Shloka 23
Dharmāṅgada’s Discourse (Dharmāṅgadopadeśa) in the Mohinī Episode
पुत्रहत्या महाहत्या ब्रह्महत्याधिका प्रिये । घातयित्वा सुतं लोके का गतिर्म्मे भविष्यति ॥ २३ ॥
putrahatyā mahāhatyā brahmahatyādhikā priye | ghātayitvā sutaṃ loke kā gatirmme bhaviṣyati || 23 ||
প্রিয়ে, পুত্রহত্যা মহাপাপ—ব্রহ্মহত্যার চেয়েও অধিক। যদি আমি এই জগতে নিজের পুত্রকে বধ করি, তবে আমার কী গতি হবে?
A questioning householder/royal figure addressing his beloved (contextual interlocutor within the narrative); teaching frame ultimately attributed to Narada Purana’s dialogue tradition
Vrata: none
Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"karuna","secondary_rasa":"bhayanaka","emotional_journey":"Begins with moral shock at the enormity of filicide, then turns into anxious self-questioning about post-mortem fate."}
FAQs
It highlights the gravity of mahā-pātakas (heinous sins) by placing putra-hatyā among the most destructive karmas, prompting a dharmic inquiry into consequences and the need for purification/atonement.
Indirectly: by stressing moral accountability, it prepares the ground for refuge-oriented practice—seeking purification through dharma, sacred observances, and ultimately devotion as a transformative remedy for fallen states.
The verse foregrounds Dharma-śāstric categorization of sins (mahā-hatyā/mahā-pātaka) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; it points toward prayāścitta reasoning that is typically articulated using precise Vyākaraṇa-based terminology and ritual logic.