Vamana Purana — Vamana's Birth, Shloka 33

Vamana’s Birth during Bali’s Horse-Sacrifice and the Mapping of Vishnu’s Sacred Presences

Devanagari script

एवमश्वे समुत्सृष्टे वितते यज्ञकर्मणि गते च मासत्रितये हूयमाने च पावके

Transliteration

evamaśve samutsṛṣṭe vitate yajñakarmaṇi gate ca māsatritaye hūyamāne ca pāvake

Translation

Thus, when the horse had been released and the sacrificial performance had been set in full motion, and when three months had passed, the oblations were being offered into the fire.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Purāṇic dialogue (reciter continuing the aśvamedha timeline).

Primary Deities

• Agni
• Viṣṇu

Key Themes

• Ritual timeline (three-month interval)
• Continuity of offerings (homa)
• Aśvamedha progression
• Sacrality of Agni as purifier

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is a three-month period (māsa-tritaya) mentioned?

In aśvamedha-style narratives, the horse is allowed to roam for a fixed period while the sacrifice is maintained. The three-month marker functions as a narrative clock indicating the rite’s maturation and the approach of consequential events (challenges, confrontations, or divine intervention).

What does pāvaka mean here?

Pāvaka (‘purifier’) is a common epithet of Agni. It highlights the doctrinal idea that offerings, when properly made, are purified and conveyed through Agni to the intended deities.

Does this verse contribute to the Vāmana Purāṇa’s geographical cataloging?

Not directly. It is a ritual-progress verse without named tīrthas or rivers; its value is in mapping the sacrificial sequence within the broader Bali/Vāmana narrative frame.