Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

ते ऽधिरुह्य रथांस्तूर्णं मार्गन्ते वसुधां क्रमात् बदर्याश्रममासाद्य ददृशुस्तपसां निधिम्

Transliteration

te 'dhiruhya rathāṃstūrṇaṃ mārgante vasudhāṃ kramāt badaryāśramamāsādya dadṛśustapasāṃ nidhim

Translation

Mounting the chariots swiftly, they proceeded along the route across the land; reaching Badaryāśrama, they beheld a treasure-house of austerities (an ascetic of immense tapas).

Speakers

• Narrator voice (group traveling to an ashrama; specific speaker not stated in excerpt)

Key Themes

• Tirtha-yatra / pilgrimage movement
• Encounter with a great ascetic (tapasvin)
• Sacred landscape as narrative engine

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is Badaryāśrama in Purāṇic geography?

Badaryāśrama is a major Himalayan tīrtha centered on the ‘Badarī’ (jujube/ber) grove tradition. Across Purāṇas it functions as a paradigmatic ascetic landscape—remote, pure, and suited for extreme tapas.

Who is the ‘tapasāṃ nidhi’ they see?

The phrase is an epithet meaning ‘one who is a repository of austerity.’ The next verse’s description (emaciated, matted hair, worn by breath and exertion) clarifies that it is a powerful ascetic rather than a literal ‘place’ of tapas.

Why does the text emphasize travel ‘across the land’ (vasudhāṃ kramāt)?

Purāṇic narration often foregrounds movement through named sacred sites to sacralize geography. Even when only one tīrtha is named, the diction frames the journey as a dharmic progression culminating in a transformative encounter.