देवयानीdevayānīN. of the daughter of Śukra, preceptor of the Asuras. [She fell in love with Kacha, her father's pupil, but he…
Name of the daughter of Śukra, preceptor of the Asuras. [She fell in love with Kacha, her father's pupil, but he rejected her advances. On this she cursed the youth, who in return cursed her that she should become the wife of a Kṣatriya (See कच.) Once upon a time Devayānī and her companion Śarmiṣṭhā, the daughter of Vṛiṣaparvan, the king of the Daityas, went to bathe keeping their clothes on the shore. But the god Wind changed their clothes, and when they were dressed they began to quarrel about the change until Śarmiṣṭhā, so far lost her temper that she, slapped Devayānī's face, and threw her into a well. There she remained until she was seen and rescued by Yayāti, who, with the consent of her father, married her, and Śarmiṣṭhā became her servant as a recompense for her insulting conduct towards her. Devayānī lived happily with Yayāti for some years and bore him two sons, Yadu and Turvasu. Subsequently her husband became enamoured of Śarmiṣṭhā, and Devayānī, feeling herself aggrieved, abruptly left her husband and went home to her father, who at her request condemned Yayāti with the infirmity of old age; see Yayāti also.]
