Shloka 48

Śukra’s Ultimatum and Devayānī’s Demand (शुक्र-प्रतिज्ञा तथा देवयानी-वर-याचना)

Devanagari script

ययातिरपि पत्नीभ्यां दीर्घकालं विहृत्य च | विश्वाच्या सहितो रेमे पुनश्चैत्ररथे वने,उन्होंने अपनी दोनों पत्नियोंके साथ दीर्घकालतक विहार करके चैत्ररथ वनमें जाकर विश्वाची अप्सराके साथ रमण किया

Transliteration

yayātir api patnībhyāṁ dīrghakālaṁ vihṛtya ca | viśvācyā sahito reme punaś caitrarathe vane ||

Translation

Disse Vaiśampāyana: Até mesmo o rei Yayāti, depois de se divertir por longo tempo com suas duas esposas, foi novamente à floresta de Caitraratha e ali se deleitou na companhia da apsara Viśvācī. O episódio mostra como a indulgência pode persistir mesmo após um gozo prolongado, insinuando a tensão ética entre a busca sensual e a firmeza esperada de um soberano.

Word by Word

ययातिःYayati

अपिalso/even

पत्नीभ्याम्with (his) two wives

दीर्घकालम्for a long time

विहृत्यhaving sported/roamed (enjoyed)

चand

विश्वाच्याwith Viśvācī

सहितःtogether/accompanied

रेमेenjoyed/sported (made love)

पुनःagain

चैत्ररथेin (the) Caitraratha

वनेin the forest

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yayāti

Viśvācī

Caitraratha forest

two wives of Yayāti

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse points to the recurring nature of sensual craving: even after long enjoyment, the mind may seek novelty again. In a Mahābhārata ethical frame, it cautions that unchecked kāma can pull a ruler away from restraint and dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yayāti has already spent a long time enjoying with his two wives; afterward he goes to the Caitraratha forest and enjoys again, this time in the company of the apsaras Viśvācī, as narrated by Vaiśampāyana.