Shloka 36
ययातेर्वानप्रस्थतपःस्वर्गारोहणम् | Yayāti’s Vānaprastha Austerities and Ascent to Heaven
(रहस्थेनां समाहूय न वर्दे्न च संस्पृशे: । वहस्व भार्या भद्रें ते यथाकाममवाप्स्यसि ।।
rahasthenām samāhūya na vardēn ca samspṛśeḥ | vahasva bhāryām bhadre te yathākāmam avāpsyasi || evam ukto yayātis tu śukraṁ kṛtvā pradakṣiṇam | śāstroktavidhinā rājā vivāham akaroc chubham ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Sekalipun engkau memanggilnya secara rahsia, jangan berbicara dengannya dan jangan menyentuh tubuhnya. Ambillah dia sebagai isterimu; semoga sejahtera atasmu—melaluinya engkau akan memperoleh hasil yang engkau kehendaki.” Setelah dinasihati demikian, Raja Yayāti mengelilingi Śukra sebagai tanda hormat, lalu menurut tata cara yang diperintahkan śāstra, menyempurnakan upacara perkahwinan yang penuh berkat.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage emphasizes disciplined conduct under ethical constraint: even when marriage is permitted, one is instructed to avoid secret intimacy or physical contact beforehand, and to proceed through a lawful, śāstra-guided rite while honoring the guru’s authority.
Śukra instructs Yayāti regarding how to approach Śarmiṣṭhā—calling her privately but refraining from conversation and touch—and directs him to marry her. Yayāti then shows reverence by circumambulating Śukra and completes the marriage according to prescribed ritual procedure.