Shloka 26

Matsya Purana — Yayāti and His Sons: The Exchange of Youth and Old Age

Devanagari script

जरा वली च मां तात पलितानि च पर्यगुः काव्यस्योशनसः शापान् न च तृप्तो ऽस्मि यौवने //

Transliteration

jarā valī ca māṃ tāta palitāni ca paryaguḥ kāvyasyośanasaḥ śāpān na ca tṛpto 'smi yauvane //

Translation

O dear son, old age and wrinkles have overtaken me, and gray hairs have spread over me. Yet I am not satisfied with youth—this has come upon me because of the curse of Kāvya Uśanas (Śukrācārya).

Word by Word

• jarā: old age

• valī: wrinkle(s), folds of skin

• ca: and

• mām: me

• tāta: dear son

• palitāni: gray hairs

• ca: and

• paryaguḥ: have encompassed/overrun, have spread all around

• kāvyasya: of Kāvya (Śukra, descendant of Kavi)

• uśanasaḥ: of Uśanas (Śukrācārya)

• śāpān: by the curse(s)

• na: not

• ca: and/yet

• tṛptaḥ: satisfied, content

• asmi: I am

• yauvane: in/with youth, regarding youth.

Speaker

• King Yayāti (addressing his son, traditionally Pūru, in the Yayāti narrative)

Entities Mentioned

• Kāvya Uśanas (Śukrācārya)

Tags

• Dynasties
• Curse
• Aging
• Desire
• Ethics

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

Nothing directly—this verse is ethical and psychological, focusing on aging, desire, and the karmic force of a sage’s curse rather than cosmic dissolution.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

It warns that unchecked craving can persist even as the body declines; a ruler/householder should cultivate restraint (dama) and contentment (saṃtoṣa), accepting consequences of wrongdoing and seeking dharma over indulgence.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No Vāstu or temple-rule detail appears here; the ritual takeaway is indirect—curses from offended spiritual authorities (like Śukra) are portrayed as potent, so proper conduct, reverence, and ethical discipline are emphasized.