LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT AND YAYATI COMPLEX

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT AND YAYATI COMPLEX

 

The "TITANIC" film portrays the "Love at First Sight" by the lead pair Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.  This 1997 epic American movie is an all time classic blockbuster in the history of World Cinema.  This film  had rewritten the Box Office and was the most successful Hollywood movie at that time.

The story of TITANIC is about a ship wreck and the budding romance between the young couple Leonardo and Kate in the back drop.  The duo fall in love at the first sight.   Titanic is a poignant love story.  This film catapulted DiCaprio and Kate's acting career globally and in Hollywood.

 

 

 

The seasoned veteran producer, director, writer and editor James Cameroon made this magnum opus movie.  This was a movie which created history when it released and still afresh in our memory chord.  James Cameroon is a Canadian film maker who is famous for making epic films.

 

When we talk about falling in love at the first sight by the lovers, we recall the love tale of Yayati and princess Sarmishtha  from Mahabharat who had fallen in love at first sight.  The clandestine  affair produced many children with a well kept secret for long.

 

As usual like in all the other mythological stories there are boons and banes in this as well.  

 

Sarmishtha was the daughter of Vishaparva, king of the Asuras and Devyani was the daughter of Shukra, guru of the Asuras.  They were both the best of friends until one day they had a fight.

 

After a swim in a pond, while dressing up hurriedly, Devyani wore Sarmishtha's robes by mistake.   A livid Sarmishtha called Devyani a thief and her father a beggar.  She then pushed Devyani into a well and walked away in a royal huff.

Devyani narrated the entire story to her father with a storm of tears and wailing.  Her father consoled her saying that he will teach Sarmishtha, the Asura princess, a lesson. He said to Devyani that until the king apologies for his daughter's misbehavior, he will not perform any yagna for them.

 

The king Vishaparva begged Shukra to change his mind and restart the yagnas, without them he was powerless against his eternal enemies, the Devas.  Shukra agreed with a condition that Sarmishtha must become Devyani's maid then only I will return to your sacrificial hall.

 

Vishaparva had no choice but to agree. 

 

However, this humiliation was a blessing in disguise for Sarmishtha.

 

It so happened that the man who rescued Devyani from the well was Yayati, a Chandra-vamsi king.  During the rescue act, Yayati had held Devyani by her hand.  She said to him, 'As you have held me, a virgin, by my hand, you are obliged to take me as your wife as per scriptures.

 

 

Yayati was equally well informed about the scriptures.  He came to Shukra's hermitage, and with his blessings married Devyani and took her to his kingdom.  

 

Devyani insisted that his maid accompany her to Yayati's palace.  'As you wish my queen', said Yayati.  A humiliated Sarmishtha had no choice but to escort the queen.

 

One day Sarmishtha caught the eye of Yayati. It was love at first sight. Unlike Devyani,who had priestly blood in her veins, Sarmishtha had royal blood in her veins and spirit to match.  And this pleased Yayati greatly.  The duo got married secretly and even had offspring.  And this was the blessing in disguise for Sarmishtha.

 

Devyani was unaware of their affair.  She was told by Sarmishtha that a palace guard was her children's father.  

 

One day Devyani found out the truth when Sarmishtha's son called Yayati as his father.  A startled Devyani once again turned to her father Shukra and sought justice.  Shukra wanted to teach a lesson to his cheating son-in-law and cursed him that he will be old and  impotent. The curse took immediate effect. 

 

However, with this curse the worst sufferer was Devyani herself as a weak and old husband was no value to anyone. 

 

Shukra, however, could not reverse his curse.  All he could was modify it.   He told to Yayati that he will regain his youth and potency, if one of his sons accepts the curse on his behalf.

 

Yayati immediately summoned his sons.  Yadu his eldest son born of Devyani refused to suffer on his father's behalf.   

'Is it not against dharma to reverse the march of time, make the son renounce the world, when it is time for the father to do so', he questioned.

Yayati then turned to Puru, his youngest son, born of Sarmishtha.  Puru agreed.  Thus, Puru turned old while his father enjoyed his youth.  He coughed and stammered and stooped on a stick, while Yayati embraced his  wives, went on hunts and fought wars. 

Years later, Yayati realized that this life does not give contentment and he released Puru from the effects of the curse.  

When the time came to announce a successor,  Yayati declared Puru, though the youngest to adorn his throne.  Because he suffered for me, explained Yayati.

 

Yadu was not only denied the throne but also cursed by  Yayati that Yadu and his descendants will never be kings.

 

The descendants of  Yadu was called Yadavas.

Krishna would be born in the Yadava clan.  Like other Yadavas, he would never be king, only a kingmaker.

 

Puru became the patriarch of the illustrious Kuru clan.  From him descended the Kauravas and Pandavas.

 

The Indian worldview, proposed the theory of the Yayati complex  where father demands a sacrifice from the son an opposite to Oedipus complex from Greek mythology.