Shloka 26
Ādi Parva, Adhyāya 85: Āṣṭaka–Yayāti संवादः
Merit-Exhaustion, Rebirth, and the Critique of Pride
प्रजाश्न॒ यौवनप्राप्ता विनशिष्यन्त्यनो तव । अग्निप्रस्कन्दनपरस्त्वं चाप्येवं भविष्यसि,ययातिने कहा--अनो! तू मेरे हृदयसे उत्पन्न होकर भी अपनी युवावस्था मुझे नहीं दे रहा है और बुढ़ापेके दोष बतला रहा है, अतः तू वृद्धावस्थाके समस्त दोषोंको प्राप्त करेगा और तेरी संतान जवान होते ही मर जायगी तथा तू भी बूढ़े-जैसा होकर अग्निहोत्रका त्याग कर देगा
prajāś ca yauvanaprāptā vinaśiṣyanty anāḥ tava | agnipraskandanaparas tvaṃ cāpy evaṃ bhaviṣyasi ||
ఓ అనో! నీ సంతానం యౌవనాన్ని పొందగానే నశించిపోతుంది; నీవు కూడా అగ్నిహోత్రాన్ని విడిచిపెట్టుటలో ఆసక్తుడై అట్లే అవుతావు।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores karmic and ethical consequence: refusal of a demanded filial duty (in the Yayāti narrative) is answered by a retributive outcome—loss of progeny and decline from Vedic obligations—linking personal conduct to lineage, social order, and ritual responsibility.
In the Yayāti episode, the king seeks youth from his sons; Anu’s refusal provokes a pronouncement that Anu’s descendants will die upon reaching youth and that Anu himself will fall into neglect of the sacred fire-rites, marking a degradation of both family continuity and dharmic practice.