Shloka 11
Yayāti, Devayānī, Śarmiṣṭhā, and the Exchange of Youth: The Unsatisfied Nature of Desire
अहो निरीक्ष्यतामस्या दास्या: कर्म ह्यसाम्प्रतम् । अस्मद्धार्यं धृतवती शुनीव हविरध्वरे ॥ ११ ॥
aho nirīkṣyatām asyā dāsyāḥ karma hy asāmpratam asmad-dhāryaṁ dhṛtavatī śunīva havir adhvare
Oh, just behold the improper deed of this maidservant Śarmiṣṭhā! Casting aside all decorum, she has put on the garment meant for me—like a dog snatching ghee intended for the sacred sacrifice.
FAQs
Devayānī protests that the maidservant Śarmiṣṭhā has behaved improperly by wearing Devayānī’s rightful garment/ornament, comparing it to a dog grabbing an oblation from a sacrifice.
She uses a sharp Vedic analogy: in a sacrifice, the offering is sacred and designated; similarly, Devayānī feels her personal property and status have been violated, so she condemns Śarmiṣṭhā’s act as shameless and irreverent.
It highlights how pride, status-consciousness, and harsh speech can inflame disputes—encouraging humility, restraint, and dharmic boundaries in relationships.