Shloka 25
ययातेर्वानप्रस्थतपःस्वर्गारोहणम् | Yayāti’s Vānaprastha Austerities and Ascent to Heaven
ययातिरुवाच एकमाशीविषो हन्ति शस्त्रेणैकश्ष वध्यते । हन्ति विप्र: सराष्ट्राणि पुराण्यपि हि कोपित:
yayātir uvāca | ekam āśīviṣo hanti śastreṇaikaś ca vadhyate | hanti vipraḥ sa-rāṣṭrāṇi purāṇy api hi kopitaḥ |
Yayāti dit : «Ô noble dame, un seul serpent venimeux ne tue qu’un seul homme, et une arme aussi n’abat qu’une personne à la fois. Mais un brāhmaṇa, lorsqu’il s’embrase de colère, peut jeter la ruine sur des royaumes entiers et même sur des cités. C’est pourquoi je tiens le brāhmaṇa pour plus redoutable. Ainsi, tant que ton père ne t’aura pas formellement confiée à moi, je ne t’épouserai pas.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts physical violence (snake or weapon harming an individual) with the far-reaching social and moral power attributed to a brahmin’s anger—suggesting that spiritual/ritual authority and speech-backed curse can devastate whole polities; therefore one should act with restraint and respect toward dharma and its custodians.
Yayāti explains why he will not proceed with marriage immediately: he emphasizes the formidable consequences of offending a brahmin and states that he will marry only after the woman’s father formally hands her over, aligning the union with proper social and familial authorization.