Shloka 4

The Account of Mohinī

Mohinī-upākhyāna

Devanagari script

ताडयित्वा च दंडेन प्रेरयामास यातनाम् । एवं संताडिता राजन् देवदूतेन मोहिनी ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

tāḍayitvā ca daṃḍena prerayāmāsa yātanām | evaṃ saṃtāḍitā rājan devadūtena mohinī || 4 ||

Translation

وبعد أن ضربها بعصًا، ساقها قُدُمًا نحو العذاب. وهكذا، أيها الملك، ضُرِبت المرأة المُضلِّلة (موهِني) مرارًا على يد رسولٍ إلهيّ.

Word by Word

• ताडयित्वा: having struck
• ताडयित्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड् (धातु) + यित्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/यित्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — “having beaten/struck”

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दण्डेन: with a staff
• दण्डेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन — करण (instrument) “with a staff”

• प्रेरयामास: impelled / drove
• प्रेरयामास: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रेरय्/प्रेर् (धातु: प्रेर् ‘to impel’)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — “he impelled/caused”

• यातनाम्: torment
• यातनाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — “torment/punishment”

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb) — “thus”

• संताडिता: was severely beaten
• संताडिता: Karma (कर्म/Patient; PPP subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ताड् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — “having been severely beaten”

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन — “O king”

• देवदूतेन: by the divine messenger
• देवदूतेन: Kartr (कर्ता/Agent in passive; कर्तृकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां दूतः) — “by the divine messenger”

• मोहिनी: Mohinī
• मोहिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of nominal clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — proper name/“the enchantress (woman)”

Speaker

Suta (narrating to the assembled sages; addressing a king within the recounted dialogue)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Deva-dūta
• Mohinī

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It underscores the inevitability of karmic consequence: wrongdoing leads to enforced suffering, administered by higher cosmic agents, until the soul is corrected through dharma.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By contrast, it implies that a life lacking dharma and devotion results in painful correction; in Narada Purana’s broader teaching, Vishnu-bhakti and righteous conduct are presented as safeguards against such post-death torment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this line; the practical takeaway is dharma-śāstra ethics—actions have measurable results, so one should follow prescribed conduct and expiations (prāyaścitta) where applicable.