Shloka 38

The Account of Mohinī (Mohinī-kathanam): Ekādaśī Nirṇaya, Daśamī Boundary, and Aruṇodaya

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य ब्रह्मणः स पुरोहितः । याज्याया देहयोगार्थमादिदेश मुदान्वितः ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya brahmaṇaḥ sa purohitaḥ | yājyāyā dehayogārthamādideśa mudānvitaḥ || 38 ||

Translation

Hearing those words of Brahmā, that priest—filled with joy—then issued instructions so that the sacrificer (the patron of the rite) might be united again with a body.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म; object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-धातु; अव्ययभाव (having heard)

• वचनम्: speech, words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म; object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुरोहितः: the priest
• पुरोहितः: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• याज्यायाः: of the one to be sacrificed for / of the sacrificial victim (female)
• याज्यायाः: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• देहयोगार्थम्: for the purpose of obtaining a body
• देहयोगार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु; purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहयोगार्थ (प्रातिपदिक; देह+योग+अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुष-प्रायः ‘देहयोगस्य अर्थः’ (for the purpose of bodily union/obtaining a body)

• आदिदेश: he instructed
• आदिदेश: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दिश् (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘he instructed/commanded’

• मुदान्वितः: filled with joy
• मुदान्वितः: Visheshana (विशेषण of सः/पुरोहितः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुदा+अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used adjectivally): ‘endowed with joy’

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana account)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: shanta (peace)

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Purohita

FAQs

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

It highlights that divine sanction (Brahmā’s word) is carried into effect through dharmic ritual agency—the purohita acts as the instrument by which order is restored, here symbolized by reunion with a body.

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

Bhakti is implicit rather than explicit: the verse shows faithful obedience to a divine command and reliance on sacred procedure; such śraddhā (trust) in the divine order is a supporting attitude for devotion.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa (ritual procedure) is foregrounded: the purohita “instructs/ordains” the steps of the rite for the yajamāna’s intended result, reflecting the applied science of conducting sacrifices.