Shloka 18
अथर्ष्यशूड़ूं विकृतं समीक्ष्य पुन: पुनः पीड्य च कायमस्य । अवेक्ष्यमाणा शनकैर्जगाम कृत्वाग्निहोत्रस्य तदापदेशम्,ऋष्यशृंगकी आकृतिमें किंचित् विकार देखकर उसने बार-बार उनके शरीरको आलिंगनके द्वारा दबाया और अग्निहोत्रका बहाना बनाकर वह उनके द्वारा देखी जाती हुई धीरे-धीरे वहाँसे चली गयी
atharṣyaśūḍūṃ vikṛtaṃ samīkṣya punaḥ punaḥ pīḍya ca kāyam asya | avekṣyamāṇā śanakair jagāma kṛtvāgnihotrasya tadāpadeśam ||
Lalu, melihat perubahan halus pada rupa Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, ia berulang kali menekan tubuhnya dalam pelukan. Sesudah itu, dengan dalih hendak mengurus agnihotra, ia pergi perlahan-lahan sementara ia masih memandangnya.
लोगश उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how desire can be advanced through subtle manipulation, even by using the appearance of religious duty (agnihotra) as a cover. Ethically, it warns that ritual forms can be misused, and that vigilance and inner discipline are needed so that dharma is not reduced to a mere pretext.
A woman observes a slight change in Ṛṣyaśṛṅga (suggesting his growing susceptibility). She intensifies physical closeness by repeated pressing embraces, then withdraws slowly while he watches, claiming she must attend the agnihotra—thereby keeping him emotionally engaged and drawing him further from ascetic restraint.