Shloka 4

Procedure for the Guḍa-dhenū (Jaggery-Cow) Gift; Ten Dhenu-dānas; Yearlong Gaṅgā Worship and Darśana

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठ उवाच । तच्छ्रुत्वा मोहिनीवाक्यं वसुस्तस्याः पुरोहितः । वेदागमानां तत्त्वज्ञः स्मयमान उवाच ह ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

vasiṣṭha uvāca | tacchrutvā mohinīvākyaṃ vasustasyāḥ purohitaḥ | vedāgamānāṃ tattvajñaḥ smayamāna uvāca ha || 4 ||

Translation

Vasiṣṭha disse: Ao ouvir aquelas palavras de Mohinī, Vasu—seu purohita, conhecedor dos verdadeiros princípios dos Vedas e dos āgamas—sorriu e falou assim.

Word by Word

• vasiṣṭhaḥ: Vasiṣṭha
• vasiṣṭhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; object of śrutvā

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा, कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), indeclinable; prior action ‘having heard’

• mohinī-vākyam: Mohinī’s words
• mohinī-vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mohinī (प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मोहिन्याः वाक्यम्)

• vasuḥ: Vasu
• vasuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Feminine, Genitive (6th), Singular; refers to Mohinī

• purohitaḥ: priest, chaplain
• purohitaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purohita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; apposition to vasuḥ

• veda-āgamānām: of the Vedas and Āgamas
• veda-āgamānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + āgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural; द्वन्द्व (वेदाश्च आगमाश्च)

• tattva-jñaḥ: knower of the truth/essence
• tattva-jñaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञा-धातोः क्त/णिनि-निष्पन्न)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तत्त्वं जानाति इति)

• smayamānaḥ: smiling
• smayamānaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smi (धातु) + śānac (शानच्, कृदन्त)
• Form: Present participle (शानच्), Masculine, Nominative, Singular, Ātmanepada sense; ‘smiling’

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle (निपात)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: hasya

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Mohinī
• Vasu

FAQs

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

It contrasts delusive speech (mohinī-vākya) with the steady discernment of a tattva-jña, indicating that true spiritual clarity rests on Vedic and Agamic principles rather than persuasion or enchantment.

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

Indirectly, it shows that authentic devotion is guided by śāstra and right understanding; a true guide (purohita) responds to confusion with calm clarity, protecting spiritual practice from misleading influences.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse highlights śāstric competence in Veda and Āgama as the basis for correct ritual counsel—implying applied knowledge of kalpa (ritual procedure) and related disciplines used by a purohita.