The story of Yayati in the Mahabharata shows how hard it is to shake off the grip that our desires have over us, said Akkarakkani Srinidhi, in a discourse. Yayati marries Devayani, the daughter of Sukracharya, but in course of time falls in love with her friend Sharmishtha. Angered by the conduct of his son-in-law, Sukracharya curses Yayati with premature ageing. He tells Yayati that the only way out of the cursed state is if someone willingly trades his youth for Yayati’s old age. Yayati is unable to find anyone willing to do this. Finally, one of Yayati’s sons comes forward, and gives up his youth to his father, so that the latter can enjoy the pleasures of youth. Yayati lives the life of a youth for several years, and then decides to give back his youth to the son who gave it to him. But the son refuses, saying that his father will never be able to part willingly with youth, because he is a slave to his desires. Desires are like a fire, and we only keep adding fuel to this fire, as we seek more and more pleasures in life.
Yet another moral story shows the power of desires. A snake caught a male frog, and was in the process of swallowing it. Most of the frog had been swallowed, and only its face remained outside the snake’s mouth. A little further away, another snake was similarly swallowing a female frog, and here too, most of the frog had been swallowed, with only the face of the frog being visible outside the snake’s mouth. Death was certain to both frogs. They were living their final moments. And yet, when they saw each other, they fell in love! Such is the power of desire. Even when we are on the verge of death, the pull of worldly pleasures is great.