Shloka 17

Brahmā’s Discourse to Mohinī

Harivāsara, Desire, and the Satya-Test of Rukmāṅgada

Devanagari script

सुतैस्त्वभ्यंगकरणे पुनर्यौवनसंस्थितैः । षष्ट्यतीतां सुतोऽभ्यंगे नियुञ्जीत विचक्षणः ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

sutaistvabhyaṃgakaraṇe punaryauvanasaṃsthitaiḥ | ṣaṣṭyatītāṃ suto'bhyaṃge niyuñjīta vicakṣaṇaḥ || 17 ||

Translation

息子たちが青春の盛りを迎えたとき、彼らは油によるマッサージ（アビヤンガ）を行うべきである。思慮分別のある息子は、六十歳を過ぎた母親のマッサージを手伝うべきである。

Word by Word

• सुतैः: by sons
• सुतैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• अभ्यङ्गकरणे: in the act of oil-massage
• अभ्यङ्गकरणे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यङ्ग + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अभ्यङ्गस्य करणम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• यौवनसंस्थितैः: (sons) established in youth (i.e., young)
• यौवनसंस्थितैः: करणविशेषण (Instrument-qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यौवन + संस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (यौवने संस्थित = situated in youth), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण ‘सुतैः’

• षष्ट्यतीताम्: (a woman) past sixty (years)
• षष्ट्यतीताम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि + अतीत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (षष्टिं अतीता = having passed sixty), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (स्त्रीलिङ्ग-शब्दं गृहीत्वा)

• सुतः: a son
• सुतः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अभ्यङ्गे: in massage/oiling
• अभ्यङ्गे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभ्यङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• नियुञ्जीत: should employ/appoint
• नियुञ्जीत: क्रिया (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-युज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• विचक्षणः: the discerning one
• विचक्षणः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

Speaker

Narada (teaching traditional household dharma/ācāra)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

FAQs

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

It frames physical care of elders—especially one’s mother—as dharma: service (seva) expressed through a purifying daily rite (abhyaṅga), turning family duty into meritorious conduct.

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

While not directly prescribing a bhakti practice, it supports bhakti through seva and humility—serving one’s mother as a sacred obligation that cultivates compassion and selflessness, qualities essential to devotional life.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights ritualized daily conduct (ācāra) aligned with dharma—how a bodily practice like abhyaṅga becomes part of disciplined living; it is closer to kalpa-style practical observance than to grammar or astrology.