One example of a king who is said to have married his sister in India is the legendary king Yayati. Yayati was a ruler of the Kuru dynasty in ancient India according to Hindu mythology. He is believed to have had two wives, Devayani and Sharmishtha.
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According to the mythological tale, Devayani was the daughter of the sage Shukracharya, who was the spiritual advisor of the demons. Sharmishtha, on the other hand, was the daughter of the mighty king of the demons, Vrishaparva. Yayati married both Devayani and Sharmishtha.
The story goes that Devayani fell in love with Yayati and desired to marry him. However, Yayati was enamored by Sharmishtha’s beauty, who was Devayani’s friend. So, Yayati decided to marry both women, taking them as his wives.
Despite being married to two wives, Yayati was more partial towards Sharmishtha and started neglecting Devayani. This resulted in Devayani feeling humiliated and seeking revenge. She asked her father, Shukracharya, to curse Yayati with premature old age.
Upon being cursed, Yayati realized his mistake and pleaded with his father-in-law for forgiveness. Shukracharya agreed to revoke the curse, but under one condition – Yayati must convince one of his sons to exchange his youth with Yayati’s old age.
In this way, Yayati managed to regain his youth with the help of his youngest son, Puru. However, this incident further strained Yayati’s relationships with both Devayani and Sharmishtha. He realized the folly of his actions and the pain he had caused to his wives.
While the tale of Yayati is a prominent example of a king marrying his sister in Indian mythology, it is important to note that these stories are part of ancient legends and myths and may not have historical evidence. They are often used as moral allegories and symbolic tales rather than factual accounts of historical events.