Vamana Purana — Origins of the Maruts, Shloka 35

Origins of the Maruts Across the Manvantaras (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

समुद्धृता महाजालौर्मत्स्यबन्धेन मानिनी स तां दृष्ट्वा महाशङ्खी स्थलास्थां मत्स्यजीविकः

Transliteration

samuddhṛtā mahājālaurmatsyabandhena māninī sa tāṃ dṛṣṭvā mahāśaṅkhī sthalāsthāṃ matsyajīvikaḥ

Translation

The proud one (now in that state) was hauled up by a fisherman using great nets. Seeing her—(appearing as) a great conch and lying upon the ground—the fisherman, whose livelihood was fishing, (took notice).

Speakers

• Narrator voice describing the fisherman’s capture and observation.

Key Themes

• Tīrtha-wonder in aquatic setting (implied)
• Human encounter with the marvelous
• Symbolism of śaṅkha (auspiciousness) in water narratives

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Why is the epithet ‘māninī’ (proud one) retained even after the transformation?

Purāṇic style often preserves an earlier character-quality as an epithet across changed forms to maintain identity continuity. It hints that the transformation is not a new being but the same agent undergoing karmic or fated alteration.

What is the narrative function of the fisherman (matsyajīvika) here?

The fisherman serves as the human mediator who brings a supernatural occurrence into the social world. Such figures often become the means by which kings, sages, or Devas learn of a tīrtha-marvel, prompting the next ritual or doctrinal development.

Does ‘mahāśaṅkhī’ imply a literal conch, or a conch-like body?

In context with ‘grāhī’ from the prior verse, it is best read as conch-like appearance (size/shape/markings) rather than an ordinary conch shell. The text is highlighting an extraordinary form that invites interpretation and reporting to higher authorities.