Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 83

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

Devanagari script

सा प्राह वानरपते नाम्ना वेदवतीति सा न हि देववती ख्याता तदाच्छ व्रजावहे

Transliteration

sā prāha vānarapate nāmnā vedavatīti sā na hi devavatī khyātā tadāccha vrajāvahe

Translation

She said to the lord of monkeys: “My name is Vedavatī; I am not renowned as Devavatī. Therefore, come—let us go at once.”

Speakers

• Vedavatī speaking to the vānarapati (monkey-chief).

Key Themes

• Sacred-geography narrative framing
• Identity clarification (name and fame)
• Journey to a tīrtha

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does she stress “I am Vedavatī, not Devavatī”?

The verse functions as an identity-correction within a travel episode: the speaker’s proper name (Vedavatī) is asserted to prevent confusion with a similarly named figure (Devavatī). In Purāṇic narration, such clarifications often signal that the ensuing tīrtha-episode belongs to a specific character-lineage and its associated merit (puṇya).

What is the narrative function of “come, let us go at once”?

It marks a transition from dialogue to pilgrimage-movement. In the Vāmana Purāṇa’s geography-heavy sections, verbs of going (vraj-, gam-) frequently introduce the next named river/region, anchoring the story to a mapped sacred landscape.

Is any deity invoked here?

Not directly. The verse is primarily interpersonal and logistical; the sacrality is carried by the broader Saro/Kauśikī context that becomes explicit in the next verses.