Shloka 17
Yayāti’s Abdication and Pūru’s Coronation (ययाति-पूोरु-राज्याभिषेकः)
वृषपर्वोवाच उत्तिष्ठ त्वं गच्छ धात्रि शर्मिष्ठां शीघ्रमानय । यं च कामयते काम॑ देवयानी करोतु तम्,यह सुनकर वृषपर्वाने धायसे कहा--धात्री! तुम उठो, जाओ और शर्मिष्ठाको शीघ्र बुला लाओ एवं देवयानीकी जो कामना हो, उसे वह पूर्ण करे
vṛṣaparvovāca uttiṣṭha tvaṃ gaccha dhātri śarmiṣṭhāṃ śīghram ānaya | yaṃ ca kāmayate kāmaṃ devayānī karotu tam |
Vṛṣaparvan said: “Rise, nurse, and go—bring Śarmiṣṭhā here at once. Whatever desire Devayānī wishes for, let Śarmiṣṭhā fulfill it.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
When harm is done, especially through insult or abuse of power, the responsible side must act swiftly to repair the wrong. The verse highlights a ruler’s duty to restore order through immediate remedial action, though it also raises ethical tension about using coerced service as compensation.
King Vṛṣaparvan instructs the attendant Dhātrī to quickly summon his daughter Śarmiṣṭhā and commands that Śarmiṣṭhā must carry out whatever Devayānī desires—an attempt to appease Devayānī after the conflict between the two young women.