Shloka 3

Mohinī-prashna

The Question about Mohinī

Devanagari script

पुराणे निर्णयो ह्येष विद्वद्भिः समुदाहृतः । न शंखेन पिबेत्तोयं न हन्यात्कूर्मसूकरौ ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

purāṇe nirṇayo hyeṣa vidvadbhiḥ samudāhṛtaḥ | na śaṃkhena pibettoyaṃ na hanyātkūrmasūkarau || 3 ||

Translation

នេះជាច្បាប់ដាច់ខាតដែលបុរាណៈបានប្រកាសដោយអ្នកប្រាជ្ញ៖ មិនគួរផឹកទឹកដោយប្រើស័ង្ខទេ ហើយមិនគួរសម្លាប់អណ្តើក ឬជ្រូកព្រៃទេ។

Word by Word

• पुराणे: in the Purāṇa
• पुराणे: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण) विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular (in)

• निर्णयः: the decision/ruling
• निर्णयः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्णय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

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

• एषः: this
• एषः: विशेष्य (Subject-determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; Demonstrative pronoun

• विद्वद्भिः: by the learned
• विद्वद्भिः: कर्ता (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by)

• समुदाहृतः: has been proclaimed
• समुदाहृतः: क्रिया (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उद्-आ-हृ (धातु) > समुदाहृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Past passive participle (has been proclaimed)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• शंखेन: with a conch-shell
• शंखेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with/by)

• पिबेत्: should drink
• पिबेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg (should drink)

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• हन्यात्: should kill
• हन्यात्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Optative 3rd sg (should kill)

• कूर्म-सूकरौ: a tortoise and a boar
• कूर्म-सूकरौ: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सूकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (कूर्मश्च सूकरश्च)

Speaker

Narada (teaching a Purāṇic dharma-niyama as an authoritative rule)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"none","emotional_journey":"A calm, aphoristic statement of settled Purāṇic rules, delivered with the tone of codified dharma."}

Characters & Entities

• Purana
• Shankha
• Kurma
• Sukara

FAQs

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

It frames specific conduct as a “nirṇaya” (authoritative ruling): purity in ritual habits (how water is taken) and dharma through ahiṃsā (non-violence) toward certain creatures, aligning bodily practice with sacred restraint.

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

Bhakti in the Purāṇic sense is supported by disciplined living: respectful ritual behavior and compassion. By avoiding prohibited acts, a devotee maintains sāttvika conduct that is considered conducive to remembrance and worship.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Kalpa-style ritual regulation (practice-oriented dharma rules): specifying a niṣedha (prohibition) about a ritual implement (śaṅkha) and an ethical restraint (ahiṃsā) as practical guidance for daily and tīrtha-related observance.