Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 9
Yayāti’s Renunciation: The Allegory of the He-Goat and She-Goat
सोऽपि चानुगत: स्त्रैण: कृपणस्तां प्रसादितुम् । कुर्वन्निडविडाकारं नाशक्नोत् पथि सन्धितुम् ॥ ९ ॥
so ’pi cānugataḥ straiṇaḥ kṛpaṇas tāṁ prasāditum kurvann iḍaviḍā-kāraṁ nāśaknot pathi sandhitum
Der Bock, der seiner Frau hörig war, folgte ihr kummervoll auf dem Weg und versuchte sie mit Lauten zu besänftigen, doch er konnte sie nicht beruhigen.
FAQs
This verse portrays a man becoming straiṇaḥ—overly governed by his wife—so that even humiliating efforts to appease her fail, highlighting how attachment can erode steadiness and self-respect.
In the Yayāti narrative, Devayānī becomes displeased, and Yayāti—attempting to restore harmony—follows her and tries various means to win back her favor, but his efforts do not succeed.
It cautions against losing inner dignity and discernment to please others; genuine reconciliation comes from truthfulness, self-control, and respectful communication rather than desperate, performative appeasement.