Shloka 40
Śukra’s Ultimatum and Devayānī’s Demand (शुक्र-प्रतिज्ञा तथा देवयानी-वर-याचना)
ययातिरब्रवीत् तं वै जरा मे प्रतिगृह्मताम् । यौवनेन त्वदीयेन चरेयं विषपानहम्,तब ययातिने उससे कहा--तुम मेरा बुढ़ापा ले लो और मैं तुम्हारी जवानीसे विषयोपभोग करूँगा
yayātir abravīt taṃ vai jarā me pratigṛhṇatām | yauvanena tvadīyena careyaṃ viṣayopānaham ||
Vaiśampāyana said: King Yayāti spoke to him, “Take upon yourself my old age; and with your youth I shall move about, enjoying the objects of the senses.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between unchecked desire and moral responsibility: attempting to evade the natural consequences of aging by shifting them to another underscores how kāma can distort judgment and duty, inviting reflection on self-restraint and accountability.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, King Yayāti proposes that another person accept his old age so that he may use that person’s youth to continue enjoying worldly pleasures.