Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 14

Shukra’s Curse on King Danda and Andhaka’s Challenge to Shiva

Devanagari script

ते उवाच महातेजा महत्कार्यसमन्वितः कार्तिकी पुण्यदा भाविमासान्ते पुष्करेषु हि

Transliteration

te uvāca mahātejā mahatkāryasamanvitaḥ kārtikī puṇyadā bhāvimāsānte puṣkareṣu hi

Translation

The great-splendored one replied, intent upon an important purpose: “The Kārtikī (observance/season) is about to occur—bestowing merit—at the end of the month, indeed at Puṣkara.”

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• महातेजाः: the great-splendored one
• महातेजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि ‘महत्तेजो यस्य सः’; पुल्लिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• महत्-कार्य-समन्वितः: endowed with a great task
• महत्-कार्य-समन्वितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative) ‘महत्कार्येण समन्वितः’; पुल्लिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• कार्तिकी: the Kārtikī (Kārtika observance/time)
• कार्तिकी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; (कार्तिक-माससम्बद्धा)

• पुण्यदा: bestowing merit
• पुण्यदा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष ‘पुण्यं ददाति इति’; स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कार्तिकी-विशेषण)

• भावि-मास-अन्ते: at the end of the coming month
• भावि-मास-अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाविन् (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष ‘भाविनः मासस्य अन्ते’; पुल्लिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणम्

• पुष्करेषु: at Puṣkara (holy places)
• पुष्करेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; स्थानवाचक

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/indeed

Speakers

• The sage (mahātejā) replying to the questioners/companions.

Primary Deities

• Brahmā (strongly associated with Puṣkara; implied)
• Viṣṇu (general Purāṇic frame; not explicit here)
• Śiva (general Purāṇic frame; not explicit here)

Key Themes

• Kārtika-māhātmya (sanctity of Kārtika)
• Tirtha and sacred time conjunction (kāla-kṣetra saṃyoga)
• Merit (puṇya) through pilgrimage/observance

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘kārtikī’ signify here—month, festival, or vow?

In Purāṇic usage, ‘kārtikī’ can denote the Kārtika period and its characteristic holy observances (vratas, baths, gifts). Here it functions as a calendrical marker: an auspicious Kārtika-related occasion approaching at month’s end.

Why emphasize ‘māsānte’ (month’s end) at Puṣkara?

Many tīrtha traditions intensify at specific lunar junctures (new/full moon, month-end transitions). The verse signals a time-window when Puṣkara’s merit is considered especially potent, motivating the sage’s purposeful travel.

What is implied by the plural ‘puṣkareṣu’?

It can indicate the Puṣkara sacred complex—multiple waters/ghāṭas/ritual spots—rather than a single point. Purāṇic geography often treats a tīrtha as a cluster of sanctified micro-sites.