Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 11
Yayāti, Devayānī, Śarmiṣṭhā, and the Exchange of Youth: The Unsatisfied Nature of Desire
अहो निरीक्ष्यतामस्या दास्या: कर्म ह्यसाम्प्रतम् । अस्मद्धार्यं धृतवती शुनीव हविरध्वरे ॥ ११ ॥
aho nirīkṣyatām asyā dāsyāḥ karma hy asāmpratam asmad-dhāryaṁ dhṛtavatī śunīva havir adhvare
Ay, tingnan ninyo ang di-nararapat na gawa ng aliping si Śarmiṣṭhā! Nilapastangan niya ang kagandahang-asal at isinuot ang kasuotang para sa akin—gaya ng asong sumasakmal sa ghee na inihahandog sa yajña.
FAQs
Devayānī protests that the maidservant Śarmiṣṭhā has behaved improperly by wearing Devayānī’s rightful garment/ornament, comparing it to a dog grabbing an oblation from a sacrifice.
She uses a sharp Vedic analogy: in a sacrifice, the offering is sacred and designated; similarly, Devayānī feels her personal property and status have been violated, so she condemns Śarmiṣṭhā’s act as shameless and irreverent.
It highlights how pride, status-consciousness, and harsh speech can inflame disputes—encouraging humility, restraint, and dharmic boundaries in relationships.