Shloka 10

ययाति-देवयानी-शर्मिष्ठा विवादः — Śukra’s Curse and the Disclosure of Lineage

Devanagari script

याचतत्त्वं हि दुहिता स्तुवतः प्रतिगृह्नतः । सुताहं स्तूयमानस्य ददतो<प्रतिगृह्नतः,तू भिखमंगेकी बेटी है, तेरा बाप स्तुति करता और दान लेता है। मैं उनकी बेटी हूँ, जिनकी स्तुति की जाती है, जो दूसरोंको दान देते हैं और स्वयं किसीसे कुछ भी नहीं लेते हैं। अरी भिक्षुकि! तू छाती पीट-पीटकर रो अथवा धूलमें लोट-लोटकर कष्ट भोग। मुझसे द्रोह रख या क्रोध कर (इसकी परवा नहीं है)। भिखमंगिन! तू खाली हाथ है, तेरे पास कोई अस्त्र-शस्त्र भी नहीं है और देख ले, मेरे पास हथियार है। इसलिये तू मेरे ऊपर व्यर्थ ही क्रोध कर रही है। यदि लड़ना ही चाहती है, तो इधरसे भी डटकर सामना करनेवाला मुझ- जैसा योद्धा तुझे मिल जायगा। मैं तुझे कुछ भी नहीं गिनती

Transliteration

yācattvaṃ hi duhitā stuvataḥ pratigṛhṇataḥ | sutāhaṃ stūyamānasya dadato 'pratigṛhṇataḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “You are the daughter of one who begs—of one who praises in order to receive. But I am the daughter of one who is praised, who gives to others, and who does not accept gifts in return.”

Word by Word

• याचतत्त्वम्: the state/act of begging
• याचतत्त्वम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: याचत्-तत्त्व (याच् धातु से वर्तमान कृदन्त + तत्त्व)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• दुहिता: daughter
• दुहिता: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुहितृ
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• स्तुवतः: of (one who is) praising
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु) → स्तुवत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• प्रतिगृह्नतः: of (one who is) accepting/receiving
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ग्रह् (धातु) → प्रतिगृह्णत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• सुताहम्: I (am) a daughter
• सुताहम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत + अहम्
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• स्तूयमानस्य: of (one who is) being praised
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु) → स्तूयमान (कर्मणि वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• ददतः: of (one who is) giving
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → ददत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

• अप्रतिगृह्नतः: of (one who is) not accepting/receiving
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ- + प्रति-ग्रह् (धातु) → अप्रतिगृह्णत् (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse contrasts two value-systems: living by flattering others to obtain gifts versus living by generosity and self-restraint in not accepting. It frames honor as tied to giving and independence, and shame as tied to begging and transactional praise.

What is happening in the narrative?

A speaker (reported by Vaiśampāyana) rebukes another woman by asserting superior lineage and conduct: the other is said to come from a household that praises to receive, while the speaker claims descent from one who is praised and who gives without taking.