Mohinī-prashna
The Question about Mohinī
यदन्यद्वोचते तुभ्यं तत्कर्तास्मि न संशयः । मोहिन्युवाच । न चान्यद्रोचते राजन्विना वै भोजनं तव ॥ ११ ॥
yadanyadvocate tubhyaṃ tatkartāsmi na saṃśayaḥ | mohinyuvāca | na cānyadrocate rājanvinā vai bhojanaṃ tava || 11 ||
「ほかに何を望もうとも、そなたが言うなら必ず成そう。疑いはない。」モーヒニーは言った。「王よ、わたしは他を望まぬ。ただ、あなたの食事(食べ物)だけを。」
Mohinī
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shringara
Secondary Rasa: hasya
The verse highlights how desire can be framed subtly: Mohinī rejects “anything else” and fixes upon food, a potent symbol of enjoyment and attachment, testing the king’s discernment (viveka) and self-control within dharma.
Indirectly, it contrasts worldly craving with restraint; in bhakti-oriented purāṇic ethics, mastering appetite and desire supports purity (śauca) and steadiness of mind, making one fit for devotion and sacred observances.
No specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught directly here; the practical takeaway is ritual-ethical: food (bhojana/anna) is a key domain for niyama—regulated conduct relevant to vrata and offering practices.