PADMA PURANA

King Yayati discards Indra’s offer to Swarga and prefers Vishnu Dhaam’

Yayati thus discarded Matali’s offer of going to Swarga as proposed by Matali; instead he would prefer targetting Vishnu loka. Yayati said:
Vidyamaanehi samsaarey Krishna -naamani Mahoushadhey, Maanavaa maranam yaanti paapavyaadhi prapeeditaah/
Na pibanti mahaa muddhaah Krishna naama rasaayanam/

(The name of Shri Krishna is the best possible medicine; it is absurd that even as this unique medicine is available, human beings continue to be victims of sins and diseases and reach ‘Mrityu’ (death); how stupid are they not to savor Krishna-Rasayana? Bhagavan’s Puja, Dhyaan, Niyam, Satya-bhashan and Daana would certainly cleanse a human body of blemishes and sins and as such there was no question of accepting Indra’s offer to visit Indraloka, affirmed Yayati to Matali. After Matali had left for Indraloka, Yayati called his Officials and instructed them to spread the message of Vaishnav Dharma far and wide in his Kingdom among all irrespective of Varnashrama. The message stated : Raja Yayati has brought ‘Amrit’ for every body’s consumption; the Amrit is of Vaishnav Dharma: 

Shri Keshavam klesha harim varenyamaananda rupam paramarthamevya,
Naamaamritam dosha haram tu Raajnaa Aaneetamatraiva pibuntu lokaah/
Shri Padma naabham Kamalekshanamcha Aadhaara rupam jagataam Mahesham/ Paapaaham Vyaadhivinaasha rupa maananda -dam Daanava Daitya naashanam/
Yagnaga Rupam cha Rathaangapaanim Punyaakaram Soukhyamantarupam/
Visvaadhi vaasam Vimalam Viraamam ramaabhidhaanam Ramanam Muraarim/
Aditya Rupam tamasaam vinaasham Chandra prakaasham Mala Pankajaanaam/ Sashankha paanim Madhusudanaakhyam tam Shrinivaasam Sagunam Suresham/ Naamaamritam doshaharam su punyamadhhtya yo Mahava Vishnu Bhaktaha,
Prabhaata kaley niyatho Mahaatma sa yati muktim na hi kaaranamcha/

(Bhagavan Keshava is the ‘Paraartha Tatva’ which demolishes the difficulties of one and all; He is Sarva Sreshtha and Ananda Rupa; his naama-amrita purifies all kinds of imperfections; King Yayati has made this Amrit easily accessible and all the persons in the Kingdom could take it as much as possible. A beautiful lotus got materialised from Vishnu’s navel and his eyes were like sparkles; these were the firm holds of the entire Universe, signifying Parameswara destroying sins, providing happiness and blowing up Daityas and Danavas. His Swarupa is endless, eternal and all-pervading; He is famous by the name of Rama Nama; He is the antagonist of Mura and the destroyer of darkness; He is Aditya Rupa and Lakshmi Niwasa, or the seat of prosperity; whosoever takes his sacred name by the morning and evening would most certainly attain Moksha!). As the entire population of Yayati’s Kingdom followed the Great Principles of Vishnu Worship in full and unreservd form, there was propitiousness all around; there were no ‘Tapa Trayas’ viz. Adhi Bhautika (Natural Calamities), Adhyatmika (Physical / mental / psychological /internal) and Adhi Daivika (on account of Grahas, Spirits, or exta-sensory nature); no untimely deaths; no discontenment and no interaction of ‘Arishad Vargas’!

By witnessing the unique popularity of King Yayati all over the Universe and also becoming jealous of his youthful vigour to continue as the King by the grace of Lord Vishnu whose Vishnu Tatva was vehemently popularised all over, Indra desired to weaken Yayati psychologically and bring him to disrepute. He instructed Kama Deva and Devi Rati to enact a Drama along with Gandharvas in which Yayati would get passionate by the beauty of the actress; Yayati fainted during the course of the Drama and Kamadeva entered the body of Yayati and got him old. As Yayati got infatuated with the daughter of Kama Deva couples viz. Ashrubindumati, the latter stipulated the terms of wedding that Yayati’s earlier wives Sharmishtha and Devayani should be abandoned and that Yayati should regain his youth. Taru and Yadu the two sons of Sharmishtha refused to take over Yayati’s old age in lieu of their youth but Devayani’s son Puru agreed readily. Yayati enjoyed his youth for twenty five thousand years and as a token of gratitude made Puru the King.