Shloka 10
Yayāti’s Renunciation: The Allegory of the He-Goat and She-Goat
तस्यतत्र द्विज: कश्चिदजास्वाम्यच्छिनद् रुषा । लम्बन्तं वृषणं भूय: सन्दधेऽर्थाय योगवित् ॥ १० ॥
tasya tatra dvijaḥ kaścid ajā-svāmy acchinad ruṣā lambantaṁ vṛṣaṇaṁ bhūyaḥ sandadhe ’rthāya yogavit
Di sana, Brahmana pemilik kambing betina itu dengan marah memotong buah zakar kambing jantan itu. Namun kemudian, atas permintaannya, Brahmana yang pakar yoga itu menyambungnya semula.
Here Śukrācārya is figuratively described as the husband of another she-goat. This indicates that the relationship between husband and wife in any society, whether higher or lower than human society, is nothing but the same relationship between he-goat and she-goat, for the material relationship between man and woman is one of sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham . Śukrācārya was an ācārya, or expert, in family affairs, which involve the transfer of semen from he-goat to she-goat. The words kaścid ajā-svāmī expressly indicate herein that Śukrācārya was no better than Yayāti, for both of them were interested in family affairs generated by śukra, or semen. Śukrācārya first cursed Yayāti to become old so that he could no longer indulge in sex, but when Śukrācārya saw that Yayāti’s emasculation would make his own daughter a victim of punishment, he used his mystic power to restore Yayāti’s masculinity. Because he used his power of mystic yoga for family affairs and not to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this exercise in the magic of yoga was no better than the affairs of he-goats and she-goats. Yogic power should properly be used to realize the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As the Lord Himself recommends in Bhagavad-gītā (6.47) :
FAQs
This verse shows a yogavit (expert in yoga) displaying extraordinary control over the body—able to restore what was cut—illustrating siddhis as real but subordinate to dharma and the Lord’s higher purpose.
Out of anger he cut it off, but because he was skilled in yoga he rejoined it again, specifically “for the sake of the purpose” (arthāya)—to ensure the intended objective in the episode was still achieved.
Anger can drive harmful actions, but spiritual discipline requires self-control; even great abilities should be used to restore harmony and serve a righteous purpose rather than ego or rage.