Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21
Śuka’s Origin, Mastery of Śāstra, and Testing at Janaka’s Court
सा तु कृत्वा तदा व्यासं कामसंविग्नमानसम् । शुकीभूया महारम्या घृताची समुपागमत् ॥ २१ ॥
sā tu kṛtvā tadā vyāsaṃ kāmasaṃvignamānasam | śukībhūyā mahāramyā ghṛtācī samupāgamat || 21 ||
Alors elle, ayant troublé l’esprit de Vyāsa par le désir, se changea en une femelle perroquet d’une grande beauté; et l’apsaras Ghṛtācī, infiniment séduisante, s’approcha de lui.
Narada (narrating to the Sanatkumara brothers, in the Moksha-dharma discourse context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
FAQs
It highlights kāma (desire) as a powerful mental disturbance that can obstruct spiritual steadiness, even for great sages, underscoring the need for vigilance and inner restraint in mokṣa-dharma.
By showing how desire agitates the mind, the verse indirectly supports bhakti’s emphasis on single-pointed remembrance and purity of intention—devotion stabilizes the mind where sensory fascination disperses it.
The verse mainly teaches ethical-psychological discipline rather than a Vedāṅga; the practical takeaway is mind-governance (indriya-nigraha) and attention to mental states, which supports all scriptural study and sādhana.