me not thy youth. Therefore, thy children shall never be kings.' And he
continued, addressing another son of his, 'O Turvasu, take thou this
weakness of mine along with my decrepitude. With thy youth, O son, I like
to enjoy the pleasure of life. After the lapse of a full thousand years I
shall give back to thee thy youth, and take back from thee my weakness
and decrepitude.'

"Turvasu replied, 'I do not like decrepitude, O father, it takes away all
appetites and enjoyments, strength and beauty of person, intellect, and
even life.' Yayati said to him, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son!
But thou givest me not thy youth! Therefore, O Turvasu, thy race shall be
extinct. Wretch, thou shall be the king of those whose practices and
precepts are impure, amongst whom men of inferior blood procreate
children upon women of blue blood, who live on meat, who are mean, who
hesitate not to appropriate the wives of their superiors, whose practices
are those of birds and beasts, who are sinful, and non-Aryan.'

"Vaisampayana said, 'Yayati, having thus cursed his son Turvasu, then,
addressed Sarmishtha's son Drahyu thus, 'O Drahyu, take thou for a
thousand years my decrepitude destructive of complexion and personal
beauty and give me thy youth. When a thousand years have passed away, I
shall return thee thy youth and take back my own weakness, and
decrepitude.' To this Drahyu replied, 'O king, one that is decrepit can
never enjoy elephants and cars and horses and women. Even his voice
becometh hoarse. Therefore, I do not desire (to take) thy decrepitude.'
Yayati said to him, 'Thou art sprung from my heart, O son! But thou
refusest to give me thy youth. Therefore, thy most cherished desires
shall never be fulfilled. Thou shalt be king only in name, of that region
where there are no roads for (the passage of) horses and cars and
elephants, and good vehicles, and asses, and goats and bullocks, and