Shloka 68

Devanagari script

प्रसीद राजेंद्र कुरुष्व वाक्यं मयेरितं चात्मवधाय सत्यम् । विमोचयेथा नृपते सुघोराद्वाक्यानृतान्मोहिनिहस्तयोगात् ॥ ६८ ॥

Transliteration

prasīda rājeṃdra kuruṣva vākyaṃ mayeritaṃ cātmavadhāya satyam | vimocayethā nṛpate sughorādvākyānṛtānmohinihastayogāt || 68 ||

Translation

ഹേ രാജേന്ദ്രാ, പ്രസാദിക്കണമേ; ഞാൻ ഉച്ചരിച്ച വാക്ക് നടപ്പാക്കുക—അത് എന്റെ സ്വവധത്തിലേക്കു നയിച്ചാലും അതു സത്യമത്രേ. ഹേ നൃപതേ, മോഹിനിയുടെ മായയും പരഹസ്തബലവും മൂലം ജനിച്ച വാക്യാനൃതമെന്ന അതിഘോരബന്ധനത്തിൽ നിന്ന് നീ മോചിതനാകും.

Word by Word

प्रसीदbe pleased; be gracious

राजेन्द्रO king of kings

कुरुष्वdo; perform

वाक्यम्the statement; the word

मयाby me

ईरितम्uttered; spoken

चand

आत्मवधायfor (your) self-destruction

सत्यम्true

विमोचयेथाःyou should free; you may release

नृपतेO king

सु-घोरात्from the very terrible (thing)

वाक्य-अनृतात्from the untrue statement

मोहिनी-हस्त-योगात्from the contact/union with Mohinī’s hand

Speaker

Unspecified (dialogue verse: a speaker addressing a king within the Adhyaya narrative)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"karuna","secondary_rasa":"shanta","emotional_journey":"A plea for the king’s grace moves into grave resolve: truth must be upheld even at the cost of the speaker’s life, culminating in the promise of liberation from the terror of false speech."}

FAQs

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

The verse elevates satya (truth) as a liberating dharma: even when truth is personally costly, adherence to it frees one from the terrifying bondage of anṛta (falsehood) born of moha (delusion) and coercive action.

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

Bhakti is grounded in inner integrity; truthful speech and fearless dharmic action purify the heart, making devotion stable and fit for grace—contrasting delusion-driven, coerced wrongdoing.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Vyākaraṇa and disciplined vāk (speech) are implicitly emphasized: vākya (utterance) must align with satya, and one should avoid vākya-anṛta—speech that violates dharma and produces pāpa.