Shloka 5

Mohinī-prashna

The Question about Mohinī

Devanagari script

अकार्यकरणे जंतोर्गोसहस्रवधः स्मृतः । जानन्नपि कथं देवि भोक्ष्येऽहं हरिवासरे ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

akāryakaraṇe jaṃtorgosahasravadhaḥ smṛtaḥ | jānannapi kathaṃ devi bhokṣye'haṃ harivāsare || 5 ||

Translation

若众生行不当行之事，其罪被记为等同杀千牛。既知如此，噢，天女啊，我又怎能在哈利（Hari）的圣日进食？

Word by Word

• अकार्य-करणे: in doing what should not be done
• अकार्य-करणे: अधिकरण (Occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अकार्यस्य करणम्)

• जन्तोः: of a person/creature
• जन्तोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (of a creature/person)

• गो-सहस्र-वधः: the killing of a thousand cows
• गो-सहस्र-वधः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गवां सहस्रस्य वधः)

• स्मृतः: is stated/considered
• स्मृतः: क्रिया (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) > स्मृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Past passive participle used predicatively (is declared/remembered)

• जानन्: knowing
• जानन्: कर्ता (Agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) > जानत् (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Present active participle (knowing)

• अपि: even/though
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) = even/although

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: सम्बन्ध (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नाव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• देवि: O goddess
• देवि: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative

• भोक्ष्ये: shall I eat
• भोक्ष्ये: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; Future 1st sg (I shall eat)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Pronoun nominative

• हरिवासरे: on Hari’s day (Ekādaśī)
• हरिवासरे: अधिकरण (Time-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिवासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (हरेः वासरः)

Speaker

A devotee (addressing Devī) within the Ekādaśī/Hari-vāsara teaching context; framed in the Narada–Sanatkumāra dialogue of the Uttara-Bhāga

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Ekadashi

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Devi

FAQs

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

It elevates Hari-vāsara (Ekādaśī) from a mere fast to a dharmic boundary: knowingly breaking it is treated as a grave moral fault, pushing the practitioner toward self-restraint and reverence for Viṣṇu.

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

Bhakti here is expressed through disciplined conduct—honoring Hari’s day with renunciation (not eating) as an offering of obedience and love, rather than only through praise or ritual.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

Kalpa/Smṛti-based vrata-dharma is implied: the practical rule of observing Hari-vāsara (Ekādaśī) with food-restraint, treating it as a prescribed religious discipline.