Yayati's grandsons test and then rescue him
Yayati, having fallen from heaven for his pride, is found by his grandsons Ashtaka, Vasumana, and Shibi. Each offers him their own heavenly worlds as a gift or a sale, but Yayati refuses them all, insisting he cannot accept what he has not earned. His unwavering righteousness moves them to a different kind of rescue.
Yayati was falling.
He had been a universal emperor, a king who conquered the earth and gave it all away to Brahmanas. He had performed a hundred ashvamedha (horse sacrifices) and a hundred vajapeya (drink-of-strength) sacrifices. For his righteousness, he had earned a place in heaven. But pride had crept in. He had begun to think himself superior to everyone, even the gods. For that, he was cast down.
He landed on earth, near a sacred tirtha (ford). There, his grandsons found him — three kings: Ashtaka, Vasumana, and Shibi. They did not recognize the fallen man as their maternal grandfather. They saw only a radiant being, clearly from a higher realm, and they were curious.
Vasumana spoke first. "O lord of men, I am Vasumana. I ask you: are there any worlds in heaven for me? I think you know the subject of dharma."
Yayati looked at him. "In the sky, on earth, in the directions, wherever the sun radiates its heat — eternal worlds are waiting for you in heaven."
Vasumana was pleased. "Then I give them all to you. Do not keep falling. Let all my worlds be yours." He saw Yayati's hesitation and added, "O king, if it is improper for you to accept them as a gift, buy them with a piece of straw."
Yayati shook his head. "From childhood, I have not taken anything in a wrong way. I do not remember any false sale. If I do what others refuse to accept, how can that bring my welfare?"
Vasumana pressed. "If it is improper to purchase them, take these worlds from me as a gift. I will certainly never go there. Therefore, let these worlds be yours."
Yayati remained silent. He would not accept.
Then Shibi, son of Ushinara, stepped forward. "O father, I am Shibi. I ask you if there are any worlds, in the sky or in heaven, that are for me."
Yayati's assessment was immediate. "O lord of men, in speech and in your heart, you have never refused anyone who asked you. Therefore, eternal worlds await you in heaven, great, prosperous and radiant as lightning."
Shibi, like Vasumana, offered his inheritance. "O king, accept these worlds as yours. If you don't wish to accept them as a gift, purchase them. I will not accept them, now that I have given them to you. Go to those worlds."
Yayati replied, "O Shibi, you are indeed the equal of Indra in influence. Your worlds are infinite. But I derive no pleasure from worlds that are given to me. Therefore, I cannot accept what you have given."
Ashtaka, the third grandson, finally spoke, summarizing the impasse. "O king, you have not welcomed any of our worlds. But we have given them all to you. You will now go to hell."
Yayati's answer was calm, rooted in a lifetime of discipline. "You have given to one who is deserving of gifts. All of you are strict in your righteousness and devoted to the truth. But I do not have the courage to do what I have not done earlier."
He would not break his own code, even to save himself from a second fall.
Then Ashtaka pointed. "We see these five golden chariots before us. Who do they belong to? They are high and shining, blazing like the flames of fire."
Yayati looked. "These five golden chariots, high and shining and blazing like the flames of fire, will bear you."
"O king," said Ashtaka, "climb into your chariot and ride valorously in the sky. We will follow you when our time comes."
Yayati's refusal had been a test they all passed. His righteousness had activated their own. "All of us must go together," he said. "All of us have conquered heaven. Look, our path to the world of the gods has become visible."
Lighting up the sky and earth with the glory of their collective merit, the four kings and Yayati ascended the five chariots and departed for heaven.
As they flew, Ashtaka noticed something. "I thought that I would be the first one to leave. The great-souled Indra has always been my friend. How is it that the vehicle of Shibi, son of Ushinara, has speedily outpaced us?"
Yayati explained. "Shibi, Ushinara’s son, has given up all his riches for the path of the gods. Therefore, he is the best among us. Gifts, austerities, truthfulness, dharma, humility, riches, forgiveness, equanimity and forbearance—King Shibi has always had them all, in incomparable measure. He is a learned king who has never been cruel. He is also restrained by his modesty. It is for these reasons that his chariot now outpaces ours."
Driven by curiosity, Ashtaka turned to the radiant being beside him. "O king, I ask you. Please tell me truthfully. Where have you come from? Who do you belong to? Whose son are you?"
Yayati revealed himself. "I am Yayati, the son of Nahusha and Puru’s father. I was a universal emperor on earth. You are my relatives. So I am revealing the secret to you. I am your maternal grandfather."
He told them of his conquests, his gifts to the Brahmanas, and his fall from grace. "Thus, the great-souled king, who was the scourge of his enemies, was saved by his grandsons." He did not ascend on stolen merit or a purchased ticket. He ascended because his unwavering adherence to his own dharma inspired his grandsons to share the fruit of theirs, and together, their combined righteousness forged a new path skyward.