Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा ते अपि रम्भोरु समुत्तीर्य तटे स्थिते प्रतीक्षन्त्यौ मुनिवरं तद्दर्शनसमुत्सुके / 39.26 वृत्ता च पुष्करे यात्रा गता लोका यथागतम् ऋषयः पार्थिवाश्चान्ये नाना जानपदस्तदा

Transliteration

snātvā te api rambhoru samuttīrya taṭe sthite pratīkṣantyau munivaraṃ taddarśanasamutsuke / 39.26 vṛttā ca puṣkare yātrā gatā lokā yathāgatam ṛṣayaḥ pārthivāścānye nānā jānapadastadā

Translation

Après s’être baignées, ces deux femmes aux cuisses élancées sortirent aussi de l’eau et se tinrent sur la rive, attendant avec ardeur le meilleur des sages, avides de le voir. Et lorsque le pèlerinage de Puṣkara fut achevé, les gens repartirent comme ils étaient venus : ṛṣi, rois et autres, venus alors de nombreuses contrées.

Speakers

• Narrator voice describing the actions of two women and the conclusion of the Pushkara pilgrimage; implied audience is the frame-dialogue listener (not named in the provided excerpt).

Key Themes

• Tīrtha-snāna (ritual bathing)
• Darśana of a sage (muni-darśana)
• Pilgrimage economy and assembly (ṛṣi, kings, regional peoples)
• Completion of yātrā and return (yathāgatam)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does the phrase ‘gatā lokā yathāgatam’ convey about the Pushkara yātrā?

It marks the formal closure of the pilgrimage assembly: after the prescribed rites (notably snāna), participants disperse back to their places of origin, emphasizing Pushkara as a periodic gathering-point for diverse social strata.

Why is ‘darśana’ of a sage highlighted alongside bathing?

In tīrtha literature, merit is not only from water-rites but also from contact with sanctity embodied in persons—especially accomplished sages. ‘Darśana’ functions as an auspicious encounter that complements snāna.

Does this verse indicate Pushkara’s pan-Indian importance?

Yes. The explicit mention of ṛṣis, kings, and people from many regions (nānā-jānapada) is a standard Purāṇic way of signaling a tīrtha’s supra-local prestige and wide pilgrimage network.