Shloka 25
Kāṣṭhīlā-Ākhyāna: Ratnāvalī’s Return, Co-wife Dharma, and the Phālguna Propitiation
गृहीत्वा वास्तुकं वित्तं पृष्ठमारोप्य मामपि । समायातात्र भूपाल मामत्तुं तव मंदिरम् ॥ २५ ॥
gṛhītvā vāstukaṃ vittaṃ pṛṣṭhamāropya māmapi | samāyātātra bhūpāla māmattuṃ tava maṃdiram || 25 ||
ਘਰ ਬਣਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਧਨ ਲੈ ਕੇ, ਅਤੇ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਪਿੱਠ ਉੱਤੇ ਚੜ੍ਹਾ ਕੇ, ਹੇ ਭੂਪਾਲ! ਤੂੰ ਇੱਥੇ ਆਪਣੇ ਹੀ ਘਰ ਆਇਆ ਹੈਂ—ਜਿਵੇਂ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਨਿਗਲਣ ਦਾ ਇਰਾਦਾ ਹੋਵੇ।
Narrator (a victim/accuser addressing the king within the Adhyaya 30 story-frame); overall discourse traditionally relayed by Sage Narada in Uttara-Bhaga contexts
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It frames adharma as self-incriminating: the king’s act—seizing building-wealth and coming to “devour” the speaker—symbolizes predatory greed that violates dharma and invites karmic consequence, a recurring warning within Uttara-Bhaga mahatmya narratives.
By contrast: bhakti in the Narada Purana is aligned with protection, compassion, and righteous conduct; the verse depicts the opposite (harm and exploitation), implying that true Vishnu-bhakti cannot coexist with cruelty or theft.
No direct Vedanga instruction is given; however, the term “vāstuka” touches the domain of vastu/architectural propriety (often treated in allied śāstric traditions), reminding that resources meant for dharmic construction should not be diverted for adharma.