Shloka 18
ययातेर्वानप्रस्थतपःस्वर्गारोहणम् | Yayāti’s Vānaprastha Austerities and Ascent to Heaven
ययातिरु्वाच विद्धयौशनसि भद्र॑ ते न त्वामहोंडस्मि भाविनि । अविवाह्दा हि राजानो देवयानि पितुस्तव,ययाति बोले--शुक्रनन्दिनी देवयानी! आपका भला हो। भाविनि! मैं आपके योग्य नहीं हूँ। क्षत्रियलोग आपके पितासे कन्यादान लेनेके अधिकारी नहीं हैं
Yayātir uvāca—viddhi, Auśanasi, bhadraṁ te; na tvām ahaṁ ’smi bhāvini. Avivāhyā hi rājāno Devayāni pituḥ tava.
Yayāti berkata: “Ketahuilah, wahai Devayānī, putri Uśanas (Śukra)—semoga kebaikan menaungimu. Wahai wanita mulia, aku bukan pasangan yang layak bagimu. Sebab bagi ayahmu, wahai Devayānī, para raja tidak patut dinikahkan (dengan cara yang menyimpang dari tatanan yang semestinya).”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Personal desire is restrained by dharma: Yayāti emphasizes that marriage must follow accepted ethical and social norms, and that status and proper procedure matter in upholding propriety.
Yayāti addresses Devayānī respectfully but declines her as a match, citing that kings should not be married off by her father (Śukra) in a way he deems improper, thus presenting a dharma-based hesitation.