Shloka 23
The Account of Kāṣṭhīlā (Kāṣṭhīlā-ākhyāna) within the Mohinī Narrative
ममापि दुःखदंह्येतद्दैवाज्जल्पाम्यहं शुभे । कस्येष्टमात्महननं कस्येष्टं विषभक्षणम् ॥ २३ ॥
mamāpi duḥkhadaṃhyetaddaivājjalpāmyahaṃ śubhe | kasyeṣṭamātmahananaṃ kasyeṣṭaṃ viṣabhakṣaṇam || 23 ||
Esto es doloroso incluso para mí; sin embargo, por la fuerza del destino, hablo de ello, oh auspiciosa. ¿Quién desearía jamás la autodestrucción? ¿Quién desearía consumir veneno?
Unspecified narrator/speaker within the Adhyaya (addressing a woman as 'śubhe')
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It frames despair and self-destructive impulses as unnatural to the soul’s welfare, stressing that even painful truths may be spoken when prompted by daiva (destiny), to redirect one toward dharma and life-preserving conduct.
By rejecting self-harm as ‘undesirable,’ the verse implicitly points to choosing life, repentance, and refuge—attitudes that mature into surrender and steadiness, which are foundational for Vishnu-bhakti in Purāṇic teaching.
The verse is primarily ethical (nīti/dharma) rather than technical Vedāṅga instruction; it uses clear rhetorical questioning (vyākaraṇa-informed clarity of expression) to teach a practical takeaway: avoid harmful acts and choose dharmic remedies.