Shloka 38
Brahmā’s Discourse to Mohinī
Harivāsara, Desire, and the Satya-Test of Rukmāṅgada
सन्मार्गे तावदास्ते प्रभवति पुरुषस्तावदेवेंद्रियाणां लज्जां तावद्विधत्ते विनयमपि समालंबते तावदेव । भ्रूचापाक्षेपयुक्ताः श्रवणपथगता नीलपक्ष्माण एते यावल्लीलावतीनां न हृदि धृतिमुषो दृष्टिबाणाः पतंति ॥ ३८ ॥
sanmārge tāvadāste prabhavati puruṣastāvadeveṃdriyāṇāṃ lajjāṃ tāvadvidhatte vinayamapi samālaṃbate tāvadeva | bhrūcāpākṣepayuktāḥ śravaṇapathagatā nīlapakṣmāṇa ete yāvallīlāvatīnāṃ na hṛdi dhṛtimuṣo dṛṣṭibāṇāḥ pataṃti || 38 ||
So lange bleibt ein Mann auf dem rechten Pfad; so lange stehen seine Sinne unter seiner Herrschaft; so lange erwachen in ihm Scham und Selbstzucht—nur bis die Blickpfeile spielerischer Frauen, mit dem Bogen der Augenbraue versehen und über den Weg des Ohres getragen, mit dunkelblauen Wimpern, in sein Herz fallen und ihm die Standhaftigkeit rauben.
Narada (instructional narration within Uttara-Bhaga context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It teaches that dharma and inner steadiness depend on mastery of the senses; unchecked attraction can quickly destabilize even a disciplined person, so vigilance and restraint are essential supports for spiritual life.
Bhakti requires a stable heart (dhṛti) focused on the Lord; the verse warns that sensory fascination disperses attention and weakens resolve, so guarding the mind and senses protects devotional concentration and purity.
While not a direct Vedāṅga lesson, it reflects the practical dharmic discipline that underlies ritual efficacy—self-restraint and mental steadiness are implied prerequisites for correct conduct in vrata, pūjā, and tīrtha observances.