Shloka 22
अग्निशाप-प्रसंगः
Agni’s Curse and the Restoration of Ritual Order
न त्वं सर्वशरीरेण सर्वभक्षत्वमेष्यसि । अपाने हार्चिषो यास्ते सर्व भक्ष्यन्ति ता: शिखिन्,“तुम सारे शरीरसे सर्वभक्षी नहीं होओगे। अग्निदेव! तुम्हारे अपानदेशमें जो ज्वालाएँ होंगी, वे ही सब कुछ भक्षण करेंगी
na tvaṃ sarvaśarīreṇa sarvabhakṣatvam eṣyasi | apāne hārcīṣo yās te sarvabhakṣyanti tāḥ śikhin |
قال شاونَكا: «لن تصير نارًا تلتهم كلَّ شيء بجسدك كلّه. بل يا أَغني ذا العُرفِ اللهيب، إنما الألسنةُ من نارِك المقيمةُ في موضعك الأسفل (أبانا apāna) هي التي ستأكل كلَّ شيء.»
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames divine power as regulated rather than indiscriminate: Agni’s capacity to consume is localized and bounded, suggesting that even immense force operates through specific channels and limits.
Śaunaka addresses Agni, clarifying that Agni will not become universally all-devouring in every part of his body; instead, only particular flames situated in the apāna-region are described as performing the act of consuming everything.