Shloka 8

Mohinī-prashna

The Question about Mohinī

Devanagari script

नत्वत्र भोजनं कैश्चिदेकादश्यां प्रदर्शितम् । ज्वरिणां लंघनं शस्तं धार्मिकाणामुपोषणम् ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

natvatra bhojanaṃ kaiścidekādaśyāṃ pradarśitam | jvariṇāṃ laṃghanaṃ śastaṃ dhārmikāṇāmupoṣaṇam || 8 ||

Translation

परन्तु एकादशी में किसी ने भी भोजन का विधान नहीं किया है। ज्वरग्रस्त के लिए लंघन हितकर है और धर्मात्माओं के लिए उपवास ही उचित है।

Word by Word

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

• तु: however
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/however)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• भोजनम्: eating/food
• भोजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कैः: by whom/some (people)
• कैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक; interrogative pronoun)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन

• चित्: some/any (particle)
• चित्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चितार्थक निपात (enclitic particle) used with pronouns: ‘some/any’

• एकादश्याम्: on Ekādaśī (11th lunar day)
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• प्रदर्शितम्: shown/prescribed
• प्रदर्शितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agrees with भोजनम्

• ज्वरिणाम्: of fever-patients
• ज्वरिणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्वरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• लङ्घनम्: fasting/abstention (lightening)
• लङ्घनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्घन (प्रातिपदिक; from लङ्घ् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शस्तम्: recommended, beneficial
• शस्तम्: Pradhana-visheshana (प्रधान-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शस्त (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from शंस्/शस् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicate adjective for लङ्घनम्

• धार्मिकाणाम्: of the pious
• धार्मिकाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• उपोषणम्: fasting (religious abstinence)
• उपोषणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपोषण (प्रातिपदिक; from उप-वास् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; appositional to लङ्घनम्

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada in the Ekadashi-vrata context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekadashi

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

FAQs

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

It establishes Ekādaśī as a day oriented to restraint rather than indulgence—upavāsa is upheld as the dharmic norm, aligning the practitioner with purity and devotional discipline.

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

By recommending upoṣaṇa on Ekādaśī, it supports a classic Vaiṣṇava bhakti practice: controlling the senses and dedicating the day to remembrance and worship, rather than food-centered activity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects applied ritual-dharma tied to the lunar calendar (tithi-based observance of Ekādaśī) and the practical rule of upavāsa/laṅghana as a prescribed discipline.