Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

ततः पप्रच्छ स मुनिः कन्यके कस्य कथ्यताम् कुलालङ्कारणे भक्तियुक्ते भवस्य हि

Transliteration

tataḥ papraccha sa muniḥ kanyake kasya kathyatām kulālaṅkāraṇe bhaktiyukte bhavasya hi

Translation

Darauf fragte der Weise: „O Jungfrauen, sagt mir: wessen seid ihr? Ihr seid geschmückt wie Zierden eines edlen Geschlechts und wahrlich Bhava (Śiva) in Hingabe zugetan.“

Speakers

• Galava speaking to the two celestial maidens.

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Bhava)

Key Themes

• Identity inquiry in sacred narrative
• Devotion (bhakti) to Shiva
• Celestial-human dialogue
• Lineage honor (kula-alaṅkāra)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is implied by calling the maidens “kula-alaṅkāraṇe”?

It is a respectful idiom: women who are ‘ornaments’ of a lineage—i.e., marked by refinement, auspicious qualities, and conduct that enhances family honor. In narrative terms, it signals their elevated (non-human) status and virtue.

Why does Galava connect them explicitly with Bhava (Shiva)?

Their demeanor and devotional markers (implicit from the preceding worship scene and their reverence) lead Galava to infer a Shaiva affiliation—either as attendants, devotees, or beings blessed through Shiva’s sphere.

Does this verse establish a Shaiva-Vaishnava unity theme?

Not directly within the verse itself; it foregrounds Shaiva devotion (Bhava/Īśāna). Any broader unity theme would depend on surrounding passages (e.g., if Vishnu’s tīrtha or Vāmana context is later linked with Shiva’s grace).