Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

पौरवेणाथ वयसा राजा यौवनमास्थित: । यायातेनापि वयसा राज्यं पूरुरकारयत्‌,ययाति स्वयं पूरूकी नयी अवस्था लेकर नौजवान बन गये। इधर पूरु भी राजा ययातिकी अवस्था लेकर उसके द्वारा राज्यका पालन करने लगे

Transliteration

vaishampāyana uvāca | pauraveṇātha vayasā rājā yauvanam āsthitaḥ | yāyātenāpi vayasā rājyaṃ pūrur akārayat ||

Translation

毗湿摩波耶那说道：于是国王取了普鲁的年岁，再度步入青春；而普鲁承受了耶雅提的年岁，便代耶雅提治理王国。此事彰显了子道与自我牺牲的道德分量，也映照出君王个人欲望与王权应负之正当重担之间的伦理张力。

Word by Word

पौरवेणby/with (the) Paurava (age of Pūru)

अथthen

वयसाby (that) age

राजाthe king (Yayāti)

यौवनम्youth

आस्थितःhaving attained/assumed

ययातेनby Yayāti

अपिalso/even

वयसाby (that) age

राज्यम्the kingdom

पूरुःPūru

अकारयत्caused (it) to be administered/ruled; had (it) governed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Yayāti

Pūru

rājya (the kingdom)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical ideal of putting duty above personal comfort: Pūru accepts old age to uphold his father’s wish and the stability of the kingdom, illustrating filial responsibility and the burdens inherent in kingship.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yayāti takes on Pūru’s youth and becomes young again, while Pūru assumes Yayāti’s old age and governs the kingdom in Yayāti’s place.