Shloka 42

Yayāti, Devayānī, Śarmiṣṭhā, and the Exchange of Youth: The Unsatisfied Nature of Desire

Devanagari script

अपृच्छत् तनयं पूरुं वयसोनं गुणाधिकम् । न त्वमग्रजवद् वत्स मां प्रत्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

apṛcchat tanayaṁ pūruṁ vayasonaṁ guṇādhikam na tvam agrajavad vatsa māṁ pratyākhyātum arhasi

Translation

กษัตริย์ยยาติจึงตรัสขอร้องปุรุ ผู้เป็นโอรสองค์สุดท้องแต่มีคุณสมบัติเพียบพร้อมว่า 'ลูกรัก เจ้าอย่าได้ขัดคำสั่งพ่อเหมือนพี่ๆ ของเจ้าเลย เพราะนั่นไม่ใช่หน้าที่ของบุตรที่ดี'

Synonyms

• अपृच्छत्: asked
• अपृच्छत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• तनयम्: son
• तनयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• पूरुम्: Pūru
• पूरुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वयसः: than (in) age / from age
• वयसः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; (वयसः = ‘from age/than age’)

• ऊनम्: younger, inferior
• ऊनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऊन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) of पूरुम्

• गुणाधिकम्: superior in virtues
• गुणाधिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative: ‘in qualities + superior’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् of पूरुम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे (2nd person reference), प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• अग्रजवत्: like an elder (brother)
• अग्रजवत्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रज + वत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: उपमान-अव्यय (comparative adverb: ‘like/as’), वत्-प्रत्ययान्त (vat-suffix)

• वत्स: dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• प्रत्याख्यातुम्: to refuse, to reject
• प्रत्याख्यातुम्: Prayojana/Anukriyā (प्रयोजन/अनुक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), ‘to refuse/repudiate’

• अर्हसि: you ought / you are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• King Yayāti
• Pūru

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about a son's duty to his father in the Yayati episode?

This verse highlights Yayāti appealing to Pūru not to refuse him, implying that virtue and dutifulness toward one’s father are honored qualities in the Bhagavatam’s narrative.

Why did King Yayāti speak to Pūru differently than to his elder sons?

Yayāti approached Pūru because Pūru was younger yet “greater in qualities,” and Yayāti hoped he would not reject the request the way the elder brothers did.

What is a practical takeaway from Bhagavatam 9.18.42 for modern life?

Cultivate character over seniority—true respect and responsibility come from virtue and integrity, not merely from being older or having higher status.