Shloka 23
The Account of Mohinī
Mohinī-upākhyāna
मया व्यवसितं चेदं सर्वलोकविगर्हितम् । क्लेशयित्वा तु भर्तारं पुत्रं हत्वा वरासिना ॥ २३ ॥
mayā vyavasitaṃ cedaṃ sarvalokavigarhitam | kleśayitvā tu bhartāraṃ putraṃ hatvā varāsinā || 23 ||
मया निश्चयितमेतत् कर्म सर्वलोकनिन्दितम्। भर्तारं क्लेशयित्वा तु वरासिना पुत्रमाहनम्॥
Unnamed female speaker (narrative confession within the Tirtha-Mahatmya context)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
It presents a stark confession of adharma—harm to spouse and the killing of one’s own child—highlighting the weight of karma and the need for repentance and purification often addressed through prayāścitta and tirtha-oriented remedies in the Uttara-bhāga.
While not explicitly teaching bhakti, it sets the moral ground for bhakti: acknowledging wrongdoing and turning inward with humility is a prerequisite for sincere surrender to the Lord and for seeking purification through dharmic means.
No direct Vedāṅga instruction appears in this verse; its practical takeaway is ethical—recognition of mahāpātaka-level actions and the narrative setup for dharmic expiation (prayāścitta) that Purāṇas often connect with ritual and pilgrimage frameworks.