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 |
Śaunaka said: “You will not become an all-devouring fire with your entire body. Rather, O Flame-crested one (Agni), only those tongues of fire that abide in your lower region (apāna) will consume everything.”
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.