Mohinī (Created by Brahmā)

This Mohinī appears in the Uttarardha of the Nārada Mahā Purāṇa. She is not the Mohinī form of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Brahmā made her from the power of his own mind at the request of Yamadharmarāja. Yamadharmarāja was in distress because King Rukmāṅgada’s order that everyone keep Ekādaśī had emptied the narakas (hells) and filled Vaikuṇṭha. Brahmā sent this unmatched enchantress to break Rukmāṅgada’s Ekādaśī vow.

She married Rukmāṅgada and lived with him in divine pleasure for years, but she failed completely. After Bhagavān Śrī Hari took Rukmāṅgada’s family to Vaikuṇṭha, the priest Vāsu laid a śāpa (a curse) on Mohinī and she was burned. Bhagavān Vishṇu brought her back to life. She then asked Vāsu to teach her the tīrtha-māhātmyas (the glory of holy places). That teaching makes up the second half of the Uttarardha.

Created by Brahmā

Yamadharmarāja came to Brahmaloka in distress and laid his staff of office at Brahmā’s feet. Brahmā agreed to help, but he was clear about his limit. He could not act directly against devotees of Bhagavān Vishṇu. His plan was to attack Rukmāṅgada’s vow through desire.

Brahmā took a form that held all cosmic powers. From the power (śakti) of his own mind he made a woman of matchless beauty. Her very look would drive any man into ten states of manmatha (desire) at once. He named her Mohinī, for she bewitches (mohayati) all who see her.

Before sending her, Brahmā spoke to his own assembly about the dangers of a woman’s beauty. He said that every limb of a beautiful woman is only flesh, fat, bone and moisture. The glow is māyā (illusion). Those who are deluded by it lose all the puṇya (merit) they have gathered. Then he told Mohinī: “Go to Mandara Parvata. Attract Rukmāṅgada. Make him eat on Ekādaśī.” (Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 6–7)

Her appearance and name

The text describes Mohinī as wearing every ornament and shining brightly, the best of all beautiful women. It calls her a brahma-mānasa-putrikā (a daughter born of Brahmā’s mind). It says that even mountains lose their steadiness in her presence, and even rocks become aware and confused. She travelled through the sky, and the devas watched her with wonder and some alarm. (Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapter 7)

Marriage to Rukmāṅgada

On Mandara Parvata, Mohinī sat near a Śivaliṅga and sang so well that even the forests were enchanted. Rukmāṅgada came to the mountain for the pūjā of Bhagavān Vishṇu. He heard her singing, and his mind was caught, in spite of the warning of his minister Vāmadeva.

Mohinī agreed to marry him only after he took an oath: “Fulfil, without question, one request I make in the future.”

For months and years she tried every means to make him eat on Ekādaśī. She appealed to love, threatened to leave him, pretended to be ill and prepared fine meals. Every attempt failed. Rukmāṅgada answered with calm teaching on why Ekādaśī is supreme and why no earthly tie is worth breaking it. (Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 12–26)

The last demand

Her final attempt was her most extreme. She held him to his oath and demanded that he behead his own son Dharmāṅgada on Ekādaśī. Even this did not break his vow. Bhagavān Śrī Hari himself stepped in to prevent the death and took the whole family to Vaikuṇṭha. Mohinī’s mission had failed completely. (Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 33–34)

The śāpa, her death and her revival

After Rukmāṅgada had gone to Vaikuṇṭha, the royal purohita (family priest) Vāsu faced Mohinī in righteous anger and laid a śāpa on her. She was burned to ash at once.

Bhagavān Śrī Hari then brought her back to life. His reason was compassion. She had acted as an instrument of a cosmic need, made by Brahmā for one purpose. Her aim of destroying the dharma of Ekādaśī had failed. Dharma had won, and her role was over.

Bhagavān Śrī Hari told Mohinī: “An Ekādaśī tithi (lunar day) spoiled by Daśamī-viddhā, with the earlier Daśamī running into Ekādaśī, belongs to you. That part is called pūrva-viddhā Ekādaśī, and it is given to the daityas and asuras. Devotees of Bhagavān Vishṇu who keep Ekādaśī avoid this spoiled form and keep only the pure Ekādaśī. You will always be linked with the Daśamī-viddhā part.” (Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 35–37)

The tīrtha-māhātmya teaching

After she was revived, Mohinī wished to be made pure. She went to Vāsu and asked him to teach her about tīrthas (holy places) so that she could cleanse herself of her pāpas (sins). Vāsu was a learned purohita who knew all the Purāṇas. He agreed. He told Mohinī the full tīrtha-māhātmyas of Bhārata. They cover Gaṅgā, Gayā, Kāśī, Purushottama, Prayāga, Haridvāra, Badarikāśrama, Kāmākshā, Prabhāsa, Pushkara, Gautamāśrama, Tryambaka, Gokarṇa, Lakshmaṇācala, Setu, Narmadā, Avantikā, Mathurā and Bṛndāvana.

This talk between Vāsu and Mohinī is the frame for the whole tīrtha section of the Uttarardha, Chapters 38–82. (Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 38–82)

Not the Mohinī of Bhagavān Vishṇu

This Mohinī, created by Brahmā, is a different figure from the Mohinī-rūpa (Mohinī form) of Bhagavān Vishṇu that other Purāṇas describe.

Sources

• Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 6–7
• Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 12–26
• Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 33–34
• Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 35–37
• Nārada Mahā Purāṇa, Uttarardha, Chapters 38–82