Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Counsel to Andhaka, Shloka 51

Shukra’s Curse on King Danda and Prahlada’s Counsel to Andhaka on Dharma

Devanagari script

अहं पताका संग्रामे भवानीशश्च देविनौ प्रामद्यूतं परिस्तीर्य यो जेष्यति स लप्स्यते

Transliteration

ahaṃ patākā saṃgrāme bhavānīśaśca devinau prāmadyūtaṃ paristīrya yo jeṣyati sa lapsyate

Translation

«في هذه المعركة سأكون رايةَ الجائزة؛ وتكون الإلهتان—بهافاني وإيشا—رهانًا. وبعد أن يُبْسَطَ ‘prāmadyūta’، لعبةُ المراهنة المتأجّجة، فمن يَغْلِبْ يَنَلْ (الجائزة)».

Speakers

• Likely a Daitya/Asura challenger proclaiming the terms of contest to the opposing side in the Andhaka battle context (within the narrative frame of the chapter).

Primary Deities

• Bhavānī (Pārvatī)
• Īśā (Goddess as Lady of Īśa)
• Śiva (implied as consort/Īśa)

Key Themes

• Hubris of the Daityas
• Battle as ‘wager’ metaphor (dūta imagery)
• Dishonoring/appropriation of the Goddess as a stake
• Śaiva mythic cycle: Andhaka episode

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is meant by ‘prāmadyūta’ in a battle context?

The compound evokes a ‘reckless, passion-driven wager-game’. The verse frames warfare as a deluded gamble where victory is treated like winning a stake—highlighting adharma and arrogance rather than legitimate dharma-yuddha.

Why are Bhavānī and Īśā described as ‘stakes’?

It reflects the transgressive boast of the antagonist: treating divine feminine power as an object to be ‘won’. In Śaiva mythic rhetoric, such speech signals impending downfall, since the Goddess is not a possession but sovereign śakti.

Does ‘patākā’ here mean a literal flag or a metaphorical prize?

Both senses are active: a banner/standard in battle and a token of victory. The speaker declares himself the ‘standard’ or ‘prize-marker’ of the contest, intensifying the challenge and self-aggrandizement.