Shloka 16

Brahmā’s Discourse to Mohinī

Harivāsara, Desire, and the Satya-Test of Rukmāṅgada

Devanagari script

तस्मान्न चिंतयेत्प्राज्ञो ह्येता रागेण चक्षुषा । जनन्या अपि पादौ तु नादेयौ द्वादशाब्दिकैः ॥ १६ ॥

Transliteration

tasmānna ciṃtayetprājño hyetā rāgeṇa cakṣuṣā | jananyā api pādau tu nādeyau dvādaśābdikaiḥ || 16 ||

Translation

それゆえ、賢者は執着によって曇った目でこれらの事柄を思い煩うべきではない。12歳になった者は、母親の足であっても（欲望の対象として）触れてはならない。

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from that (reason/therefore)
• तस्मात्: अपादान (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• चिन्तयेत्: should think/ponder
• चिन्तयेत्: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• प्राज्ञः: the wise person
• प्राज्ञः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• एताः: these (things)
• एताः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• रागेण: with passion/attachment
• रागेण: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• चक्षुषा: with the eye; by sight
• चक्षुषा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• जनन्याः: of (one's) mother
• जनन्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जननी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• पादौ: (her) two feet
• पादौ: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrastive particle)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध/निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• आदेयौ: to be taken/accepted (to be touched/held)
• आदेयौ: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-दा (धातु) + आदेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे ‘to be taken’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; निषेधेन ‘न आदेयौ’

• द्वादशाब्दिकैः: by twelve-year-olds (boys)
• द्वादशाब्दिकैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वादश + आब्दिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (द्वादश-अब्दिक = twelve-year-old), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narada (instructional voice within Uttara-Bhaga’s dharma/tirtha discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"bhayanaka","emotional_journey":"Begins as sober counsel to the wise to avoid attachment-driven rumination, then sharpens into a boundary-setting warning about illicit desire even toward the mother."}

FAQs

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

It teaches vairagya and sense-discipline: a wise person should not let attachment distort perception, and must uphold strict boundaries that protect dharma and purity of mind.

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

By warning against raga-driven vision, it supports bhakti as a purified orientation of mind; devotion becomes steady when desire and improper fixation are restrained through brahmacharya and right conduct.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

While not a technical Vedanga passage, it reflects smriti-aligned sadachara used alongside Kalpa (ritual/dharma procedure) principles—practical discipline and restraint as prerequisites for sacred practice.