Shloka 23

Agastya’s Encounter with Ilvala and Vātāpi; Dāna, Progeny, and the Renown of Agastya-Āśrama

Devanagari script

लोपामुद्रोवाच अल्पावशिष्ट: कालो<यमृतोर्मम तपोधन । न चान्यथाहमिच्छामि त्वामुपैतुं कथंचन,लोपामुद्रा बोली--तपोधन! मेरे ऋतुकालका थोड़ा ही समय शेष रह गया है। मैं जैसा बता चुकी हूँ, उसके सिवा और किसी तरह आपसे समागम नहीं करना चाहती

Transliteration

Lopāmudrovāca—alpāvaśiṣṭaḥ kālo ’yam ṛtor mama tapodhana | na cānyathāham icchāmi tvām upaituṁ kathaṁcana ||

Translation

Lopāmudrā said: “O treasure of austerity, only a little of my fertile season remains. And as I have already stated, I do not wish to unite with you in any other manner whatsoever.”

Word by Word

लोपामुद्राLopāmudrā

उवाचsaid

अल्पlittle

अवशिष्टःremaining

कालःtime

अयम्this

ऋतोःof the season / of the fertile period

ममmy

तपोधनO one whose wealth is austerity (ascetic)

नnot

चand

अन्यथाotherwise

अहम्I

इच्छामिdesire / wish

त्वाम्you

उपैतुम्to approach / to come to (meet, unite with)

कथंचनin any way / at all

Speaker

अगस्त्य उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lopāmudrā

Agastya

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds ethical marital conduct: intimacy is tied to mutual consent and to the appropriate time and conditions for household life, balancing ascetic ideals with gṛhastha responsibilities such as progeny.

What is happening in the narrative?

Lopāmudrā addresses Agastya, reminding him that her ṛtu-period is nearly over and reiterating her firm condition: she will not agree to union except in the manner she has already specified.