Yayati 5- Sharmishta

(31) Finally, I had my revenge! Today I am the queen-mother Mother of Puru, King Emperor The youngest emperor ever Adorned the throne of Hastinapura. (32) I was borne the princess Daughter of the asura king. Life was a bed of roses Until we attacked devas Father wanting to conquer All the fourteen worlds. Defeat did not deter him Attacked again; repelled again. Hope returned with Aacharya Who had with him daughter Devayani And mantra Mrutasanjeevani That gave life back to the dead. (33) Father bowed before Aacharya And I, before the proud Devayani. Why name her Devayani? She wanted to be called Deva I refused, for Devas were Our sworn enemies. When we played, she always Was the queen and I the dasi. ..........But, said father, I could not weep ..........For princesses keep their nose up. (34) We started winning the wars With Aacharaya and his mantra Awaited the final kill So father crowns himself The King of Devalok. First step To the crown of the universe. (35) Then came Kacha, the handsome Son of the aacharya of Devas And enrolled with Aacharya. He made friends with Devayani And she needed me no longer; They were in love! Rumours had it that Kacha came To steal Mrutasanjeevani. Father wanted him ousted; Refused, he had him killed But Aacharya gave him life Back, again and again. Finally his ashes were fed To Aacharya with wine. So he was advised the mantra So, both could live. And, the mantra in his bag Kacha left us for good. (36) Devayani grieving for his lover Fell from grace, subdued. My pleasure knew no bounds. Next battle we fought sans mantra We were defeated. Dreams shattered. Everybody grieved with father. (37) One weak moment, overwhelmed by anger I pushed Devayani into a ditch and fled. When I was called to her presence Emperor Yayati had her hands in his And she ordered me to go with her As her maid. I cried in vain. (38) Yayati's palace in Hastinapura, I had noticed lust in his eyes Whenever I crossed his path. His longing eyes followed me Everywhere. I had my vengeance When I had him in my quarters. I concealed Puru from Devayani Until he was fourteen, when her Probing eyes found his truth. My son, grandson of Asura King Son of King Emperor.But destined To be borne in a dasi's quarters. .........I wanted him the next King Emperor .........In vain, I knew. Still... (39) Irate, Aacharya cursed the emperor To be a thousand years old.Devoid of his youth, right before my eyes. Aacharya yielded finally to his beseeches: he could trade his wrinkles For youth, with anybody willing. Eerie silence followed. Barely able to stand erect The emperor looked longingly At every young face in the court. Before he could wink his eyes Everybody fled. Left alone In the court, he quivered And Devayani laughed aloud. (40) Into the deadly silence Entered Yadu, the first born, The Crown Prince, Son of Devayani. Said Yayati, 'Give me your youth And the throne is yours'. Taken aback, the youth said 'I want to enjoy my life; The throne is anyway mine.' 'No, it's mine. It is his Who gives me his youth and accepts my wrinkles', Cried the emperor. (41) Puru lead me into this melee. Before his failing eyes could Recognize us, emperor heard 'Father, my youth is yours And I don't want the throne.' There stood the emperor In all his youth; my fourteen Year-old child gray and wrinkled. .........I felt proud of my son! Yayati relinquished the throne And made him accept it. .........Suddenly it dawned on me, .........I was the Queen-Mother. I had the last laugh, Or did I? (42) Still, whenever I set my eyes On my little son, Just fourteen years old, Now as old as the seas, my heart Broke. An ocean of tears Welled up in my mind. But queen-mother should not weep. And I have to run the empire For my son was a novice. (43) Still, When I was alone in my anthapura I wept my heart out, for my son. Yayati's searching hands on me, That I wanted all over my body still youthful, made me now quiver in disgust. For my heart filled With the images of my son gray to his Eye-lids; wrinkled as Aashadh skies. It broke my heart to see him Shunned by the sweet little damsels His erstwhile playmates. ..........Still, I should not weep ..........For I was the Queen-Mother!