SB 9.18.27
ksanardha-manyur bhagavan
sisyam vyacasta bhargavah
kamo ’syah kriyatam rajan
nainam tyaktum ihotsahe
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
The powerful Sukracarya was angry for a few moments, but upon being satisfied he said to Vrsaparva: My dear King, kindly fulfill the desire of Devayani, for she is my daughter and in this world I cannot give her up or neglect her.
Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada:
Sometimes a great personality like Sukracarya cannot neglect sons and daughters, for sons and daughters are by nature dependent on their father and the father has affection for them. Although Sukracarya knew that the quarrel between Devayani and Sarmistha was childish, as Devayani’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.