Page:The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa (1884).djvu/290

256 And when a full thousand years have elapsed, returning to thee thy youth I shall take back my weakness with this decrepitude.'

"Yadu replied, 'There are innumerable inconveniences in decrepitude, in respect of drinking and eating. Therefore, O king, I shall not take thy decrepitude. This is, indeed, my determination. White hair on the head, cheerlessness, a relaxation of the nerves, wrinkles all over the body, deformities, weakness of the limbs, emaciation, incapacity to work, defeat at the hands of friends and companions, these are the consequences of decrepitude. Therefore, O king, I desire not to take it. O king, thou hast many sons some of whom are dearer to thee. Thou art acquainted with the precepts of virtue: ask some other son of thine to take thy decrepitude.'

"Yayati replied, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son, but thou givest me not thy youth. Therefore thy children shall never be kings' And he continued, addressing another son of his, 'O Turvasu, take thou this weakness of mine along with my decrepitude. With thy youth, O son, I like to enjoy the pleasures of life. And after the expiration of a full thousand years I shall give thee thy youth, and take back from thee my weakness and decrepitude!'

"Turvasu then replied, "' [sic]I do not like decrepitude, O father! It destroyeth all appetites and enjoyments, strength and beauty of person, the intellect, and even life.' Yayati told him, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son! But thou givest me not thy youth. Therefore, O Turvasu, thy race shall be extinct. Wretch, thou shalt be the king of those whose practices and precepts are impure, amongst whom men of inferior blood procreate children in women of superior blood, who live on meat, who are mean, who hesitate not to appropriate the wives of their superiors, whose practices are as those of birds and beasts, who are sinful, and non-Aryan.

Visampayana said, "Yayati having thus cursed his son Turvasu then addressed Sharmishta's son Druhyu thus:—'O Druhyu, take thou for a thousand years my decrepitude destructive of complexion and personal beauty and give me thy youth. And when a thousand years have passed away I shall return thee thy youth and take back my own weakness,