भार्याशतेन निर्विण्ण ऋषयो ऽस्य कृपालवः ।
इष्टिं स्म वर्तयां चक्रुर् ऐन्द्रीं ते सुसमाहिताः ॥ २६ ॥
istim sma vartayam cakrur
bharya-satena-with one hundred wives; nirvinnah-very morose; rsayah-the sages (in the forest); asya-upon him; krpalavah-very merciful; istim-a ritualistic ceremony; sma-in the past; vartayam cakruh-began to execute; aindrim-known as an Indra-yajna; te-all of them; su-samahitah-being very careful and attentive.
Although Yuvanasva went into the forest with his one hundred wives, all of them were very morose. The sages in the forest, however, being very kind to the King, began very carefully and attentively performing an Indra-yajna so that the King might have a son.
One may enter the vanaprastha order of life with his wife, but the vanaprastha order means complete retirement from household life. Although King Yuvanasva retired from family life, he and his wives were always morose because he had no son.