Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

अकार्यकरणं कृत्वा किं जीवेच्छरदां शतम् । को हि संचेष्टमानस्तु भुनक्ति हरिवासरे ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

akāryakaraṇaṃ kṛtvā kiṃ jīveccharadāṃ śatam | ko hi saṃceṣṭamānastu bhunakti harivāsare || 15 ||

Translation

Having done what ought not to be done, what use is it to live even a hundred autumns? For who, truly mindful and striving, would eat on Hari’s sacred day?

Word by Word

• अकार्यकरणम्: doing what should not be done
• अकार्यकरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'not-to-be-done' + 'doing' = 'doing what is improper'

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), 'having done'

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Prayojana/Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun used adverbially

• जीवेत्: should live
• जीवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शरदाम्: of years/autumns
• शरदाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; genitive of measure/time

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; object of 'live' in sense 'live a hundred (years)'

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/बलार्थ

• संचेष्टमानः: one who strives/acts
• संचेष्टमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/पक्षान्तरे निपात (contrastive particle)

• भुनक्ति: eats
• भुनक्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हरिवासरे: on Hari's day (Ekādaśī)
• हरिवासरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिवासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'Hari's' + 'day'

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekadashi (Hari-vasara implied)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It declares that longevity without dharma is meaningless, and it elevates Hari-vāsara (especially Ekādaśī) as a decisive test of self-control and devotion to Viṣṇu.

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

Bhakti is shown as practical loyalty to Hari expressed through vrata—refusing indulgence on Viṣṇu’s sacred day—so devotion becomes disciplined conduct, not mere emotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly relies on kalpa (ritual discipline) and dharma-śāstric vrata-vidhi: recognizing specific sacred tithis like Ekādaśī and observing the prescribed restraint (upavāsa/abhojana) on Hari-vāsara.