Text 22
athāpi kāmam etaṁ te
prajātyai karavāṇy alam
yathā māṁ nātirocanti
muhūrtaṁ pratipālaya
atha api — even though (it is not possible); kāmam — this sex desire; etam — as it is; te — your; prajātyai — for the sake of children; karavāṇi — let me do; alam — without delay; yathā — as; mām — unto me; na — may not; atirocanti — reproach; muhūrtam — a few seconds; pratipālaya — wait for.
Even though it is not possible to repay you, I shall satisfy your sex desire immediately for the sake of begetting children. But you must wait for only a few seconds so that others may not reproach me.
The henpecked husband may not be able to repay his wife for all the benefits that he derives from her, but as for begetting children by fulfilling sexual desire, it is not at all difficult for any husband unless he is thoroughly impotent. This is a very easy task for a husband under normal conditions. In spite of Kaśyapa’s being very eager, he requested her to wait for a few seconds so that others might not reproach him. He explains his position as follows.