Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 89

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

Devanagari script

तज्जाबालिवचः श्रुत्वा शकुनिः क्रोधसंयुतः सशरं धनुरादाय इदं वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

tajjābālivacaḥ śrutvā śakuniḥ krodhasaṃyutaḥ saśaraṃ dhanurādāya idaṃ vacanamabravīt

Translation

জাবালিৰ বাক্য শুনি শকুনি ক্ৰোধে ভৰি উঠিল। সি তীৰসহ ধনুক লৈ এই কথা ক’লে।

Speakers

• Narrator (frame) describing Śakuni’s reaction after hearing Jābāli; Śakuni is about to speak (to Jābāli / assembly).

Key Themes

• Anger vs restraint
• Rishi–warrior tension
• Escalation toward violence
• Authority of sage counsel

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is Jābāli in this passage, and why is his speech significant?

Jābāli is presented as a maharṣi whose counsel carries dharmic and pacific authority; the verse marks a turning point where a sage’s words provoke (or fail to pacify) a kṣatriya-like response, setting up a moral contrast between restraint and wrath.

What is the narrative function of ‘taking the bow with an arrow’?

The formula ‘saśaraṃ dhanur ādāya’ is a conventional epic-Purāṇic signal of immediate intent to strike; it dramatizes the shift from speech (vāda) to violence (daṇḍa), heightening tension before the next utterance.

Does this verse contain any tirtha or geographic data typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. Despite the Vāmana Purāṇa’s strong geographic orientation elsewhere, this śloka is purely narrative and contains no named rivers, forests, lakes, or pilgrimage sites.