Shloka 4

Mohinī-ākhyāna: The Trial of Ekādaśī and the King’s Satya-saṅkalpa

Devanagari script

होमोच्छिष्टप्रभोक्तारस्त्रयो वर्णाः प्रकीर्तिताः । विशेषाद्भूमिपालानां कथं युक्तमुपोषणम् ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

homocchiṣṭaprabhoktārastrayo varṇāḥ prakīrtitāḥ | viśeṣādbhūmipālānāṃ kathaṃ yuktamupoṣaṇam || 4 ||

Translation

Es wird gelehrt, dass die drei Stände der Zweimalgeborenen (dvija) von dem essen, was von der Homa-Opfergabe übrig bleibt. Besonders bei Königen, den Beschützern der Erde, wie könnte Fasten da als angemessen gelten?

Word by Word

• होम-उच्छिष्ट-प्रभोक्तारः: partakers of the remnants of the homa
• होम-उच्छिष्ट-प्रभोक्तारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक) + उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभोक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (होमस्य उच्छिष्टस्य प्रभोक्तारः = those who partake of the remnants of the oblation)

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• वर्णाः: social classes (varṇas)
• वर्णाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• प्रकीर्तिताः: have been declared/proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘have been proclaimed’

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Hetu/Avadhi (हेतु/अवधि—adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverbial use); तसिल्-अर्थे (ablatival sense) = ‘especially/particularly’

• भूमि-पालानाम्: of kings (protectors of the land)
• भूमि-पालानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूमेः पालाः)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• युक्तम्: proper/fitting
• युक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे/विशेषणरूपेण = ‘proper, fitting’

• उपोषणम्: fasting (upavāsa)
• उपोषणम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उप + वस्/उष् (धातु) → उपोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्रियावाचक-नाम (action noun)

Speaker

Narada (questioning/raising a doubt within the dialogue addressed to the Sanatkumara tradition)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Bhūmipāla (King)

FAQs

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

The verse frames a dharmic tension between continual ritual/feeding obligations (homa and its remnants) and the ascetic discipline of fasting, especially for rulers whose duties require public, sustaining action.

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

By questioning when fasting is truly “appropriate,” the verse implicitly points to regulated observance—vrata as devotion guided by dharma and role-based duty, not as mere self-denial.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritual practice (kalpa/śrauta-smārta procedure) concerning homa and the status of ucchiṣṭa (sanctified remnants), and how such ritual norms intersect with vrata disciplines like upoṣaṇa.