Shloka 12
Yayāti’s Request for Youth: Sons’ Refusals and Pūru’s Acceptance (ययातेः यौवन-विनिमयः)
(सुयन्त्रिता वरा नित्यं विहीनाश्न धनैर्नरा: । दुर्वत्ता: पापकर्माणश्वाण्डाला धनिनो5पि वा ।। अकारणाद ये द्विषन्ति परिवादं वदन्ति च । न तत्रास्य निवासो<स्ति पाप्मभि: पापतां व्रजेत् ।। सुकृते दुष्कृते वापि यत्र सज्जति यो नर: । ध्रुवं रतिर्भवेत् तत्र तस्माद् दोषं न रोचयेत् ।।) वाग् दुरुक्त महाघोरें दुहितुर्वषपर्वण: । मम मथ्नाति हृदयमग्निकाम इवारणिम्,धनहीन मनुष्य भी यदि सदा अपने मनपर संयम रखें तो वे श्रेष्ठ हैं और धनवान् भी यदि दुराचारी तथा पापकर्मी हों, तो वे चाण्डालके समान हैं। जो अकारण किसीके साथ द्वेष करते हैं और दूसरोंकी निन्दा करते रहते हैं, उनके बीचमें सत्पुरुषका निवास नहीं होना चाहिये; क्योंकि पापियोंके संगसे मनुष्य पापात्मा हो जाता है। मनुष्य पाप अथवा पुण्य जिसमें भी आसक्त होता है, उसीमें उसकी दृढ़ प्रीति हो जाती है, इसलिये पापकर्ममें प्रीति नहीं करनी चाहिये। तात! वृषपर्वाकी पुत्री शर्मिष्ठाने जो अत्यन्त भयंकर दुर्वचन कहा है, वह मेरे हृदयको मथ रहा है। ठीक उसी तरह, जैसे अग्नि प्रकट करनेकी इच्छावाला पुरुष अरणीकाष्ठका मन्थन करता है
śukra uvāca |
(suyantritā varā nityaṁ vihīnārthā dhanair narāḥ |
durvṛttāḥ pāpakarmāṇaś caṇḍālā dhanino 'pi vā ||
akāraṇād ye dviṣanti parivādaṁ vadanti ca |
na tatrāsya nivāso 'sti pāpmabhiḥ pāpatāṁ vrajet ||
sukṛte duṣkṛte vāpi yatra sajjati yo naraḥ |
dhruvaṁ ratir bhavet tatra tasmād doṣaṁ na rocayet ||)
vāg duruktā mahāghoreṁ duhitūr vṛṣaparvaṇaḥ |
mama mathnāti hṛdayam agnikāma ivāraṇim ||
Śukra said: “Men who are ever self-restrained are truly noble even if they lack wealth; but even the wealthy, if of corrupt conduct and sinful deeds, are like outcastes. Where people hate without cause and continually speak slander, a good man should not dwell; for by association with the wicked one is led into wickedness. Whatever—merit or sin—a person becomes attached to, toward that his attachment surely grows firm; therefore one should not take delight in wrongdoing. My child, the terribly harsh words spoken by Vṛṣaparvan’s daughter (Śarmiṣṭhā) churn my heart, as one who desires fire churns the araṇi sticks.”
शुक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral worth depends on self-restraint and conduct, not wealth. One should avoid the company of those who hate without cause and indulge in slander, because association shapes character. Attachment—whether to merit or sin—strengthens over time, so one must not cultivate delight in wrongdoing.
Śukra reacts to the extremely harsh speech uttered by Vṛṣaparvan’s daughter Śarmiṣṭhā. He frames the incident as a lesson on character, the danger of slanderous company, and the way repeated attachment hardens into firm inclination, while confessing that her words agitate his heart like the churning of araṇi sticks to bring forth fire.