Verse 15

¹⁵So, hero, the son of Marici answered her, poor thing, talking on and on, her misery of desire grown large, and he answered soothing her with his words. ¹⁶Timid one, here I am, and I will do for you the pleasure you want. Who would not do what she wants, since through her come the three ends a man lives for? ¹⁷Taking up all the other stages of life within his own, a man who has a wife crosses the sea of trouble as one crosses the ocean by boats. ¹⁸Proud one, they call her the half of a man who wants what is good for himself; laying his own burden on her, he goes about without fever. ¹⁹Taking shelter in her, we may beat down with ease the enemies that are the senses, hard to beat in the other stages of life, as the lord of a fort beats down robbers.

²⁰Mistress of the house, we have no power to match what you are, not with a whole lifetime, nor have others who are hungry for what such qualities give. ²¹Even so I will do this wish of yours for a child, and do it fully. Only wait a little while, so that they may not get the better of me.