Shloka 38

Mohinī-ākhyāna: The Trial of Ekādaśī and the King’s Satya-saṅkalpa

Devanagari script

पांशुना पूर्यते गर्तः स गर्तखनको भवेत् । त्वया ममार्पितः पाणिर्वराय पृथिवीपते ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

pāṃśunā pūryate gartaḥ sa gartakhanako bhavet | tvayā mamārpitaḥ pāṇirvarāya pṛthivīpate || 38 ||

Translation

穴は塵で埋まり、その穴を掘った者もまた、まるで失われるかのようだ。おお大地の主よ、あなたは私の手を、ふさわしい求婚者に婚姻として授けた。

Word by Word

• pāṃśunā: with dust
• pāṃśunā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṃśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• pūryate: is filled
• pūryate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pṝ (पॄ धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person, Singular; passive-like sense ‘is filled’

• gartaḥ: a pit/hole
• gartaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• garta-khanakaḥ: a pit-digger
• garta-khanakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garta (प्रातिपदिक) + khanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; compound: gartaṃ khanati iti (pit-digger)

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• arpitaḥ: given/offered
• arpitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arp (अर्प् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; agrees with ‘pāṇiḥ’

• pāṇiḥ: hand (in marriage)
• pāṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• varāya: to the bridegroom
• varāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• pṛthivī-pate: O lord of the earth
• pṛthivī-pate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; compound: pṛthivyāḥ patiḥ

Speaker

Unspecified (verse quoted within narrative; likely a woman addressing a king in a marriage/pledge context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Prithivipati (king/lord of the earth)

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma through a vivid proverb: actions and intentions can rebound on the doer, and social-sacred commitments like giving the bride’s hand are binding moral acts.

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

Indirectly, it supports bhakti-based dharma by emphasizing integrity and truthfulness—qualities considered essential for a devotee’s conduct, even within worldly rites like marriage.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharma-śāstra-aligned usage of legal-ritual language (pāṇi-pradāna, “giving the hand” in marriage), relevant to Kalpa (ritual procedure) rather than technical sciences like Jyotiṣa or Vyākaraṇa.