Shloka 25
ययातेर्वानप्रस्थतपःस्वर्गारोहणम् | Yayāti’s Vānaprastha Austerities and Ascent to Heaven
ययातिरुवाच एकमाशीविषो हन्ति शस्त्रेणैकश्ष वध्यते । हन्ति विप्र: सराष्ट्राणि पुराण्यपि हि कोपित:,ययाति बोले--भटद्रे! सर्प एकको ही मारता है, शस्त्रसे भी एक ही व्यक्तिका वध होता है; परंतु क्रोधमें भरा हुआ ब्राह्मण समस्त राष्ट्र और नगरका भी नाश कर देता है। भीरु! इसलिये मैं ब्राह्मणको अधिक दुर्धर्ष मानता हूँ। अतः जबतक आपके पिता आपको मेरे हवाले न कर दें, तबतक मैं आपसे विवाह नहीं करूँगा
yayātir uvāca | ekam āśīviṣo hanti śastreṇaikaś ca vadhyate | hanti vipraḥ sa-rāṣṭrāṇi purāṇy api hi kopitaḥ |
Yayāti said: “A single venomous serpent kills one person, and a weapon too slays only one at a time. But a brahmin, when inflamed with anger, can bring ruin upon entire kingdoms and even cities. Therefore I regard the brahmin as the more formidable. Hence, until your father formally entrusts you to me, I will not marry you.”
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.