Y. then

taught the lore of transmigration and emancipation (I, 90).

Y. explained the duties of gṛhasthas, bhikṣus, brahmacārins,

and vānaprasthas, and the different kinds of munis and mauna

(vows of silence) (I, 91). Y. then said: “I now shall fall

into the bhauma hell, the Lokapas of Brahmán hasten me

thither.” The kings Aṣṭaka, Pratardana (I, 92), Vasu-

manas Auṣadaśvi, and Śibi Auśīnara, offered him their

“lokas” and volunteered to go to hell (naraka) in his place;

Y. did not accept the offer. Then appeared five golden chariots,

in which they all five ascended to heaven, Śibi leaving the

others behind him. Y. told them that he was their maternal

grandfather, that he had given the whole earth with her

horses, etc., to brahmans, and that the earth and the firmament

and fire existed owing to his truth. *(I, 93): I, 86, 3535

(Nākuṣo rājā), 3541, 3543, 3544 (Nāhuṣaḥ); 87, 3553,

(3555); 88, †3564, (3565), (†3567), †3568, †3569; 89,

(†3577), †3577 (Nahuṣasya putraḥ Pūroḥ pitā), (†3580),

†3589, (†3591), †3598; 90, (†3601), (†3603), (†3606),

(†3609), (†3613), (†3617), (†3621); 91, (†3628), (3635),

(3637); 92, (3646), (†3651), (†3654), (†3656), (†3659),

(†3661), †3663; 93, (†3665), (†3667), (†3670), (†3672),

(3674), (3676), (3678), (3681), (†3684), †3684 (Nahuṣasya

putraḥ Pūroḥ pitā).—§ 156 (Pūruvaṃś.): I, 95, ††3760

(son of Nahuṣa, husband of Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā,

enumeration of his sons).—§ 267 (Yamasabhāv.): II, 8, 319

(in the palace of Yama).—§ 273 (Rājasūyārambhap.): II,

14, 570 (°es tv eva Bhojānāṃ vistaro guṇato mahān).—§ 296

(Dyūtap.): II, 56, 1930 (yathā).—§ 320 (Saubhavadhap.):

III, 21, 841 (prapatataḥ Y°eḥ kṣīnapuṇyasya svargād iva).

—§ 345 (Nalopākhyānap.): III, 57, 2235 (īje cāpy aśva-

medhena Y°ir iva Nāhuṣaḥ).—§ 376 (Tīrthayātrāp.): III,

85, 8268 (yathā).—§ 377 (Dhaumyatīrthak.): III, 89, 8363

(Viśvāmitranadī…yāsyās tīre satāṃ madhye Y°ir Nahu-

Page774-b+ 63

ṣātmajaḥ papāta sa punar lokāṃl lebhe dharmān sanātanān,

cf. § 149).—§ 378 (Tīrthayātrāp.): III, 92, 8444 (yathā).—

§ 402 (do.): III, 120, †10260 (nāthāḥ Śaibyādayaḥ…

yathā Y°eḥ, all. to § 149).—§ 409c (Plakṣāvataraṇag.):

Y. competed with Indra. On the place where he performed

his sacrifice the ground is studded with places for the

sacrificial fires of various forms, and the earth seems

subsiding under the pressure of Y.'s pious works: III, 129,

10516 (Nāhuṣasya), 10517.—§ 409 (do.): III, 129, 10524

(Nāhuṣaḥ, performed sacrifices, at which Indra was pleased).

—§ 412 (Aṣṭāvakrīya): III, 133, †10637 (in times of old

Y. alone performed sacrifices).—§ 464 (Mārkaṇḍeyas.):

Mārkaṇḍeya continued: Once when King Y. Nāhuṣa was

sitting on his throne, there came a brahman who asked him

for wealth for his preceptor, with whom he had made the

appointment always to question the giver with what feelings

he would give him what he asked for. Y. answered that he

always felt happy when giving, etc., and gave him 1,000

kine: III, 195, ††13256 (Nāhuṣaḥ).—§ 486 (Pativratop.):

III, 215, 14047 (rājā Y°ir dauhitraiḥ patitas tārito yathā,

all. to § 149).—§ 512 (Ghoṣayātrāp.): III, 237, 14787

(°m iva Nāhuṣaṃ).—§ 516 (Duryodhanayajña): III, 257,

15329 (had performed the Vaiṣṇava sacrifice).—§ 545

(Pativratāmāhātmyap.): III, 294, 16675 (iva).—§ 552

(Goharaṇap.): IV, 56ζ, 1768 (came to see the encounter).

—§ 562 (Bhagavadyānap.): V, 90ν, 3146.—§ 565 (Gālava-

carita): V, 114, 3903 (Nāhuṣaḥ), 3905 (residing in Prati-

sthāna); 115, 3918 (sarva-Kāśīśaḥ) (gave his daughter

Mādhavī to Gālava); 120, 4037, 4039, 4041, 4045 (Y.,

ascending to heaven after death and falling down therefrom,

cf. § 149).—§ 566 (do.): As Y. was falling headlong towards

the earth, while the kings and Si. and Aps. laughed, there

came, at the command of Indra, a person whose business it

was to hurl down those whose merits were exhausted, and

told him that his pride had caused his fall. Y. uttered the

wish that he might fall among the righteous. He fell down

among his daughter's sons Pratardana, Vasumanas, Śibi, and

Aṣṭaka, in the Naimiṣa wood, where they performed a

vājapeya sacrifice. They gave him their merits (puṇya,

dharma, etc.), and the result of all their sacrifices. Mādhavī

also came and gave him the moiety of hers, likewise Gālava,

who gave him the eighth part of his (V, 121). As soon as Y.

was recognized by those virtuous persons, he rose again to

heaven without touching the surface of the earth, and his

four daughter's sons, in a loud voice, repeated the gift of

their merits (Aṣṭaka had performed hundreds of puṇḍarīka,

gosava, and vājapeya sacrifices, Śibi had never spoken a false-

hood) (V, 122). Y. was honoured in heaven by G., Aps.,

D.-r,-R.-ṛ, and the gods. Brahmán explained to him that it

was his vanity alone that had been able to destroy all his

merit (cf. also § 149). Nārada continued: “Such was the

distress into which Y. fell in consequence of vanity and

Gālava owing to his obstinacy. Make peace with the sons

of Pāṇḍu” (V, 123): V, 121, 4052, 4053, 4059, 4062

(rājarṣiḥ), (4065), 4065 (rājarṣiḥ), (4067), 4070; 122,

4079, 4094; 123, 4097, (4107), 4116.—§ 567b (Bhagavad-

yānap.): Y., the son of Nahuṣa, was the sixth in descent

from Soma. Y. had five sons: Yadu, the son of Devayānī,

and thus the grandson of Śukra Kāvya was the eldest, while

Pūru, the son of Śarmiṣṭhā (the daughter of Vṛṣaparvan)

was the youngest. Yadu (the progenitor of the Yādavas)

humiliated all the kṣatriyas. He did not obey the injunc-

tions of his father, but insulted his father and brothers. He

Page775-a+ 62

established himself in the city named after the elephant

(nāgāhvaye, i.e. Hāstinapura). Y. cursed him and expelled

him from the kingdom. He also cursed his other sons who

were obedient to Yadu, and placed his youngest son, Pūru, on

the throne (cf. also §§ 144 and 148): V, 149, 5042 (Somāt

…ṣaṣṭaḥ…Nahuṣātmajaḥ), 5049 (Nahuṣātmajaḥ),

5050.—§ 574 (Jambūkh.): VI, 9αα, 314.—§ 576 (Bhagavad-

gītāp.): VI, 17β, 645.—§ 595 (Ṣoḍaśarāj.): Y., the son

of Nahuṣa, performed 100 rājasūya sacrifices, he gave to

the brahmans the whole of the wealth in the possession of

Mlecchas, etc.; he sided with the gods against the Asuras;

having divided the earth into four parts, he gave it away

to four persons (i.e. four ṛtvijes, Nīl.). His wives were

Devayānī, daughter of Uśanas (Auśanasyāṃ), and Śarmiṣṭhā;

he roved through the celestial woods, at last he installed

[his son] Pūru on the throne and retired into the forest

(VII, 63): VII, 63, 2292 (Nāhuṣaṃ), 2300.—§ 599

(Jayadrathavadhap.): VII, 94ε, 3450.—§ 599e (Śini):

VII, 144, 6029 (rājarṣiḥ, son of Nahuṣa), 6030 (father of

Yadu).—§ 600 (Ghaṭotkacavadhap.): VII, 157, 6927

(°m iva Nāhuṣaṃ).—§ 604 (Karṇap.): VIII, 9, 250 (do.).

—§ 615 (Baladevatīrthayātrā): IX, 41, 2350 (Nāhuṣasya),

2351, 2352 (rājñaḥ, performed sacrifices in Yāyātaṃ tīrthaṃ).

—§ 628 (Rājadh.): XII, 24, 700 (°r iva Nāhuṣaḥ).—§ 630

(do.): XII, 26, 780 (gāthā gītā Y°inā, some verses (vv.

781—3) sung by Y. quoted).—§ 632b (Ṣoḍaśarāj., cf. § 595):

XII, 29, 987 (Nāhuṣaṃ), 990 (Nahuṣātmajaḥ) (repetition

from § 595).—§ 638b (Rāmopākhyāna): XII, 49, 1772

(°patane, all. to § 149).—§ 641 (Rājadh.): XII, 92, 3467

(°m iva Nāhuṣaṃ); 93, 3520 (evaṃ rājopaniṣadaṃ Y°iḥ

smāha Nāhuṣaḥ).—§ 652b (Indrota-Parīkṣitīya): XII, 152,

5643 (gāthāṃ gītāṃ Y°inā, a verse (v. 5644) sung by Y.

quoted).—§ 656 (Khaḍgotpattik.): XII, 166δ, 6194

(received the sword from Nahuṣa, from Y. it passed over to

Pūru).—[§ 659 (Mokṣadh.): XII, 178, 6643 (Nāhuṣaḥ,

questioned Bodhya)].—§ 706 (do.): XII, 310, 11540 (°iḥ

kṣīṇapuṇyo 'pi dhṛtyā lokān avāptavān, cf. § 149).—§ 713

(Śukakṛti): XII, 327, 12291 (gāthāḥ purā gītāḥ…Y°inā,

some verses (vv. 12292—99) sung by Y. quoted).—§ 723

(Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 6α, 324 (purā Y°ir vibhraṣṭaś

cyāvitaḥ patitaḥ kṣitau | punar āropitaḥ Svargaṃ dauhitraiḥ

puṇyakarmabhiḥ, cf. § 149).—§ 746 (do.): XIII, 81λ, 3806.

—§ 751b (Śapathavidhi): XIII, 94α, 4551, (4573).—§ 761

(Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 115γ, 5662 (abstained from meat

during the month of Kārttika).—§ 768b (Kṛṣṇa Vāsudeva):

XIII, 147, 6832 (son of Nahuṣa and father of Yadu).—

§ 775 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII, 166η, 7674.—§ 776 (do.):

XIII, 167, 7698 (iva).—§ 778b (Saṃvartta-Maruttīya):

XIV, 5, 103 (iva).

Cf. also the following synonyms:—

Nāhuṣa (“the son of Nahuṣa”): I, 3156 (Y°),

3161, 3186 (Y°), 3293, 3302, 3315, 3362, 3377, 3379, 3388,

3408, 3459, 3460 (Y°), 3517 (Y°), 3531, 3535 (Y°), 3544

(Y°); III, 2235 (Y°), 8777 (error in B., C. has Nahuṣeṇa),

10515, 10524 (Y°), 10546 (uttarāṇāṃ sarveṣām ṛṣīṇāṃ

N°sya ca, sc. saṃvādaḥ), ††13256 (Y°), 14787 (Y°); V,

3903 (Y°), 3907, 4038, 4090; VII, 2292 (Y°), 2295 (only

B.), 6927 (Y°); VIII, 250 (Y°); IX, 2350 (Y°); XII,

700 (Y°), 987 (Y°), 3467 (Y°), 3520 (Y°), 6643.

Nahuṣātmaja (do.): I, 3292 (Y°), 3300, 3389,

3400, 3500 (Y°); III, 8363 (Y°); V, 4043, 4055, 5042

(Y°), 5049 (Y°); XII, 990 (Y°).

Page775-b+ 62

Sarvakāśīśa (“lord of all the Kāśis”): V, 3918 (Y°).

[ID=12607]

— Index to the Names in the Mahabharata

A legendary king, son of Nahusha, husband of Sharmishtha and Devayani, father of Yadu and Puru, known for exchanging his old age for his son's youth and eventually ascending to heaven.

ययाति (yayāti) [Printed book page 3-017]
Yayāti — the middle son of Nahuṣa and Virajā, the mind-

born daughter of Ajyapas: married Śarmiṣṭhā, daughter of

Vṛṣaparvan,¹ and had three sons by her; pleased with him

Indra gave him a golden chariot yoked with swift horses

and which became the ratha of the Paurava kings.² Became

king after his father: desire for more territory; placed his
Page3-018+ 44

younger brothers in charge of the four quarters of the king-

dom; nature of his good rule described; in the course of a

hunting expedition, he heard the cry of a girl coming out

of a well and going near it found a girl inside standing help-

less and naked; he gave her his upper cloth to wear and

lifted her up. She was Devayānī, the daughter of Śukra

and she became his wife and bore him two sons, Yadu and

Turvasu. Śukra in offering his daughter to the king asked

him not to share his bed with Śarmiṣṭhā. In a weak

moment, forgetting his promise, he yielded to the entreaties

of Śarmiṣṭhā and on this Devayānī departed to Śukra's

place. Yayāti followed her and was cursed by Śukra to

become old; but Śukra said that he could take the youth

of somebody by exchanging it for his old age. He enquired

of all his sons and all except Pūru refused to comply with

his request. With Pūru's youth he enjoyed for long the

company of Devayānī; narrated to her an old story of an

ewe found in a well, loving a ram, who was not faithful at

first but who spent ultimately a long time of enjoyment with

her. He compared himself to that ram and said that he

should thereafter bestow his thought on Hari. So he

returned his youth to Pūru and led a life of penance at

Bhṛgutunga after anointing Pūru on the throne and appoint-

ing his other sons in different parts of the kingdom; dis-

courses of, to Pūru on gentleness and friendliness to all;

was devoted to Hari. Parīkṣit compared to Yayāti for his

dharma.³ Cursed that Yadu and his line be debarred from

succeeding to the throne, though five dynasties of his sons

are distinguished like the sun's rays.⁴ Tenth in genera-

tion from Prajāpati.⁵ Went to heaven but Indra sent him

back; one version is that he stands in the antarikṣa and the

other is that he went back to heaven; met Indra and narrated

Pūru's coronation: Indra told him of the completion of his

righteousness and hence birth on the earth.⁶ Falling down,

met Aṣṭaka and the other grandsons, who cleared him of

his doubts regarding the course of fate and man's helpless-

ress, the fruits of karma, the worlds enjoyed by him, the
Page3-019+ 26

bhauma naraka, the means to get samjñā, and the duties of

four āśramas and munis.⁷ These with Pratardana, Vasuman

and Śibi offered a part of their puṇyam to make Yayāti enjoy

heaven. Śibi leading Yayāti to heaven in a golden chariot

as a result of their good deeds and truthfulness.⁸
[Footnote: 1) Bhā. VI. 6. 32; Br. III. 10. 95; 68. 12-4; M. 15. 23; Vā. 1. 143;

73. 46.]

[Footnote: 2) Ib. 93. 16-20.]

[Footnote: 3) Bhā. IX. ch. 18 (whole); 19. 1-25; XII.

3. 10; X. 60. 41; I. 12. 24; Br. III. 68. 14-105; M. 24. 50, 66; 27.

14-22; chh. 30-35; 34. 4-7; 36. 6-13; Vā. 93. 13-16 and 20-76.]

[Footnote: 4) Bhā.

X. 45. 13; 74. 36; Br. III. 71. 202; 74. 275; Vā. 93. 76-102.]

[Footnote: 5) M. 25. 4.]

[Footnote: 6) Ib. 35. 4-5; chh. 36-37.]

[Footnote: 7) Ib. chh. 38-40.]

[Footnote: 8) Ib. 42. 13-28; 273. 80.]
[ID=11222]

— The Purana Index

Vedic Yayāti: Textual Analysis

1 definition

An ancient sacrificer and descendant of Nahusha in Vedic literature.

— The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects

Yayāti as a Yāma Deva

1 definition

a Yama deva

— The Purana Index

Read ययाति in the app

All the contexts on this page, offline — and the word becomes yours to keep, annotate and come back to.

Favorite ययाति to save it
Add your own notes
Search by Context
Declension tables offline
Syncs through iCloud

Definitions on this page come from 12 works: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary, Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872), Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899), Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary, The Purana Index, The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects, Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon.