Mohinī-ākhyāna: The Trial of Ekādaśī and the King’s Satya-saṅkalpa
यः कर्त्ता सुकृतं भूरि रक्ताशोकाकृतिः स्थितः । ध्वजांकुशांकितः श्रीमान्दक्षिणः कनकांगदः ॥ ५४ ॥
yaḥ karttā sukṛtaṃ bhūri raktāśokākṛtiḥ sthitaḥ | dhvajāṃkuśāṃkitaḥ śrīmāndakṣiṇaḥ kanakāṃgadaḥ || 54 ||
Dia yang melakukan kebajikan berlimpah berdiri di sana, berwujud laksana pohon aśoka merah. Bertanda lambang panji dan penggiring (aṅkuśa), penuh śrī dan membawa keberkahan—dialah Dakṣiṇa, berhias gelang lengan emas.
Narada (within a Tirtha-Mahatmya narration of Uttara-Bhaga)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
The verse praises a personification/figure named Dakṣiṇa as one who embodies abundant sukṛta (spiritual merit), emphasizing that righteous acts (puṇya-karma) manifest as auspicious splendor and sacred marks.
While not explicitly teaching bhakti practices, it supports the bhakti-dharma worldview of the Narada Purana: sustained good deeds and sacred observances at tirthas cultivate śrī (auspicious grace), which is foundational for devotional life.
The verse chiefly uses lakṣaṇa-style description (identifying marks and forms), aligning more with Purāṇic iconographic convention than a specific Vedāṅga; it illustrates how traditional signs (aṅka/cihna) are used to identify sacred figures.