Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c5.460

c5.460

Śukrācārya and his wife actually got anxious and upset that their daughter had not returned even after the lapse of so much time and deputed their servant Guṇikā to seek for Devayānī. She found her out in the forest. But, Devayānī refused to return home as she did not want to continue as the daughter of one who lived on the charity of Śarmiṣṭhā and her father. Guṇikā carried back this news to Śukrācārya, who then went himself to the forest and met his daughter. He felt deeply wounded to hear about the insults heaped on his daughter by Śarmiṣṭhā, and sent word to Vṛṣaparvan that they were not returning to the palace. Vṛṣaparvan realised that if Śukrācārya quarrelled with him the whole asura world also would become divided. He, therefore, tried his best to pacify the ācārya and his daughter. At last Devayānī agreed to return to the palace in case Śarmiṣṭhā went to her with one thousand of her maids to serve as her (Devayānī's) maids. Vṛṣaparvan acted accordingly and Devayānī was satisfied and returned to the palace with her father. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 78 onwards.)