Padma Purana — Srishti Khanda, Shloka 15
The Glory of the Devoted Wife (Pativratā) and the Māṇḍavya Curse: Sunrise Halted and Restored
न शक्ता त्वं न चैवाहं मोघं वक्तुं न युज्यते । प्रष्टुं नाधिकरोषीति यथा दीर्घतरोः फलम्
na śaktā tvaṃ na caivāhaṃ moghaṃ vaktuṃ na yujyate | praṣṭuṃ nādhikaroṣīti yathā dīrghataroḥ phalam
Nàng không đủ khả năng, ta cũng vậy; nói lời uổng công là điều không nên. Nàng không có quyền chất vấn—như trái của cây quá cao, khó bề hái được.
Unspecified (context needed to identify the dialogue pair in Adhyaya 51)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Type: forest
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ca + eva + aham → caivāham; na + adhikaroṣi + iti → nādhikaroṣīti; dīrghataraḥ (gen. sg.) + phalam is an elliptical simile phrase ‘like the fruit of a taller tree’.
FAQs
It advises against speaking “mogha” (in vain). If neither party is capable of meaningful instruction, speaking becomes improper; restraint in speech is presented as an ethical discipline.
“Adhikāra” here implies fitness or qualification to ask and receive an answer. The verse suggests that inquiry must be grounded in readiness—otherwise the questioner is compared to someone trying to reach fruit on an overly tall tree.
The analogy highlights practical limits: some aims require preparation and the right means. Likewise, spiritual or doctrinal questioning should be pursued with capability, humility, and proper qualification rather than insistence.