Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 11
Yayāti’s Renunciation: The Allegory of the He-Goat and She-Goat
सम्बद्धवृषण: सोऽपि ह्यजया कूपलब्धया । कालं बहुतिथं भद्रे कामैर्नाद्यापि तुष्यति ॥ ११ ॥
sambaddha-vṛṣaṇaḥ so ’pi hy ajayā kūpa-labdhayā kālaṁ bahu-tithaṁ bhadre kāmair nādyāpi tuṣyati
My dear wife, when the he-goat had his testicles restored, he enjoyed the she-goat he had gotten from the well, but although he continued to enjoy for many, many years, even now he has not been fully satisfied.
When one is bound by affection for one’s wife, one is attached to sexual desires that are very difficult to overcome. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, one must voluntarily leave his so-called home and go to the forest. Pañcāśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet . Human life is meant for such tapasya, or austerity. By the austerity of voluntarily stopping sex life at home and going to the forest to engage in spiritual activities in the association of devotees, one achieves the actual purpose of human life.
FAQs
This verse explains that even after long enjoyment obtained under māyā, a person driven by kāma (lust) still remains unsatisfied—desire does not end by indulgence.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating to King Parīkṣit, describing the nature of desire and illusion as part of the Ninth Canto’s historical teachings.
Recognize that repeated indulgence won’t bring lasting fulfillment; cultivate restraint, seek higher taste through bhakti (hearing and chanting), and redirect desire toward service to Bhagavān.