Shloka 23
The Account of Mohinī
Mohinī-upākhyāna
मया व्यवसितं चेदं सर्वलोकविगर्हितम् । क्लेशयित्वा तु भर्तारं पुत्रं हत्वा वरासिना ॥ २३ ॥
mayā vyavasitaṃ cedaṃ sarvalokavigarhitam | kleśayitvā tu bhartāraṃ putraṃ hatvā varāsinā || 23 ||
मैंने यह निश्चय किया है—जो समस्त लोकों में निंदित है। पति को क्लेश देकर मैंने तलवार से अपने पुत्र का वध किया है।
Unnamed female speaker (narrative confession within the Tirtha-Mahatmya context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It presents a stark confession of adharma—harm to spouse and the killing of one’s own child—highlighting the weight of karma and the need for repentance and purification often addressed through prayāścitta and tirtha-oriented remedies in the Uttara-bhāga.
While not explicitly teaching bhakti, it sets the moral ground for bhakti: acknowledging wrongdoing and turning inward with humility is a prerequisite for sincere surrender to the Lord and for seeking purification through dharmic means.
No direct Vedāṅga instruction appears in this verse; its practical takeaway is ethical—recognition of mahāpātaka-level actions and the narrative setup for dharmic expiation (prayāścitta) that Purāṇas often connect with ritual and pilgrimage frameworks.