Shloka 1

Yayāti, Devayānī, Śarmiṣṭhā, and the Exchange of Youth: The Unsatisfied Nature of Desire

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच यतिर्ययाति: संयातिरायतिर्वियति: कृति: । षडिमे नहुषस्यासन्निन्द्रियाणीव देहिन: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca yatir yayātiḥ saṁyātir āyatir viyatiḥ kṛtiḥ ṣaḍ ime nahuṣasyāsann indriyāṇīva dehinaḥ

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King Parīkṣit, just as the embodied soul has six senses, King Nahuṣa likewise had six sons—Yati, Yayāti, Saṁyāti, Āyāti, Viyāti, and Kṛti.

Synonyms

• श्रीशुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्रीशुकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीशुक (प्रातिपदिक: श्री + शुक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• यतिः: Yati
• यतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ययातिः: Yayāti
• ययातिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ययाति (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संयातिः: Saṁyāti
• संयातिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयाति (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आयतिः: Āyati
• आयतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयति (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वियतिः: Viyati
• वियतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वियति (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कृतिः: Kṛti
• कृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृति (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• षट्: six
• षट्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable-like numeral form)

• इमे: these
• इमे: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• नहुषस्य: of Nahuṣa
• नहुषस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नहुष (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• इन्द्रियाणि: senses
• इन्द्रियाणि: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; उपमानपद (simile term)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison: like/as)

• देहिनः: of the embodied being
• देहिनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Nahuṣa
• Yati
• Yayāti
• Saṁyāti
• Āyati
• Viyati
• Kṛti

FAQs

Who are the sons of King Nahuṣa mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam 9.18.1?

The verse lists six sons of Nahuṣa: Yati, Yayāti, Saṁyāti, Āyati, Viyati, and Kṛti.

What does Bhagavatam 9.18.1 mean by comparing Nahuṣa’s sons to the senses (indriyāṇi)?

It uses a poetic comparison: just as the senses are integral powers of an embodied being, these sons were prominent and significant extensions of Nahuṣa’s royal line.

How can the teaching about indriyāṇi (senses) in this verse be applied in modern devotional life?

It reminds a seeker that embodied life is shaped by the senses; in bhakti, one learns to engage the senses in Krishna-centered service rather than uncontrolled enjoyment.