Shloka 46

Śukra’s Ultimatum and Devayānī’s Demand (शुक्र-प्रतिज्ञा तथा देवयानी-वर-याचना)

Devanagari script

पौरवेणाथ वयसा राजा यौवनमास्थित: । यायातेनापि वयसा राज्यं पूरुरकारयत्‌,ययाति स्वयं पूरूकी नयी अवस्था लेकर नौजवान बन गये। इधर पूरु भी राजा ययातिकी अवस्था लेकर उसके द्वारा राज्यका पालन करने लगे

Transliteration

vaishampāyana uvāca | pauraveṇātha vayasā rājā yauvanam āsthitaḥ | yāyātenāpi vayasā rājyaṃ pūrur akārayat ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Da trat der König, indem er Pūrus Alter auf sich nahm, abermals in die Jugend ein. Und Pūru, der Yayātis Alter übernommen hatte, verwaltete das Reich in Yayātis Namen. Die Begebenheit hebt das moralische Gewicht kindlicher Pflicht und Selbsthingabe hervor und zeigt die ethische Spannung zwischen dem persönlichen Begehren eines Herrschers und den rechtmäßigen Lasten des Königtums.

Word by Word

पौरवेणby/with (the) Paurava (age of Pūru)

अथthen

वयसाby (that) age

राजाthe king (Yayāti)

यौवनम्youth

आस्थितःhaving attained/assumed

ययातेनby Yayāti

अपिalso/even

वयसाby (that) age

राज्यम्the kingdom

पूरुःPūru

अकारयत्caused (it) to be administered/ruled; had (it) governed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yayāti

Pūru

rājya (the kingdom)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of putting duty above personal comfort: Pūru accepts old age to uphold his father’s wish and the stability of the kingdom, illustrating filial responsibility and the burdens inherent in kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yayāti takes on Pūru’s youth and becomes young again, while Pūru assumes Yayāti’s old age and governs the kingdom in Yayāti’s place.