J ne day Viṣaparva's daughter Śarmiṣṭhā, who was innocent bur angry by nature, was walking in the palace garden with Devayānī, the daughter of Śukrācārya, and thousands of friends. The garden was filled with lotuses and with trees bearing flowers and fruits, and it was inhabited by sweetly singing birds and bumblebees.
When the lotus-eyed young girls came to the bank of a reservoir of water, they wanted to enjoy bathing there. Thus they left their clothes on the bank and began sporting, throwing water on one another. While sporting in the water, the girls suddenly saw Lord Śiva passing by, seated on the back of his bull with his wife, Pārvatī. Ashamed because they were naked, the girls quickly got out of the water and covered themselves with their garments.
Śarmiṣṭhā unknowingly put on Devayānī's clothes, thus angering Devayānī, who then spoke as follows: "Oh, just see the activities of this servant-maid Śarmiṣṭhā! Disregarding all etiquette, she has put on my clothes, just like a dog snatching clarified butter meant for use in a sacrifice."
When thus rebuked in cruel words, Śarmiṣṭhā became very angry. Breathing heavily like a serpent and biting her lower lip, she spoke to the daughter of Śukrācārya as follows: "You beggar! Since you don't understand your position, why should you talk so much? Don't you wait at our house, depending on us for your livelihood like a crow?" With these unkind words Śarmiṣṭhā rebuked Devayānī, and then she took away Devayānī's garments, threw her into a well, and went home.
Meanwhile King Yayāti, while on a hunting excursion, happened upon the well in search of a drink of water, and there in the well he saw Devayānī. When he saw that she was naked, Yayāti immediately gave her his upper cloth. Being very kind to her, he caught her hand with his own and lifted her out. With words saturated with love and affection, Devayānī said to King Yayāti, "O great hero, O king, Oconqueror of the cities of your enemies, by accepting my hand you have accepted me as your married wife. Let me not be touched by others, for our relationship as husband and wife has been made possible by providence, not by any human being."
Because such a marriage is not sanctioned by regular scriptures, King Yayāti did not like it, but because it was arranged by Providence and because he was attracted by Devayānī's beauty, he accepted her request.