Shloka 5

Dialogue of Father and Son (Pitṛputra-saṃvāda) — Mohinī Episode

Devanagari script

तवाधीना नृपश्रेष्ठ गम्यतां यत्र ते मनः । मोहिन्या वचनं श्रुत्वा तप्रस्थे नगरं प्रति ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

tavādhīnā nṛpaśreṣṭha gamyatāṃ yatra te manaḥ | mohinyā vacanaṃ śrutvā taprasthe nagaraṃ prati || 5 ||

Translation

„O bester der Könige, ich stehe unter deinem Befehl—geh, wohin dein Sinn begehrt.“ Als er die Worte Mohinīs, der Betörenden, vernommen hatte, brach er daraufhin zur Stadt auf.

Word by Word

• तव: of you/your
• तव: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अधीना: dependent (on you)
• अधीना: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (adjective)

• नृपश्रेष्ठ: O best of kings
• नृपश्रेष्ठ: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (श्रेष्ठः नृपाणाम्)

• गम्यताम्: let (it/one) go
• गम्यताम्: विधेय (Predicate verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/लोट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive): ‘let it be gone/let (one) go’

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• ते: your/of you
• ते: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• मनः: mind
• मनः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• मोहिन्या: by the enchantress (Mohinī)
• मोहिन्या: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• वचनम्: words/speech
• वचनम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund/क्त्वा), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participial)

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• प्रस्थे: in/at the expanse (region)
• प्रस्थे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• नगरम्: city
• नगरम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: दिशा/प्रत्ययार्थ (Direction/goal marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (prepositional indeclinable)

Speaker

Suta (narrating the episode; the quoted speech is by Mohinī to the king)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Mohinī
• Nṛpa (King)

FAQs

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

It highlights how the mind’s impulse (manaḥ) can redirect a person’s course when influenced by मोहिनी (enchantment), reminding the listener to cultivate discernment (viveka) amid alluring counsel.

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

Indirectly, it contrasts enchantment-driven movement with devotion-driven steadiness: Bhakti in the Narada Purana repeatedly emphasizes anchoring the mind in the divine rather than being led by मोह (delusion).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No explicit Vedāṅga instruction appears in this verse; the practical takeaway is ethical-psychological—governance of mind and senses, a prerequisite for applying Dharma and ritual discipline properly.