36 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 9, Ch. 18
rdja-putryarthito ‘patye
dharmam caveksya dharmavit
smaran chukra-vacah kale
distam evabhyapadyata

raja-putrya—by Sarmistha, who was the daughter of a king;
arthitah—being requested; apatye—for a son; dharmam—religious
principles; ca—as well as; aveksya—considering; dharma-vit—aware of
all religious principles; smaran—remembering; Sukra-vacah—the
warning of Sukracarya; kale—at the time; distam—circumstantially;
eva—indeed; abhyapadyata—accepted (to fulfill the desire of
Sarmistha).

TRANSLATION

When Princess Sarmistha begged King Yayati for a son, the King
was certainly aware of the principles of religion, and therefore he
agreed to fulfill her desire. Although he remembered the warning
of Sukracarya, he thought of this union as the desire of the
Supreme, and thus he had sex with Sarmistha.

PURPORT

King Yayati was completely aware of the duty of a ksatriya. When a
ksatriya is approached by a woman, he cannot deny her. This is a
religious principle. Consequently, when Dharmaraja, Yudhisthira, saw
Arjuna unhappy after Arjuna returned from Dvaraka, he asked whether
Arjuna had refused a woman who had begged for a son. Although
Maharaja Yayati remembered Sukracarya’s warning, he could not refuse
Sarmistha. He thought it wise to give her a son, and thus he had sexual
intercourse with her after her menstrual period. This kind of lust is not
against religious principles. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (7.11),
dharmaviruddho bhitesu kimo ‘smi: sex life not contrary to the prin-
ciples of religion is sanctioned by Krsna. Because Sarmistha, the
daughter of a king, had begged Yayati for a son, their combination was
not lust but an act of religion.

TEXT 33
. Ce
1 4 ed Wa Sart aa |
RE We TWF after arteae 13a
