Vamana Purana — Ritadhvaja Aids Galava, Shloka 26

Ritadhvaja’s Aid to Galava and Andhaka’s Infatuation with Gauri

Devanagari script

मा कुरुष्व सुदुर्बुद्धिं सद्यः कुलविनाशिनीम् भवतः परदारोयं मा निमज्ज रसातले

Transliteration

mā kuruṣva sudurbuddhiṃ sadyaḥ kulavināśinīm bhavataḥ paradāroyaṃ mā nimajja rasātale

Translation

“Do not commit this act of grievous folly—one that instantly destroys a lineage. This woman is another’s wife; do not sink into Rasātala.”

Word by Word

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• कुरुष्व: do (you)
• कुरुष्व: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सु-दुर्बुद्धिम्: very evil intention / wicked thought
• सु-दुर्बुद्धिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + दुर्बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सु + दुर्बुद्धि = ‘अत्यन्तं दुर्बुद्धिः’)

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कुल-विनाशिनीम्: destroying the family
• कुल-विनाशिनीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुल + विनाशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) ‘सुदुर्बुद्धिम्’ प्रति; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुलस्य विनाशिनी)

• भवतः: of you / your
• भवतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (आदरार्थ-प्रयोग), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• पर-दारः: another man’s wife
• पर-दारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परस्य दारः = another’s wife)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/निर्देशक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मा: do not
• मा: Pratiṣedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (prohibitive particle)

• निमज्ज: sink / plunge
• निमज्ज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निमज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• रसातले: in Rasātala (netherworld)
• रसातले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रसातल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Same admonisher addressing the Daitya-king (Andhaka)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (implied as the offended Lord)

Key Themes

• Consequences of adharma
• Paradāra as a lineage-destroying sin
• Cosmological punishment imagery (fall into netherworlds)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Is Rasātala meant literally or metaphorically here?

Both readings operate: literally, Rasātala is a netherworld in Purāṇic cosmology; rhetorically, ‘sinking into Rasātala’ signifies catastrophic moral and social downfall resulting from grave adharma.

Why is paradāra called ‘kulavināśinī’ (lineage-destroying)?

Because it destroys honor, invites retaliation and curse, fractures social order, and in Purāṇic ethics is treated as a root-sin that brings ruin upon one’s family line and political stability.

What is the narrative function of this warning in the Andhaka cycle?

It frames Andhaka’s desire as not merely personal lust but a dharmic violation against the divine order, justifying the ensuing conflict and his eventual destruction.