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Lession 2 YAYATI
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. Who was Emperor Yayati ?
Ans. Emperor Yayati was one of the ancestors of the Pandavas.
Q. 2. How did Yayati become old? Who cursed him ?
Ans. Yayati became prematurely old for having wronged his wife Devyani. Shukracharya cursed him.
Q. 3. Was Yayati deviod of sexual desires ?
Ans. No, he was not.
Q. 4. What was the reply of his eldest son ?
Ans. His eldest son replied that he could not do so, as the women and servants would mock at him if he took upon himself his father's old age.
Q. 5. Why did he become angry?
Ans. He becomes angry as his three sons had declined to do as he wished.
II. Answer the following questions briefly :
Q. 1. What are the symptoms of an old man ?
Ans. In the old age strength and beauty are destroyed. An old man cannot ride a horse or an elephant. His speech falters. He has to seek the help of others even to keep his body clean.
Q. 2. Who was Puru? Did he accept his father's proposal ?
Ans. Puru was the youngest son of Yayati. Yes, he gladly accepted his father's proposal. He gave him his youth and relieved him of the sorrows of old age and the cares of the state.
Q. 3. Sexual desire is everlasting. Whose thought is this?
Ans. That sexual desire is everlasting has been a very ancient thought but Yayati could realise this when he indulged in sexual pleasure.
Q. 4. Why did Yayati resume his old age ?
Ans. Yayati took back his old age as he had realised the unquenchable nature of sexual desire.
Q. 5. Do corn, gold, cattle and woman satisfy the desire of a man?
Ans. No. Corn, gold, cattle and women-nothing can ever satisfy the desires of man.
III. Answer the following questions briefly
Q. 1. What was Yayati famous for ?
Ans. Yayati was famous for his devotion to the welfare of his subjects.
Q. 2. Why did Yayati call his sons ?
Ans. Yayati had become prematurely old because of the curse of Shukracharya. He wanted to enjoy life in the full vigour of youth. So he called his sons, hoping that one of them would bear the burden of his old age and give his youth in return.
Q. 3. What did he say to them ?
Ans. He told his sons that he had become old prematurely because of the curse of Shukracharya and that he wanted to enjoy life in the full vigour of youth, as he had so far denied himself even lawful pleasures. He requested his sons that one of them should bear the burden of his old age and give his youth in return. He also promised that the son who would bestow his youth on him would be the ruler of the kingdom.
Q. 4. Which son agreed to give Yayati his youth and take his old age?
Ans. Puru, the youngest son, agreed to give Yayati his youth and take his old age.
Q. 5. Why did Yayati go to the garden of
Ans. Yayati went to the garden of Kubera as he could not quench his desire by indulging in the pleasures on the earth. It was his effort to quench his desire that led him to the garden of Kubera where he lived with an Apsara maiden.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q. 1. Why did Yayati become prematurely old? Why did he dislike it?
Ans. Yayati became prematurely old as a result of a curse by Shukracharya, his father-in-law, for having wronged his wife Devayani. He disliked this as it destroyed his beauty and made his life miserable. Besides, he had not had his feel of the joys of life for he did not know that he would become old so suddenly. So now he was filled with a strong desire to enjoy life in the full vigour of youth.
Q.2. In order to enjoy the pleasures of youth, Yayati wished to take the youth of one of his sons. Was he right in doing so ? Explain with arguments of your own.
Ans. Every person has the right to enjoy the pleasures of youth. There is nothing wrong with this. However, there is a proper time for everything. Yayati should have enjoyed the pleasures of youth along with his other duties and responsibilities. If he had denied himself even lawful pleasures, it was his fault and this in no way entitled him to rob one of his sons of his share of worldly pleasures. It is true that the sons should also think of their father's happiness and what Puru did was right from the viewpoint of a true son. However, what Yayati requested was not befitting a father. He should have accepted his fate gracefully.
Q. 3. Write in your own words the responses of the first three sons to their father's request.
Ans. The first three sons outrightly rejected the proposal of their father. The eldest son said that the women and servants would mock him if he took upon himself his father's old age. The second son declined the proposal by saying that old age destroys not only strength and beauty but also wisdom and he was not strong enough to do that. The third son pointed out the helplessness that the old age brings with it-inability to ride a horse or an elephant in addition to faltering speech. He refused to be in such a helpless plight.
Q. 4. How did the fourth son respond to his father's appeal? How would you have responded if you were the fourth son ?
Ans. The fourth son responded from the core of his heart. He was moved by filial love. So, he said, "Father, I gladly give you my youth and relieve you of the sorrows of old age and the cares of State be happy."
If I were the fourth son, I would respond in the same manner. I would try to understand the urgency and do everything to lessen the grief of my father. the rational in me I would have listened to my heart. I would remember all good things my father had done for me and seize the opportunity to do something in return.
Q. 5. Why did Puru agree to give his youth to his father and take his father's old age in the bargain ? Did he do the right thing?
Ans. Puru agreed to give his youth to his father and take his father's old age in the bargain because he was moved by filial love. He could not see his mighty father begging for anything. He could not bear the disappointment of his caring father.
From the rational point of view Puru might have erred; but from the point of view of a son's duty to his father, what he did was very right. A son's life is the blessings of his father. His very existence is because of his father. The latter also saves his son from all hardships and prepares him for the future life. If such a loving father is caught in a predicament, it is the duty of the son to protect him. Yayati cannot be defended for making such a request, but Puru's act of accepting the request suggests the nobility of his character.
Q. 6. Is it right for a father to make such a request to his sons as Yayati did ?
Ans. No, it is not right for a father to make such a request to his sons as Yayati did. A father is a role model for his sons. He should set high examples of character before them. If the father becomes helpless before sexual pleasures, the sons will also find it difficult to resist them. Yayati should have accepted his old age gracefully and taught his sons how to tackle the adversities in life.
Q. 7. Were the four sons justified in refusing their father's request? If yes, give reasons.
Ans. From the worldly or materialistic point of view, the four sons may be justified in refusing their father's request. After all, every individual has the right to enjoy his share of pleasures. However, ideally, the four sons were not justified in refusing their father's request. Yayati's request might not have been very graceful and befitting his fatherly stature but the way the four sons refused and highlighted the predicament of the old age was not very ideal. They refused because they were not ready to accept the miseries of the old age. An ideal son must always be ready to do everything in his capacity to please his father, his creator on the earth.
Q. 8. What lesson do you learn from this story?
Ans. Yayati gives us a very good lesson on the insatiable nature of sexual desire. We come to know that no object of desire-corn, gold, cattle and women-nothing can ever satisfy the desires of man. The more the indulgence in sexual pleasures, the more insatiable it becomes. We can attain peace only by a mental pose beyond likes and dislikes.
COMPREHENSION
Q. 1. Read the following Passage carefully and answer the questions given below
Emperor Yayati was one of the ancestors of the Pandavas. He had never known defeat. He followed the dictates of the sastras, adored the gods and venerated his ancestors with intense devotion. He became famous as a ruler devoted to the welfare of his subjects.He became prematurely old by the curse of Sukracharya for having wronged his wife Devayani. In the words of the poet of the Mahabharata: "Yayati attained that old age which destroys beauty and brings on miseries." It is needless to describe the misery of vigorous youth suddenly blighted into age, where the horrors of loss are accentuated by pangs of recollections.
Questions
1.Who was emperor Yayati ?
2.Why did he become prematurly old ?
3.What does happen to an old man ?
4.Was Yayati a famous ruler.
Ans. 1. Emperor Yayati was one of the ancestors of the Pandavas. The word 'defeat' had nothing to do with him. He believed in God and abided by the principles of the sastras.
2. Since he was eursed by Shukracharya, he became prematurely old. He had wronged his wife Devayani.
3. An old man is devoid of physical as well as mental vigour and vitality. His life is full of pangs and problems.
4. Of course, Yayati was a famous ruler. He was devoted to the welfare of his subjects.
Q. 2. Read the following Passage and answer the questions given below:
Yayati enjoyed life for long and, not satisfied, went later to the garden of Kubera and spent many years with an apsara malden. After long years spent in vain efforts to quench desire by indulgence, the truth dawned on him. Returning to Puru, he said:
"Dear son, sensual desire is never quenched by indulgence, any more than fire is by pouring ghee in it. I had heard and read this, but till now I had not realised it. No object of desire-corn, gold, cattle and woman-nothing can ever satisfy the desires of man. We can reach peace only by a mental pose beyond like and dislikes. Such is the state of Brahman. Take back your youth and rule the kingdom wisely and well."
With these words Yayati took back his old age. Puru, who regained his youth, was made king by Yayati who retired to the forest. He spent his time there in austerities and in due course attained heaven.
Questions
1. Why did Yayati go to the garden of Kubera ?
2. Does sensual desire come to an end by dint of indulgenee?
3. How can we attain peace?
4. What lesson do you get
Ans. 1. Since Yayati was devoid of satisfaction, he went to the garden of Kubera from these lines?
2. It is a admitted fact that sensual desire does not come to an end by dint of indulgence. Induldenge activates the antensity of sensual wishes.
3. In fact, peace is a priceless thing. It invites mental pose byond likes and dislikes.
4. These lines open-up our eyes. We snould be free from sensual desires. The world is too much with us. We should keep up the currints of peace in life.
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