Shloka 23

Śāpaprāpti (Receiving a Curse) — Mohinī Narrative

Devanagari script

सांख्यानि तत्त्वहीनानि धर्मं दंभान्वितं यथा । तेजोहीनां तथापश्यन् मोहिनीं ते दिवौकसः ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

sāṃkhyāni tattvahīnāni dharmaṃ daṃbhānvitaṃ yathā | tejohīnāṃ tathāpaśyan mohinīṃ te divaukasaḥ || 23 ||

Translation

ดุจคำสอนสางขยะที่ไร้ตัตตวะ และดุจธรรมที่ปนด้วยความเสแสร้งซึ่งไร้เดช ฉันนั้นเหล่าเทวะก็เห็นโมหินีว่าไร้รัศมีสิริเช่นกัน।

Word by Word

• सांख्यानि: Sāṃkhya (teachings/tenets)
• सांख्यानि: कर्म/उपमान (उपमानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तत्त्वहीनानि: devoid of true principles
• तत्त्वहीनानि: विशेषण (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्त्व-हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; अभावार्थक-तत्पुरुषः (तत्त्वेन हीनानि)

• धर्मम्: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मम्: उपमान (उपमानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दंभान्वितम्: accompanied by hypocrisy/pretence
• दंभान्वितम्: विशेषण (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंभ-अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त; 'अन्वि+इ' धातोः क्त (PPP) 'अन्वित'; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (दंभेन अन्वितम्)

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: उपमान-प्रदर्शक (अव्ययम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक

• तेजःहीनाम्: devoid of splendor/energy
• तेजःहीनाम्: कर्म (कर्मपदम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस्-हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अभावार्थक-तत्पुरुषः (तेजसा हीनाम्)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (अव्ययम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/तुल्यतावाचक (thus/in that way)

• अपश्यन्: (he) saw
• अपश्यन्: क्रिया (क्रियापदम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष?; वस्तुतः 'अपश्यन्' = लङ्, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन (he saw) / अथवा वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त?; प्रचलितरूपेण: लङ् 3rd sg of √दृश् with preverb अ- (aorist-like imperfect usage)

• मोहिनीम्: Mohinī (enchantress)
• मोहिनीम्: कर्म (कर्मपदम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ते: your/of you
• ते: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• दिवौकसः: the gods (heaven-dwellers)
• दिवौकसः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवौकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Purana account)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Mohini
• Devas

FAQs

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

It warns that teachings or practices lacking true tattva (realized truth) and dharma tainted by hypocrisy lose spiritual potency; discernment is required to see beyond appearances and delusion (māyā).

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

By contrasting empty doctrine and showy righteousness with genuine inner power, it implies that bhakti must be sincere and truth-rooted; otherwise, devotion becomes mere display and cannot reveal the Lord’s real splendor.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A Vyākaraṇa/Nyāya-style takeaway: precise understanding of terms like tattva, dharma, and dambha matters—misdefining them leads to wrong practice; correct discrimination (viveka) is the practical ‘tool’ implied.