Shloka 3

The Account of Mohinī

Mohinī-upākhyāna

Devanagari script

धर्मतो विमुखानां च नरके वास इष्यते । एवमुक्त्वा तु तां वायुः क्रूरं वचनपद्भुतम् ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

dharmato vimukhānāṃ ca narake vāsa iṣyate | evamuktvā tu tāṃ vāyuḥ krūraṃ vacanapadbhutam || 3 ||

Translation

ಧರ್ಮದಿಂದ ವಿಮುಖರಾದವರಿಗೆ ನರಕವಾಸವೇ ನಿಯತ. ಹೀಗೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿ ವಾಯು ಅವಳಿಗೆ ಕ್ರೂರವೂ ಭೀಕರವೂ ಆದ ವಚನಗಳನ್ನು ನುಡಿದನು॥

Word by Word

• धर्मतः: from dharma / by dharma
• धर्मतः: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) — “from/according to dharma”

• विमुखानाम्: of the averse (to dharma)
• विमुखानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — “of those who are averse”

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative “in hell”

• वासः: dwelling
• वासः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — “dwelling/residence”

• इष्यते: is deemed / is accepted
• इष्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive) — “is considered/approved”

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb) — “thus”

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) — “having said”

• तु: then
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (particle) — “but/then”

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — “her”

• वायुः: Vāyu
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — “Vāyu (wind-god)”

• क्रूरम्: cruel
• क्रूरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• वचन-पद्भुतम्: astonishing speech
• वचन-पद्भुतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक) + अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वचनस्य अद्भुतम्) — “a wondrous/astonishing utterance”

Speaker

Vayu

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhayanaka","secondary_rasa":"raudra","emotional_journey":"A stern moral warning culminates in Vāyu’s harsh, dreadful pronouncement of hell for dharma-turning beings."}

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Naraka
• Dharma

FAQs

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

It asserts a clear karmic-moral law: rejecting dharma leads to painful post-mortem consequences (naraka), emphasizing accountability and the necessity of righteous conduct.

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

By warning against dharma-vimukhatā (turning away from righteousness), it indirectly supports bhakti as a dharmic life-orientation—devotion grounded in ethical living, which protects one from destructive karmic outcomes.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse is primarily dharma-śāstra themed rather than technical Vedāṅga instruction; the practical takeaway is disciplined conduct (ācāra) and karma-awareness—key prerequisites for effective ritual practice and vrata observance.