Shloka 42

Mohinī-prashna

The Question about Mohinī

Devanagari script

उपवासादिकरणं भूभुजां नोदितं क्वचित् । प्रजासंरक्षणं त्यक्त्वा चतुर्वर्गफलप्रदम् ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

upavāsādikaraṇaṃ bhūbhujāṃ noditaṃ kvacit | prajāsaṃrakṣaṇaṃ tyaktvā caturvargaphalapradam || 42 ||

Translation

Pour les rois, le jeûne et les austérités semblables ne sont prescrits nulle part s’ils impliquent d’abandonner la protection des sujets ; car la sauvegarde du peuple, à elle seule, confère les fruits des quatre buts de l’existence.

Word by Word

• उपवास-आदि-करणम्: the performance of fasting etc.
• उपवास-आदि-करणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—उपवासादि (तत्पुरुषः) + करणम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/निर्देशः)

• भू-भुजाम्: of kings
• भू-भुजाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूभुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; भू + भुज् (कर्मधारयः) = 'earth-eater' → king

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• उदितम्: enjoined
• उदितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + इ (धातु) → उदित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'उदितम्' = 'enjoined/said'

• क्वचित्: anywhere/ever
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• प्रजा-संरक्षणम्: protection of subjects
• प्रजा-संरक्षणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक) + संरक्षक/संरक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रजानां संरक्षणम्)

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), 'having abandoned'

• चतुर्-वर्ग-फल-प्रदम्: bestowing the fruits of the four aims of life
• चतुर्-वर्ग-फल-प्रदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः—(चतुर्वर्गस्य फलम्) तत्पुरुषः + (फलप्रदम्) उपपद-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

FAQs

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

It teaches that a ruler’s primary spiritual duty is prajā-saṃrakṣaṇa (protecting subjects); that responsibility itself yields the merit and higher fruits associated with the four puruṣārthas.

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

It implies that devotion is not only personal austerity: for a king, serving and protecting God’s people as a sacred duty is a superior expression of dharma aligned with spiritual attainment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharma-śāstra application—how vrata/austerity must not override one’s obligatory duty (svadharma).