Shloka 28
यक्षोपाख्यान-प्रवेशः
Entry into the Yakṣa-Lake Episode
मनसा निश्चयं कृत्वा ततो वाचाभिधीयते । क्रियते कर्मणा पश्चात् प्रमाणं मे मनस्तत:,पहले मनसे निश्चय करके फिर वाणीद्वारा कहा जाता है। तत्पश्चात् उसे कार्यरूपमें परिणत किया जाता है, अत: इस विषयमें मेरा मन ही प्रमाण है
manasā niścayaṃ kṛtvā tato vācābhidhīyate | kriyate karmaṇā paścāt pramāṇaṃ me manas tataḥ ||
Having first formed a firm resolve in the mind, one then expresses it through speech; afterwards it is carried out as action. Therefore, in this matter, my mind itself is the decisive authority (the primary proof), for intention precedes word and deed.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the ethical sequence of human agency: intention (mental resolve) comes first, speech articulates it next, and action follows last. Hence, inner intention is presented as the primary criterion for judging a matter, because words and deeds arise from the mind.
Nārada is instructing his listener by emphasizing that decisions originate in the mind before they appear as spoken commitments and finally as concrete actions. He uses this to justify relying on his own mental certainty as the authoritative basis in the discussion.