Shloka 46

Śukra’s Ultimatum and Devayānī’s Demand (शुक्र-प्रतिज्ञा तथा देवयानी-वर-याचना)

Devanagari script

पौरवेणाथ वयसा राजा यौवनमास्थित: । यायातेनापि वयसा राज्यं पूरुरकारयत्‌,ययाति स्वयं पूरूकी नयी अवस्था लेकर नौजवान बन गये। इधर पूरु भी राजा ययातिकी अवस्था लेकर उसके द्वारा राज्यका पालन करने लगे

Transliteration

vaishampāyana uvāca | pauraveṇātha vayasā rājā yauvanam āsthitaḥ | yāyātenāpi vayasā rājyaṃ pūrur akārayat ||

Translation

Dijo Vaiśampāyana: Entonces el rey, al tomar la edad de Pūru, volvió a entrar en la juventud. Y Pūru, habiendo asumido la edad de Yayāti, administró el reino en nombre de Yayāti. El episodio subraya el peso moral del deber filial y del sacrificio de sí, y la tensión ética entre el deseo personal de un soberano y las cargas legítimas de la realeza.

Word by Word

पौरवेणby/with (the) Paurava (age of Pūru)

अथthen

वयसाby (that) age

राजाthe king (Yayāti)

यौवनम्youth

आस्थितःhaving attained/assumed

ययातेनby Yayāti

अपिalso/even

वयसाby (that) age

राज्यम्the kingdom

पूरुःPūru

अकारयत्caused (it) to be administered/ruled; had (it) governed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yayāti

Pūru

rājya (the kingdom)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of putting duty above personal comfort: Pūru accepts old age to uphold his father’s wish and the stability of the kingdom, illustrating filial responsibility and the burdens inherent in kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yayāti takes on Pūru’s youth and becomes young again, while Pūru assumes Yayāti’s old age and governs the kingdom in Yayāti’s place.