The Account of Mohinī
Mohinī-upākhyāna
दयां कुरुष्व प्रशमं भजस्व पिष्टस्य पेषो नहि नीतियुक्तः । शापप्रदानेननिपातितेयं कुरु प्रसादं गतिदो भवत्वम् । यस्मिन्कृते ब्राह्मण मोहिनीयं बुद्धिं त्यजेत्क्रूरतरां त्वयीज्ये ॥ ४६ ॥
dayāṃ kuruṣva praśamaṃ bhajasva piṣṭasya peṣo nahi nītiyuktaḥ | śāpapradānenanipātiteyaṃ kuru prasādaṃ gatido bhavatvam | yasminkṛte brāhmaṇa mohinīyaṃ buddhiṃ tyajetkrūratarāṃ tvayījye || 46 ||
Tunjukkanlah belas kasihan dan berpeganglah pada ketenangan. Mengisar tepung yang sudah digisar bukanlah selaras dengan nīti. Oleh kerana dia telah dijatuhkan oleh pemberian sumpah, limpahkanlah rahmat—jadilah pemberi perlindungan. Dengan itu, semoga niat yang mengelirukan dan lebih kejam yang timbul dalam brāhmaṇa, yang tertuju kepada pemujaanmu, ditinggalkan.
Narrative voice within the Uttara-Bhaga (dialogue attribution traditionally linked to Narada Purana’s rishi-narration; exact speaker not explicitly identifiable from the single verse alone)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
It teaches dharma-nīti: after a fault has already resulted in downfall through a curse, further harshness is like “grinding flour again.” Spiritual maturity is shown by dayā (compassion), praśama (restraint), and prasāda (grace) that restores a being’s gati (refuge/direction).
Bhakti is not only ritual worship but also the devotee’s inner disposition—mercy and calmness. The verse frames true worship as removing cruel, deluding intent and replacing it with prasāda, a quality central to devotional life.
The verse emphasizes nīti (ethical reasoning) and proper application of dharma in action—practical conduct rather than a technical Vedāṅga like Jyotiṣa. It also uses a clear nyāya-style maxim (“do not grind what is already ground”) to guide decision-making.