Vamana Purana — Chanda & Munda Discover Katyayani, Shloka 33
Chanda and Munda Discover Katyayani; Mahishasura’s Proposal and the Vishnu-Panjara Protection
पुलस्त्य उवाच इत्येवमुक्ता दनुनायकेन कात्यायनी सस्वनमुन्नदित्वा विहस्य चैतद्वचनं बभाषे हिताय सर्वस्य चराचरस्य
pulastya uvāca ityevamuktā danunāyakena kātyāyanī sasvanamunnaditvā vihasya caitadvacanaṃ babhāṣe hitāya sarvasya carācarasya
Pulastya said: Thus addressed by the lord of the Danavas, Kātyāyanī, raising a resonant sound (with a loud utterance), laughed and spoke these words, for the welfare of all beings—moving and unmoving.
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FAQs
The Goddess’ response is framed as loka-hita—actions and speech are justified not by private preference but by the welfare of all beings (carācara). The narrative signals that even in confrontational settings, dharmic outcomes are oriented toward universal order rather than mere victory.
Primarily Vamśānucarita/Carita (narrative of beings and their deeds within a lineage-based mythic history), not cosmogenesis. It is an episode-level ethical narrative rather than sarga/pratisarga.
Kātyāyanī’s laughter and loud utterance mark sovereign agency: the Devī is not compelled by asuric demand but sets terms aligned with dharma and cosmic balance. The ‘carācara’ phrase universalizes her role as guardian of the whole created order.