Shloka 121
The Account of Kāṣṭhīlā (Kāṣṭhīlā-ākhyāna) within the Mohinī Narrative
यद्यन्यथा वदेर्वाक्यं त्वामहं रतिवर्द्धन । तदात्मकगृतपुण्यस्य न भवेयं हि भागिनी ॥ १२१ ॥
yadyanyathā vadervākyaṃ tvāmahaṃ rativarddhana | tadātmakagṛtapuṇyasya na bhaveyaṃ hi bhāginī || 121 ||
O Rativardhana, wenn ich anders zu dir sprechen würde – entgegen dem, was ich wirklich fühle –, dann hätte ich keinen Anteil am Verdienst jener heiligen Handlung, die mit solcher Absicht vollzogen wurde.
Unspecified (female speaker addressing 'Rativardhana' within the narrative context of Book 2, Adhyaya 27)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
FAQs
The verse emphasizes that spiritual merit depends on inner truth and intention; speaking falsely or against one’s real conviction breaks alignment with dharma and severs one’s share in the fruit of a meritorious act.
Although not explicitly naming a deity, it reinforces a core bhakti ethic: sincerity. Devotion is not merely external ritual—its fruit arises when speech and heart are truthful and aligned with one’s sacred intent.
Indirectly it reflects ritual logic from Kalpa (Vedanga of procedure): participation in puṇya is tied to correct intent and truthful conduct, not only the physical act (such as ghṛta-offering) itself.