Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा मत्स्यवचनं गालवो व्रीडया युतः नोत्तत्तार निमग्नो ऽपि तस्थौ स विजितेन्द्रियः

Transliteration

tacchrutvā matsyavacanaṃ gālavo vrīḍayā yutaḥ nottattāra nimagno 'pi tasthau sa vijitendriyaḥ

Translation

Hearing the fish’s words, Gālava—filled with shame—did not rise up, though he was submerged; self-controlled, he remained where he was.

Speakers

• Narrator voice (Purāṇic narrator) describing Gālava’s reaction to the fish’s speech (matsya-vacana).

Key Themes

• Ascetic self-control (vijitendriyatā)
• Moral emotion as restraint (vrīḍā)
• Tīrtha-narrative wonder motif (speaking fish)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is a ‘speaking fish’ significant in a tīrtha narrative?

In Purāṇic tīrtha-māhātmyas, extraordinary speech by animals often functions as a didactic device: the tīrtha’s sanctity is dramatized through marvels that redirect the human actor toward restraint, confession, or ritual propriety.

What does ‘vijitendriya’ add to the portrayal of Gālava here?

The epithet frames Gālava’s stillness not as helplessness but as disciplined restraint: even in discomfort (submerged), he maintains composure, aligning him with the ascetic ideal central to tīrtha-episodes.

Is this verse describing a ritual act (like a vow) or an emotional reaction?

Primarily an emotional-ethical reaction: shame (vrīḍā) leads to deliberate non-action (not rising), which is then interpreted through the lens of self-mastery (vijitendriya).