Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

यद्यसावपि धर्मात्मा न बिभेति तपोधनः जनापवादात् तत्किं त्वं बिभेषु जलमध्यगः

Transliteration

yadyasāvapi dharmātmā na bibheti tapodhanaḥ janāpavādāt tatkiṃ tvaṃ bibheṣu jalamadhyagaḥ

Translation

“If that one—righteous-souled and rich in austerity—does not fear public reproach, then why do you, who dwell in the midst of the water, fear?”

Speakers

• The same female speakers (tāḥ) addressing the Mahāmatsya
• contrasting Gālava’s fearlessness with the fish’s fear.

Key Themes

• Dharma vs social opinion (janāpavāda)
• Tapas as spiritual ‘wealth’ (tapo-dhana)
• Fearlessness as a mark of inner steadiness
• Moral comparison between beings

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the ethical point of contrasting ‘janāpavāda’ with dharma?

The verse highlights a classic dharma tension: the righteous person (dharmātmā) may remain steady even when society criticizes. Public opinion is treated as unstable, whereas dharma is the stable criterion for conduct.

What does ‘tapodhanaḥ’ imply beyond ‘ascetic’?

It frames tapas as a form of capital or treasure—accumulated spiritual potency and merit. Calling someone tapodhanaḥ suggests recognized ascetic attainment, not merely an external lifestyle.

Why emphasize that the fish is ‘jalamadhyagaḥ’ (in mid-water)?

It sharpens the rhetorical question: an aquatic being is in its own element and should be least threatened, yet it fears—implying that fear arises from inner confusion rather than external conditions.