Shloka 22

Nāvyāśrama-nirmāṇa and Ṛśyaśṛṅga’s Distraction (नाव्याश्रमनिर्माणम्—ऋश्यशृङ्गस्य विचलनम्)

Devanagari script

न कल्प्यन्ते समिथ: कि नु तात कच्चिद्धुतं चाग्निहोत्रं त्वयाद्य । सुनिर्णिक्त ख्ुक्खुवं होमधेनु: कच्चित्‌ सवत्साद्य कृता त्वया च,निकट आनेपर उन्होंने अपने पुत्रको अकेला उदासीन भावसे चिन्तामग्न होकर बैठा देखा। उसके चित्तकी दशा विपरीत थी। वह बार-बार ऊपरकी ओर दृष्टि किये उच्छवास ले रहा था। इस दयनीय दशामें पुत्रको देखकर विभाण्डक मुनिने पूछा--“तात! आज तुम अग्निकुण्डमें समिधाएँ क्‍यों नहीं रख रहे हो! क्या तुमने अग्निहोत्र कर लिया? खुक्‌ु और खुवा आदि यज्ञपात्रोंको भलीभाँति शुद्ध करके रखा है न? कहीं ऐसा तो नहीं हुआ कि तुमने हवनके लिये दूध देनेवाली गायका बछड़ा खोल दिया हो जिससे वह सारा दूध पी गया हो। बेटा! आज तुम पहले-जैसे दिखायी नहीं देते। किसी भारी चिन्तामें निमग्न हो, अपनी सुध-बुध खो बैठे हो। क्या कारण है जो आज तुम अत्यन्त दीन हो रहे हो। मैं तुमसे पूछता हूँ, बताओ, आज यहाँ कौन आया था?”

Transliteration

Lomaśa uvāca:

na kalpyante samidhaḥ ki nu tāta kaccid dhutaṃ cāgnihotraṃ tvayādya |

sunirṇikta-khukkhuvaṃ homadhenuḥ kaccit savatsādyakṛtā tvayā ca ||

Translation

Lomaśa said: “Dear child, why are the kindling-sticks not being set in order for the fire? Have you performed the Agnihotra today? Have you thoroughly cleansed and kept ready the ritual vessels—such as the khukku and the khuvā? And have you made sure the milk-giving cow meant for the offering has not been left with her calf, so that the calf might drink all the milk? You do not look as you usually do—your mind seems burdened. Tell me: who has come here today?”

Word by Word

नnot

कल्प्यन्तेare being arranged/prepared

समिधःfuel-sticks (for fire)

किम्why/what

नुindeed/then (interrogative particle)

तातdear son

कच्चित्surely?/I hope (interrogative particle)

हुतम्offered (as oblation)

चand

अग्निहोत्रम्Agnihotra rite

त्वयाby you

अद्यtoday

सुनिर्णिक्तwell-cleaned/purified

खुक्खुवम्khukhuva (a ritual vessel)

होमधेनुःthe oblation-giving cow (milch-cow for sacrifice)

कच्चित्surely?/I hope

सवत्साwith her calf

अद्यtoday

कृताmade/done

त्वयाby you

चand

Speaker

लोगश उवाच

Characters & Entities

Lomaśa

Agnihotra

samidh (kindling sticks)

khukku (ritual vessel)

khuvā (ritual vessel)

homa (fire-offering)

homadhenu (milch-cow for oblation)

calf (vatsa)

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 highlights attentiveness to daily dharma: even small lapses in obligatory rites (like arranging samidh and performing Agnihotra) signal inner disturbance. Ethical discipline is shown as steady, careful performance of one’s duties, and elders respond with concerned inquiry rather than anger.

What is happening in the narrative?

An elder notices a young ascetic/son is unusually distracted and not preparing the fire-ritual properly. He asks a series of practical questions about the Agnihotra and its requisites (fuel, clean vessels, milk for offering), then presses for the underlying cause—asking who has come—implying an external encounter has unsettled him.