Shloka 31

The Account of Mohinī

Mohinī-upākhyāna

Devanagari script

मोहिनीप्रीतये मुग्धः स्वयं चक्रे नमस्क्रियाम् । कार्ये महति संप्राप्ते ह्यसाध्ये भुवनत्रये ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

mohinīprītaye mugdhaḥ svayaṃ cakre namaskriyām | kārye mahati saṃprāpte hyasādhye bhuvanatraye || 31 ||

Translation

เพื่อให้นางโมหินีพอใจ เขาผู้หลงมัวได้กระทำการนอบน้อมด้วยตนเอง—ในคราวที่ภารกิจอันยิ่งใหญ่บังเกิดขึ้น ซึ่งถูกเห็นว่าเป็นสิ่งยากยิ่งในไตรโลก।

Word by Word

• मोहिनी-प्रीतये: for Mohinī’s pleasure
• मोहिनी-प्रीतये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘मोहिन्याः प्रीतिः’/‘for Mohinī’s pleasure’)

• मुग्धः: bewildered / infatuated
• मुग्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of Brahmā)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• चक्रे: performed
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नमस्-क्रियाम्: act of salutation
• नमस्-क्रियाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘नमसः क्रिया’)

• कार्ये: in/when the task
• कार्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• महति: great
• महति: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण कार्यस्य

• संप्राप्ते: having come about
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण कार्यस्य (‘having arisen/occurred’)

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/causal)

• असाध्ये: impossible (to accomplish)
• असाध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असाध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण कार्यस्य

• भुवन-त्रये: in the three worlds
• भुवन-त्रये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (‘three worlds’)

Speaker

Suta (narrating Purāṇic account)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka (fear)

Characters & Entities

• Mohini
• Bhuvana-traya (the three worlds)

FAQs

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

It shows how fascination (moha) can drive a person to acts of reverence for the sake of pleasing an attractive power, especially when facing a seemingly impossible crisis—highlighting the need for discernment alongside devotion.

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

The verse presents namaskāra (obeisance) as a potent devotional act, but it also warns that devotion becomes spiritually unstable when motivated by delusion and personal infatuation rather than clear God-centered bhakti.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Ritually, it reflects the basic dhārmic practice of namaskriyā (formal salutation) used in pūjā and vrata contexts; no specific Vedāṅga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is explicitly taught in this verse.