Shloka 1

Saṃdhyāvalī-ākhyāna

Mohinī-parīkṣā; Dvādaśī-vrata-mahattva

Devanagari script

वसिष्ठ उवाच । संध्यावलीवचः श्रुत्वा मोहिनी दुहिता विधेः । उवाच तत्परा स्वीये कार्ये मोहकरंडिका ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

vasiṣṭha uvāca | saṃdhyāvalīvacaḥ śrutvā mohinī duhitā vidheḥ | uvāca tatparā svīye kārye mohakaraṃḍikā || 1 ||

Translation

وسِشٹھ نے کہا: سندھیہاولی کے کلمات سن کر، ودھاتا (برہما) کی بیٹی موہنی—اپنے ہی مقصد میں منہمک—بولی؛ وہ گویا فریب کی صندوقچی تھی۔

Word by Word

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; 'said'

• संध्या-आवली-वचः: Sandhyāvalī’s words
• संध्या-आवली-वचः: कर्म (Karma/Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्यावली (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'संध्यावल्याः वचः' = words of Sandhyāvalī

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Gerund; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having heard'

• मोहिनी: Mohinī
• मोहिनी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular

• दुहिता: daughter
• दुहिता: कर्ता (Apposition to मोहिनी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular

• विधेः: of Brahmā (Vidhātṛ)
• विधेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; genitive singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; 'said'

• तत्-पराः: devoted to that (task)
• तत्-पराः: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'तस्मिन् परा' = devoted to that; agreeing with मोहिनी

• स्वीये: in her own
• स्वीये: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative singular qualifying कार्ये

• कार्ये: task/affair
• कार्ये: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative singular

• मोह-करंडिका: Mohakaraṇḍikā (name/epithet)
• मोह-करंडिका: कर्ता (Apposition to मोहिनी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + करंडिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'मोहस्य करंडिका' (epithet/name); nominative singular

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Sandhyāvalī
• Mohinī
• Brahmā (Vidhi/Vidhātṛ)

FAQs

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

It frames Mohinī as an embodiment of moha (delusion), signaling that the coming speech/action should be read as a test of discernment (viveka) rather than as a reliable guide to dharma.

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

Indirectly, it warns that enchantment and self-serving intent can divert the mind; bhakti requires steadiness and clarity so that devotion is not displaced by मोह (confusion) or आकर्षण (fascination).

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

A Vyākaraṇa-style nuance appears in epithets like ‘Vidheḥ’ (of Brahmā) and the compound ‘mohakaraṇḍikā,’ showing how Purāṇic Sanskrit compresses meaning through compounds and contextual titles.