Shloka 25
Agastya’s Encounter with Ilvala and Vātāpi; Dāna, Progeny, and the Renown of Agastya-Āśrama
अगस्त्य उवाच यद्येष काम: सुभगे तव बुद्धया विनिश्चित: । हर्तु गच्छाम्यहं भद्रे चर काममिह स्थिता,अगस्त्यजीने कहा--सुभगे! यदि तुमने अपनी बुद्धिसे यही मनोरथ पानेका निश्चय कर लिया है तो मैं धन लानेके लिये जाता हूँ, तुम यहीं रहकर इच्छानुसार धर्माचरण करो
agastya uvāca yady eṣa kāmaḥ subhage tava buddhyā viniścitaḥ | hartu gacchāmy ahaṃ bhadre cara kāmam iha sthitā ||
Agastya said: “O fortunate lady, if by your own judgment you have firmly resolved upon this desire, then, O good one, I shall go to procure (what is needed). Remain here, and while staying in this place, act according to your wish—within the bounds of dharma.”
अगस्त्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames desire (kāma) as something to be handled through clear judgment (buddhi) and within dharma: once a resolve is made, the responsible course is to act without abandoning ethical conduct—here, Agastya undertakes the burden of procuring means, while instructing the woman to remain and act appropriately.
Agastya addresses a woman respectfully (“subhage,” “bhadre”). He acknowledges that she has firmly decided upon a particular wish, and he declares that he will go out to procure what is needed, telling her to stay where she is and conduct herself as she wishes (implicitly in a dharmic manner) until he returns.