Shloka 94
The Account of Kāṣṭhīlā (Kāṣṭhīlā-ākhyāna) within the Mohinī Narrative
राक्षसस्य वचः श्रुत्वा कुमारी साब्रवीदिदम् । मिथ्या राक्षसि भर्ता ते भाषते त्वद्भयादयम् ॥ ९४ ॥
rākṣasasya vacaḥ śrutvā kumārī sābravīdidam | mithyā rākṣasi bhartā te bhāṣate tvadbhayādayam || 94 ||
రాక్షసుని మాటలు విని ఆ కన్య ఇలా చెప్పింది— “ఓ రాక్షసీ! ఇది అబద్ధం; నీ భయంతోనే నీ భర్త ఇలా మాట్లాడుతున్నాడు.”
Kumārī (the maiden, speaking to the rākṣasī)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
It highlights satya (truthfulness) and moral clarity: the maiden discerns that speech driven by fear is unreliable, implying that dharma requires courage and discernment rather than submission to intimidation.
Indirectly, it supports bhakti as a path grounded in integrity: devotion in the Puranic worldview is sustained by satya and fearlessness, not by coercion or manipulation—qualities that protect a devotee’s conduct in difficult circumstances.
No explicit Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this line; the practical takeaway is ethical discernment (dharma-viveka) in evaluating testimony influenced by fear.