Shloka 44

Śukra’s Ultimatum and Devayānī’s Demand (शुक्र-प्रतिज्ञा तथा देवयानी-वर-याचना)

Devanagari script

राजंक्षराभिनवया तन्‍वा यौवनगोचर: । अहं जरां समादाय राज्ये स्थास्यामि ते55ज्ञया,राजाके ऐसा कहनेपर भी वे यदु आदि चार पुत्र उनकी वृद्धावस्था न ले सके। तब सबसे छोटे पुत्र सत्यपराक्रमी पूरने कहा--'राजन्‌! आप मेरे नूतन शरीरसे नौजवान होकर विषयोंका उपभोग कीजिये। मैं आपकी आज्ञासे बुढ़ापा लेकर राज्यसिंहासनपर बैदूँगा'

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: rājaṁ kṣarābhinavayā tanvā yauvanagocaraḥ | ahaṁ jarāṁ samādāya rājye sthāsyāmi te ’jñayā ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：“大王啊，凭此焕然一新的身体，您可行于青春之境，享受欲望之物。我将承担您的衰老，并依您的命令，安住于王权之位。”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'rājan', 'definition': 'O king

• vocative address to the ruler'}, {'term': 'kṣara', 'definition': 'perishable, mortal (often contrasted with the imperishable)

• here suggesting the human, changeable body'}, {'term': 'abhinava', 'definition': 'new, fresh, renewed'}, {'term': 'tanū', 'definition': 'body, physical frame'}, {'term': 'yauvana', 'definition': 'youth'}, {'term': 'gocara', 'definition': 'range, sphere, domain

• ‘within the reach of’'}, {'term': 'jarā', 'definition': 'old age, senescence'}, {'term': 'samādāya', 'definition': 'having taken up, having assumed (upon oneself)'}, {'term': 'rājya', 'definition': 'kingdom, sovereignty, royal authority'}, {'term': 'sthāsyāmi', 'definition': 'I shall stand/remain

• I shall be established'}, {'term': 'ājñā', 'definition': 'command, order, authority'}]

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• King Yayāti (implied by context of exchanging old age and youth)
• Pūru (implied by context as the youngest son who accepts old age)
• rājya (kingship/kingdom)
• jarā (old age)
• yauvana (youth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights filial duty and obedience to rightful authority: Pūru’s willingness to assume his father’s old age and take up the burden of rule exemplifies self-sacrifice and responsibility, contrasting personal pleasure with ethical commitment to family and kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Yayāti episode, the king seeks to exchange his old age for a son’s youth. After the elder sons refuse, the youngest—Pūru—offers to take the king’s old age so that the king may enjoy renewed youth, while Pūru, by the king’s command, remains in the kingdom’s governance.