Mohinī-ākhyāna: The Trial of Ekādaśī and the King’s Satya-saṅkalpa
अमेध्यलिप्तः पटहो भवेत्तदा संछादितो नीलमयेन वाससा । उत्पाद्य कीर्तिं स्वयमेव जतुर्निकृंतति प्राणभयाच्च पापात् ॥ २९ ॥
amedhyaliptaḥ paṭaho bhavettadā saṃchādito nīlamayena vāsasā | utpādya kīrtiṃ svayameva jaturnikṛṃtati prāṇabhayācca pāpāt || 29 ||
Entonces se vuelve como un tambor untado de inmundicia, cubierto con un paño azul; habiendo levantado su propia fama, él mismo la cercena—por temor a la vida y a causa del pecado.
Narada (in dialogue context with Sanatkumara tradition; verse framed as didactic statement)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
It warns that outer display and social “covering” cannot purify inner impurity: when conduct is tainted by papa, one’s kīrti (earned esteem) is ultimately ruined by one’s own actions.
Bhakti rests on inner sincerity and śuddhi (purity). This verse implies that devotion cannot thrive when a person conceals impurity for reputation; genuine dharmic living is the ground for stable Vishnu-bhakti.
It primarily emphasizes dharma-nīti (ethical discipline) rather than a specific Vedāṅga; the practical takeaway aligns with śikṣā/ācāra—right conduct and self-restraint as prerequisites for spiritual credibility.