Shloka 51

The Account of Mohinī

Mohinī-upākhyāna

Devanagari script

यन्नाक्रांतं हि भूतौघैस्तत्स्थाने मोहिनीस्थितिः । जंगमाजंगमैर्भूमिर्व्याप्ता द्वीपवती सदा ॥ ५१ ॥

Transliteration

yannākrāṃtaṃ hi bhūtaughaistatsthāne mohinīsthitiḥ | jaṃgamājaṃgamairbhūmirvyāptā dvīpavatī sadā || 51 ||

Translation

حيثما لم تتقدّم جموعُ الكائنات لتغزو وتستولي، ففي ذلك الموضع بعينه تقوم موهينِي، قوةُ الإيهام. والأرضُ، الموشّاة دائمًا بالقارات والجزر، مشبَعةٌ بالكائنات المتحرّكة والساكنة.

Word by Word

• यत्: which/that which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• आक्रान्तम्: occupied/overrun
• आक्रान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + √क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘overstepped/occupied’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• भूत-ओघैः: by multitudes of beings
• भूत-ओघैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + ओघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘by hosts of beings’

• तत्-स्थाने: in that place
• तत्-स्थाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in that place)

• मोहिनी-स्थितिः: Mohinī’s presence
• मोहिनी-स्थितिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘the presence/abiding of Mohinī’

• जंगम-अजंगमैः: by the moving and the unmoving (beings)
• जंगम-अजंगमैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जंगम (प्रातिपदिक) + अजंगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (‘moving and non-moving’)

• भूमिः: the earth
• भूमिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• व्याप्ता: pervaded/filled
• व्याप्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + √आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘pervaded/filled’ (qualifies ‘bhūmiḥ’)

• द्वीपवती: having islands
• द्वीपवती: Pratipadya (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वीपवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्यय (possessive: ‘having islands’)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (always)

Speaker

Narada (narrative voice within Uttara-Bhaga; dialogic frame traditionally with Sanatkumara)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Mohini

FAQs

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

It teaches that delusion (Mohinī/moha) occupies the unguarded inner space—where awareness and dharma do not ‘take possession’—and that the world is thoroughly pervaded by beings, urging the seeker to cultivate vigilance and discernment amid pervasive worldly life.

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

By implying that where remembrance of the Divine is absent, moha arises; bhakti—steady smaraṇa, kīrtana, and dhārmic living—‘occupies’ the mind so that delusion finds no place to stand.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A practical takeaway aligns with Jyotiṣa and dhārmic discipline: the verse uses a cosmological frame (dvīpas, moving/unmoving beings) to stress right orientation of life; it is less about ritual procedure and more about applied viveka (discernment) in a world filled with distractions.