Shloka 18
ययातेर्वानप्रस्थतपःस्वर्गारोहणम् | Yayāti’s Vānaprastha Austerities and Ascent to Heaven
ययातिरु्वाच विद्धयौशनसि भद्र॑ ते न त्वामहोंडस्मि भाविनि । अविवाह्दा हि राजानो देवयानि पितुस्तव,ययाति बोले--शुक्रनन्दिनी देवयानी! आपका भला हो। भाविनि! मैं आपके योग्य नहीं हूँ। क्षत्रियलोग आपके पितासे कन्यादान लेनेके अधिकारी नहीं हैं
Yayātir uvāca—viddhi, Auśanasi, bhadraṁ te; na tvām ahaṁ ’smi bhāvini. Avivāhyā hi rājāno Devayāni pituḥ tava.
Yayāti sprach: „Wisse dies, o Devayānī, Tochter des Uśanas (Śukra) — möge dir Gutes widerfahren. O edle Frau, ich bin dir kein angemessener Gemahl. Denn Königen, Devayānī, ziemt es nicht, eine Ehe in der Weise anzunehmen, dass dein Vater dich so hingibt.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Personal desire is restrained by dharma: Yayāti emphasizes that marriage must follow accepted ethical and social norms, and that status and proper procedure matter in upholding propriety.
Yayāti addresses Devayānī respectfully but declines her as a match, citing that kings should not be married off by her father (Śukra) in a way he deems improper, thus presenting a dharma-based hesitation.