Shloka 18

The Vision of Mohinī (मोहिनी-दर्शनम्)

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । उत्सुकोऽहं द्विजश्रेष्ठ मंदरं पर्वतं प्रति । तत्राश्चर्याण्यनेकानि द्रष्टुकामस्तवाज्ञया ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

rājovāca | utsuko'haṃ dvijaśreṣṭha maṃdaraṃ parvataṃ prati | tatrāścaryāṇyanekāni draṣṭukāmastavājñayā || 18 ||

Translation

ರಾಜನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಹೇ ದ್ವಿಜಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ! ಮಂದರ ಪರ್ವತದ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಹೋಗಲು ನಾನು ಉತ್ಸುಕನಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ. ನಿಮ್ಮ ಆಜ್ಞೆಯಿಂದ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುವ ಅನೇಕ ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ನೋಡಲು ಬಯಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• उत्सुकः: eager
• उत्सुकः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध/Predicate to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्सुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) of अहम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां श्रेष्ठः)

• मन्दरम्: Mandara (mountain)
• मन्दरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पर्वतम्: mountain
• पर्वतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; मन्दरम् इति विशेष्यस्य अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Directional)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; दिशार्थे (towards)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• आश्चर्याणि: wonders
• आश्चर्याणि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्चर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अनेकानि: many
• अनेकानि: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-सम्बन्ध/Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) of आश्चर्याणि

• द्रष्टुकामः: desiring to see
• द्रष्टुकामः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध/Predicate to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रष्टु (तुमुनन्त/कृदन्त from दृश्) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (द्रष्टुं कामः)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• आज्ञया: by (your) command
• आज्ञया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

The King (Rājā)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Mandara (mountain)

FAQs

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

It frames tirtha-yātrā as a dharmic act undertaken with humility and guidance—seeking sacred “wonders” not for spectacle, but as revelatory signs of a holy place’s mahatmya.

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

The king’s eagerness is coupled with obedience to a spiritual authority (“by your command”), showing bhakti’s mood of reverence and disciplined seeking rather than independent curiosity.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Indirectly, it reflects dharma-śāstric discipline in pilgrimage—acting under proper instruction (ājñā) and right intent; no specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is explicitly taught in this verse.