Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā (Gaṅgā-māhātmya): Saudāsa/Kalmāṣapāda’s Curse and Release
रक्षसा वंचितं भूपं ज्ञातवान् दिव्यचक्षुषा । राजापि जलमादाय वशिष्टं शप्तुमुद्यतः ॥ २९ ॥
rakṣasā vaṃcitaṃ bhūpaṃ jñātavān divyacakṣuṣā | rājāpi jalamādāya vaśiṣṭaṃ śaptumudyataḥ || 29 ||
Mit göttlichem Blick erkannte er, dass der König von einem Rākṣasa betrogen worden war. Auch der König, Wasser in der Hand nehmend, war im Begriff, Vasiṣṭha zu verfluchen.
Narrator (Purana narrator within the Narada Purana tradition)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: vira (heroic)
Secondary Rasa: raudra (anger)
FAQs
It highlights how deception (by a rākṣasa) can cloud judgment and push even a king toward adharma, showing the need for discernment and self-restraint—especially before invoking a curse, which is treated as a potent moral-spiritual act in Purāṇic ethics.
Indirectly, it contrasts reactive anger with the devotional virtues of humility and steadiness; bhakti-oriented conduct values reverence for sages and control of speech and intention, preventing harmful acts done under delusion.
Ritual practice is implied in “taking water in hand” (udaka-grahaṇa), a formal gesture used to sanction a vow/resolve; the verse cautions that ritualized speech-acts (like a curse) should be governed by dharmic judgment, not emotion.