The Asura princess who became Devayani's servant and Yayati's second wife.
Accounts of this vary across texts and traditions. This entry primarily follows Mahabharata, with other tellings (Puranic traditions (Harivamsha, Bhagavata Purana), Regional retellings) noted where relevant.
Sharmishtha is the daughter of the Asura king Vrishaparva. She became Devayani's servant after their quarrel, and later Yayati's secret wife. She is the mother of Puru.
Sharmishtha pushed Devayani into a well after a quarrel. To make amends to Shukracharya, her father made her Devayani's servant. She later secretly married Yayati and had sons, including Puru.
This entry is independently written for myVamsam using the sources listed above. Where traditions differ, this entry identifies the relevant tradition rather than presenting one account as universally established fact.