Mahabharata 1.76.48 — Adi Parva, Adhyaya 76, Shloka 48
ययाति–देवयानी संवादः
Yayāti–Devayānī Dialogue and Śukra’s Consent
सुरद्विषश्चैव जगच्च सर्व- मुपस्थाने संनमन्ति प्रभावात् | अशक्योडसौ जीवयितु द्विजाति: संजीवितो बध्यते चैव भूय:
śukra uvāca |
suradviṣaś caiva jagac ca sarvam upasthāne saṃnamanti prabhāvāt |
aśakyo 'sau jīvayituṃ dvijātiḥ saṃjīvito badhyate caiva bhūyaḥ ||
सुरद्विषश्चैव जगच्च सर्वमुपस्थाने संनमन्ति प्रभावात्। अशक्योऽसौ जीवयितुं द्विजातिः; संजीवितो बध्यते चैव भूयः।
शुक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Power and capability do not automatically justify repeated intervention; if an action only perpetuates a cycle of harm with no stable good outcome, prudence may require restraint. Śukra frames this as recognizing the limits and consequences of even extraordinary spiritual power.
Śukra addresses Devayānī after Kaca (Bṛhaspati’s son) has been killed repeatedly. He emphasizes that all beings—including the enemies of the gods—bow to him, yet he declares that reviving the brāhmaṇa again is now impossible or pointless, because if revived he will be killed again by the daityas.
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