Shloka 18
Agni’s Withdrawal to the Forest and Identification with Āṅgirasa (अग्न्याङ्गिरस-इतिहासः)
ब्राह्मण उवाच किमिदं भवति त्वं मां तिछेत्युक्त्वा वराड़ने | उपरोध॑ं कृतवती न विसर्जितवत्यसि,उसे देखकर ब्राह्मणने कहा--सुन्दरी! तुम्हारा यह कैसा बर्ताव है? देख! तुम्हें इतना विलम्ब करना था तो “ठहरो' कहकर मुझे रोक क्यों लिया? मुझे जाने क्यों नहीं दिया?
brāhmaṇa uvāca: kim idaṃ bhavati? tvaṃ māṃ tiṣṭhety uktvā varāṅgane, uparodhaṃ kṛtavatī na visarjitavaty asi.
Sang brāhmaṇa berkata: “Apa arti tingkah lakumu ini, wahai wanita beranggota elok? Setelah berkata kepadaku, ‘Tunggulah,’ engkau menahanku—namun engkau pun tidak melepaskanku pergi. Mengapa membuatku menunggu begitu lama?”
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical accountability in speech and action: if one restrains another by saying “wait,” one incurs a responsibility to act consistently—either to explain the reason or to release them—rather than causing needless obstruction.
A brāhmaṇa addresses a woman who had told him to wait. He questions her conduct because she has detained him but has not permitted him to leave, expressing frustration at the delay and the inconsistency of her actions.