Shloka 38

Mohinī-ākhyāna: The Trial of Ekādaśī and the King’s Satya-saṅkalpa

Devanagari script

पांशुना पूर्यते गर्तः स गर्तखनको भवेत् । त्वया ममार्पितः पाणिर्वराय पृथिवीपते ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

pāṃśunā pūryate gartaḥ sa gartakhanako bhavet | tvayā mamārpitaḥ pāṇirvarāya pṛthivīpate || 38 ||

Translation

Hố sâu bị lấp đầy bởi bụi đất, và kẻ đào hố ấy cũng như bị tiêu tan. Ôi chúa tể của cõi đất, chính chàng đã trao tay thiếp cho một người cầu hôn xứng đáng.

Word by Word

• pāṃśunā: with dust
• pāṃśunā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṃśu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• pūryate: is filled
• pūryate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pṝ (पॄ धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person, Singular; passive-like sense ‘is filled’

• gartaḥ: a pit/hole
• gartaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• garta-khanakaḥ: a pit-digger
• garta-khanakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garta (प्रातिपदिक) + khanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; compound: gartaṃ khanati iti (pit-digger)

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• arpitaḥ: given/offered
• arpitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arp (अर्प् धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; agrees with ‘pāṇiḥ’

• pāṇiḥ: hand (in marriage)
• pāṇiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• varāya: to the bridegroom
• varāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• pṛthivī-pate: O lord of the earth
• pṛthivī-pate: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; compound: pṛthivyāḥ patiḥ

Speaker

Unspecified (verse quoted within narrative; likely a woman addressing a king in a marriage/pledge context)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Prithivipati (king/lord of the earth)

FAQs

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

It highlights dharma through a vivid proverb: actions and intentions can rebound on the doer, and social-sacred commitments like giving the bride’s hand are binding moral acts.

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

Indirectly, it supports bhakti-based dharma by emphasizing integrity and truthfulness—qualities considered essential for a devotee’s conduct, even within worldly rites like marriage.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects Dharma-śāstra-aligned usage of legal-ritual language (pāṇi-pradāna, “giving the hand” in marriage), relevant to Kalpa (ritual procedure) rather than technical sciences like Jyotiṣa or Vyākaraṇa.