Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 9 - Chapter 1 - Verse 27

Sanskrit:

क्षणार्धमन्युर्भगवान् शिष्यं व्याचष्ट भार्गव: ।कामोऽस्या: क्रियतां राजन् नैनां त्यक्तुमिहोत्सहे ॥ २७ ॥

ITRANS:

kṣaṇārdha-manyur bhagavānśiṣyaṁ vyācaṣṭa bhārgavaḥkāmo ’syāḥ kriyatāṁ rājannaināṁ tyaktum ihotsahe

Translation:

The powerful Śukrācārya was angry for a few moments, but upon being satisfied he said to Vṛṣaparvā: My dear King, kindly fulfill the desire of Devayānī, for she is my daughter and in this world I cannot give her up or neglect her.

Purport:

Sometimes a great personality like Śukrācārya cannot neglect sons and daughters, for sons and daughters are by nature dependent on their father and the father has affection for them. Although Śukrācārya knew that the quarrel between Devayānī and Śarmiṣṭhā was childish, as Devayānī’s father he had to side with his daughter. He did not like to do this, but he was obliged to because of affection. He plainly admitted that although he should not have asked the King for mercy for his daughter, because of affection he could not avoid doing so.