Shloka 26
Yayāti’s Renunciation: The Allegory of the He-Goat and She-Goat
श्रुत्वा गाथां देवयानी मेने प्रस्तोभमात्मन: । स्त्रीपुंसो: स्नेहवैक्लव्यात् परिहासमिवेरितम् ॥ २६ ॥
śrutvā gāthāṁ devayānī mene prastobham ātmanaḥ strī-puṁsoḥ sneha-vaiklavyāt parihāsam iveritam
Hearing Mahārāja Yayāti’s tale of the he‑goat and she‑goat, Devayānī understood that, though spoken like a playful jest between husband and wife, it was meant to awaken her to her true, constitutional position.
When one actually awakens from material life, one understands his real position as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is called liberation. Muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ ( Bhāg. 2.10.6 ). Under the influence of māyā, everyone living in this material world thinks that he is the master of everything ( ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate ). One thinks that there is no God or controller and that one is independent and can do anything. This is the material condition, and when one awakens from this ignorance, he is called liberated. Mahārāja Yayāti had delivered Devayānī from the well, and finally, as a dutiful husband, he instructed her with the story about the he-goat and she-goat and thus delivered her from the misconception of material happiness. Devayānī was quite competent to understand her liberated husband, and therefore she decided to follow him as his faithful wife.
FAQs
This verse shows how strong affection between man and woman can create emotional vulnerability, making one interpret words or songs as personal taunts even when spoken lightly.
Because her mind was affected by the frailty that arises from attachment; in that mood, she took the utterance as a provocation aimed at herself, as if it were mocking.
When emotions run high in relationships, pause before assuming intent; the Bhāgavatam highlights that attachment can distort perception, so respond with clarity rather than reactive hurt.