ing Sudry was very happy with Godash and soon declared him crown prince. Godash grew in wisdom, knowledge and piety. Four years passed in this way when a strange event took place which changed everything. While the king was wandering on the banks of the river, he smelt a powerful fragrance coming from somewhere. He followed the scent, which led him to a lovely lady who lived near the river. She happened to be the daughter of a fisherman. Her name was Yavati. No sooner did the king see her than he fell in love with her. He forgot all his asceticism and asked the lady to marry him. The lady would not submit till her father had given his consent. The father was very happy to have a king as his son-in-law, but he put this condition to the king, “You must promise that the child born of my daughter will be the king after you.” Though the king was enchanted by the beauty of the maid, he could not bind himself to this condition as Godash was his first son and heir apparent. Though love-lorn, the king returned to Hastin without Yavati. The king could not, however, concentrate on anything else and his health began to deteriorate. He took no interest in food, drink or sport. Godash, who was intelligent, did not fail to see the sudden change in his father’s health. He was worried but could not understand the reason for his father’s failing health. After a few days, he made himself bold enough to ask his father, “My dear father, since your return from the forest you have not been at all at ease and your health is declining daily. Please tell me the reason for this.” The king said that he was worried because he had only one son. He wondered how his progeny would be carried on if something happened to his only son. This answer did not satisfy Godash.

Godash summoned the charioteer who had lead the father to the river and asked him what had happened
on their trip there. Hesitatingly the charioteer revealed how the king had fallen in love with Yavati, the daughter of the fisherman, but could not marry her because of the strange demand of her father. Now Godash understood the real reason for the failing health of his father. Straight away, he took the same charioteer and went to the hut of the fisherman on the bank of the river. The prince said, “I have come to take my stepmother to the kingdom of Hastin.” But, the fisherman said, “I am highly honored by the visit of the royal guest but what about my condition? You are the heir apparent to the throne. How will my grandson ascend the throne as long as you are there?” Godash at once pronounced, “I disown all my right to be the king after my father’s death. Your grandson will become the king. I will never claim the title of king. You can thus rest assured. I hereby solemnly renounce all my right to be the future king. Are you now satisfied?” The fisherman was very happy but he wanted to make doubly sure that Godash’s sons and grandsons would not claim the right to the throne. So he asked him again, “What guarantee do I have that your sons and grandsons would not demand the throne in future?” Godash then solemnly declared that he would remain a celibate all his life and would never get married so there would not be any question of his progeny ascending the throne of Hastin. The gods in heaven were overjoyed by this solemn promise of Godash and showered him with flower petals from heaven, shouting loudly, “Godash, Godash” which means a person who takes a solemn vow and fulfills it.

With the consent of the fisherman-chieftain, Godash escorted his new stepmother mother Yavati to the palace and produced her before his father. The father could not believe his eyes. He was so proud of his son that he showered on him the boon ‘DEATH AT WILL.’ In other words, death would not touch him until he
wished to die. Later, King Sudry came to know that Yavati was not the daughter of the fisherman but of a king. She was simply brought up by the fisherman chief since the age of twelve. He therefore married her
according to the sacred rituals and later she gave birth to two sons, Zolos and Virzos. After the death of King Sudry, Godash became the guardian of the two boys. Zolos became the king soon, but he died an early death. Virzos then was crowned king. Godash continued to guide the young ruler.

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