Shloka 28
यक्षोपाख्यान-प्रवेशः
Entry into the Yakṣa-Lake Episode
मनसा निश्चयं कृत्वा ततो वाचाभिधीयते । क्रियते कर्मणा पश्चात् प्रमाणं मे मनस्तत:,पहले मनसे निश्चय करके फिर वाणीद्वारा कहा जाता है। तत्पश्चात् उसे कार्यरूपमें परिणत किया जाता है, अत: इस विषयमें मेरा मन ही प्रमाण है
manasā niścayaṃ kṛtvā tato vācābhidhīyate | kriyate karmaṇā paścāt pramāṇaṃ me manas tataḥ ||
先在心中立下坚决之定，然后以言辞宣之，继而以行动成之。因此，在此事上，我心即为决定之权衡（首要之凭证），因为意向先于言语与行为。
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches the ethical sequence of human agency: intention (mental resolve) comes first, speech articulates it next, and action follows last. Hence, inner intention is presented as the primary criterion for judging a matter, because words and deeds arise from the mind.
Nārada is instructing his listener by emphasizing that decisions originate in the mind before they appear as spoken commitments and finally as concrete actions. He uses this to justify relying on his own mental certainty as the authoritative basis in the discussion.