Shloka 19
आदि पर्व — अध्याय ८३: ययाति-इन्द्र-संवादः तथा अष्टक-प्रश्नः
Yayāti–Indra Dialogue and Aṣṭaka’s Inquiry
देवयान्युवाच (अभ्यागच्छति मां कश्रिदृषिरित्येवमब्रवी: | ययातिमेव नूनं॑ त्वं प्रोत्माहयसि भामिनि ।। पूर्वमेव मया प्रोक्तं त्वया तु वृजिनं कृतम् ।) मदधीना सती कस्मादकार्षीविप्रियं मम । तमेवासुरधर्म त्वमास्थिता न बिभेषि मे,देवयानी बोली--भामिनि! तुम तो कहती थीं कि मेरे पास कोई ऋषि आया करते हैं। यह बहाना लेकर तुम राजा ययातिको ही अपने पास आनेके लिये प्रोत्साहन देती रहीं। मैंने पहले ही कह दिया था कि तुमने कोई पाप किया है। शर्मिष्ठे! तुमने मेरे अधीन होकर भी मुझे अप्रिय लगनेवाला बर्ताव क्यों किया? तुम फिर उसी असुर-धर्मपर उतर आयीं। मुझसे डरती भी नहीं हो?
devayāny uvāca | abhyāgacchati māṃ kaścid ṛṣir ity evam abravīḥ | yayātim eva nūnaṃ tvaṃ protsāhayasi bhāmini || pūrvam eva mayā proktaṃ tvayā tu vṛjinaṃ kṛtam | mad-adhīnā satī kasmād akāṛṣī vipriyaṃ mama | tam evāsura-dharma tvaṃ āsthitā na bibheṣi me ||
Devayānī disse: “Tu costumavas dizer: ‘Um rishi vem a mim’, mas isso era apenas um pretexto. Certamente, ó mulher de paixão, estavas na verdade incentivando o próprio rei Yayāti a vir até ti. Eu já te havia advertido, e ainda assim cometeste uma falta. Estando sob minha autoridade, por que agiste de modo a me ofender? Voltaste a seguir aquele mesmo proceder asúrico—não me temes sequer?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames ethical conduct in terms of loyalty, restraint, and accountability within relationships of dependence and power. Devayānī condemns deception and boundary-crossing, labeling it ‘āsura-dharma’—a moral category for conduct seen as disruptive, self-serving, and disrespectful of agreed norms.
Devayānī confronts Śarmiṣṭhā, accusing her of using the excuse of visits by a ‘sage’ to conceal or facilitate meetings with King Yayāti. She asserts that she had warned Śarmiṣṭhā earlier, charges her with wrongdoing despite being under Devayānī’s authority, and challenges her lack of fear or respect.