Shloka 36

Mohinī-prashna

The Question about Mohinī

Devanagari script

सोऽयं वदति राजा वै नाहं भोक्ष्ये हरेर्दिने । अन्नाधारमिदं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजंगमम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

so'yaṃ vadati rājā vai nāhaṃ bhokṣye harerdine | annādhāramidaṃ sarvaṃ jagatsthāvarajaṃgamam || 36 ||

Translation

Bấy giờ nhà vua nói: “Vào ngày thánh của Hari, trẫm sẽ không dùng bữa. Cả thế gian này—hữu tình và vô tình—đều nương nơi thức ăn làm chỗ nâng đỡ.”

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative Singular

• ayam: this (person)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative Singular; in apposition to saḥ

• vadati: says
• vadati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person Singular

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative Singular

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निपात)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative Singular

• bhokṣye: will eat
• bhokṣye: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Simple Future (लृट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person Singular

• hareḥ: of Hari (Vishnu)
• hareḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive Singular

• dine: on the day
• dine: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative Singular

• anna-ādhāram: supported by food
• anna-ādhāram: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anna (प्रातिपदिक) + ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: anna (food) + ādhāra (support/basis); Neuter, Accusative Singular; predicate/object complement of idaṃ sarvam jagat

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; here Nominative as subject with jagat

• sarvam: all/entire
• sarvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; qualifying jagat

• jagat-sthāvara-jaṅgamam: the world of immobile and mobile beings
• jagat-sthāvara-jaṅgamam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāvara (प्रातिपदिक) + jaṅgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: jagat (world) characterized by sthāvara (immobile) and jaṅgama (mobile); Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; subject with idaṃ sarvam

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator reporting the king’s vow; within the broader Narada–Sanatkumāra teaching stream)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Hari-dina upavāsa (Vishnu-day fast; likely Ekadashi-type observance, not explicitly named)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

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

It frames fasting on Hari’s day as a deliberate, dharmic act of restraint: even though food sustains all beings, the devotee temporarily renounces it to honor Vishnu and strengthen spiritual discipline.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through vrata-observance—offering one’s appetite and comfort to Hari. The king’s vow shows devotion as a practical commitment, not merely a sentiment.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse aligns with Kalpa (ritual/vow procedure) in emphasizing vrata practice—specifically upavāsa on Hari’s designated day (commonly connected with Ekādaśī observance).