Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 11
Yayāti, Devayānī, Śarmiṣṭhā, and the Exchange of Youth: The Unsatisfied Nature of Desire
अहो निरीक्ष्यतामस्या दास्या: कर्म ह्यसाम्प्रतम् । अस्मद्धार्यं धृतवती शुनीव हविरध्वरे ॥ ११ ॥
aho nirīkṣyatām asyā dāsyāḥ karma hy asāmpratam asmad-dhāryaṁ dhṛtavatī śunīva havir adhvare
Ah ! Voyez donc l’acte inconvenant de cette servante Śarmiṣṭhā ! Méprisant toute bienséance, elle a revêtu le vêtement qui devait être le mien, tel un chien qui s’empare du ghee destiné au sacrifice.
FAQs
Devayānī protests that the maidservant Śarmiṣṭhā has behaved improperly by wearing Devayānī’s rightful garment/ornament, comparing it to a dog grabbing an oblation from a sacrifice.
She uses a sharp Vedic analogy: in a sacrifice, the offering is sacred and designated; similarly, Devayānī feels her personal property and status have been violated, so she condemns Śarmiṣṭhā’s act as shameless and irreverent.
It highlights how pride, status-consciousness, and harsh speech can inflame disputes—encouraging humility, restraint, and dharmic boundaries in relationships.