The Account of Kāṣṭhīlā (Kāṣṭhīlā-ākhyāna) within the Mohinī Narrative
यदि तन्नाचरेद्राजा भोजनं हरिवासरे । क्रियतामपरं देवि मरणादधिकं तव ॥ २२ ॥
yadi tannācaredrājā bhojanaṃ harivāsare | kriyatāmaparaṃ devi maraṇādadhikaṃ tava || 22 ||
Jika raja tidak mahu menahan diri daripada makan pada Harivāsara (hari suci Tuhan Hari), maka, wahai Dewi, lakukanlah cara yang lain—kerana hal itu bagimu lebih buruk daripada kematian.
Narrative dialogue within a vrata-māhātmya context (speaker not explicitly identifiable from this single verse excerpt; likely a devotee/queen addressing Devī within the Ekādaśī/Harivāsara narrative)
Vrata: Harivāsara (Ekādaśī-related observance)
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
It elevates Harivāsara (Ekādaśī) observance as a decisive act of dharma: eating on that day is presented as spiritually disastrous, even “worse than death,” emphasizing the sanctity of Vishnu-oriented vows.
Bhakti is shown through disciplined restraint for Hari: refusing food on Harivāsara is not mere austerity but a devotional commitment where honoring Vishnu’s day becomes paramount.
Ritual-calendar discipline (connected with Jyotiṣa/pañcāṅga timing) is implied: identifying Harivāsara/Ekādaśī correctly and following its food restrictions as part of vrata-vidhi.