Vamana Purana — Merit of Shravana Dvadashi, Shloka 60

The Merit of Śravaṇa-Dvādaśī and the Liberation of a Preta through Gayā Piṇḍa-Rites

Devanagari script

नेत्रभास इति ख्यातो ज्येष्ठो भ्राता ममासुर मम नाम पिता चक्रे गतिभासेति कौतुकात्

Transliteration

netrabhāsa iti khyāto jyeṣṭho bhrātā mamāsura mama nāma pitā cakre gatibhāseti kautukāt

Translation

{"scene_description": "Portrait-like depiction of a noble-looking asura father with deva-like radiance, standing in a beautiful dwelling, surrounded by signs of prosperity and stable kinship.", "primary_figures": ["asura father (mahāsura)"], "setting": "A splendid residence—pillars, textiles, orderly household—suggesting auspiciousness.", "color_palette": ["warm gold", "emerald", "crimson", "ivory"], "tanjore_prompt": "Tanjore-style iconic portrait of a handsome mahāsura with deva-like ornaments, standing before a grand mansion, gold-leaf highlights, symmetrical composition, auspicious motifs (kalasha, lotus).", "pahari_prompt": "Pahari miniature: refined asura noble in a palace veranda, soft pastel background, delicate jewelry, serene expression, emphasis on beauty and auspicious household.", "kerala_mural_prompt": "Kerala mural: strong-lined majestic asura with elaborate crown and ornaments, palace backdrop, earthy pigments, calm face, auspicious symbols in corners.", "pattachitra_prompt": "Pattachitra: stylized noble asura figure with ornate patterns, mansion backdrop rendered as decorative geometry, narrative caption style, natural dye palette."}

Word by Word

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Speakers

• Same unnamed Asura narrator continuing to speak to an unnamed listener

Key Themes

• Asura genealogy
• Name-etymology and characterization
• Narrative self-positioning

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "hasya", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the significance of the names Netrabhāsa and Gatibhāsa?

Both names are built on bhāsa (‘shine, radiance’), suggesting a thematic pairing: Netrabhāsa (‘radiance of the eyes/vision’) and Gatibhāsa (‘radiance of movement/trajectory’). Purāṇic narratives often use such names to foreshadow traits—perception/vision for one, speed/agency or ‘course of destiny’ for the other.

Why does the verse say the father named him ‘kautukāt’?

Kautuka indicates a light, whimsical motive—‘out of amusement’—which can subtly imply that the naming is not solemnly ritualized but narrative and character-driven, sometimes hinting at irony or later reversal of fortune.

Are any deities or sacred places invoked here?

No. The verse is confined to familial identification and naming; it contains no explicit deity-invocation or tīrtha geography.