Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

मयात्मा तस्य दत्तश्व सखीभिवार्यमाणया ततः शप्तास्मि तातेन वियुक्तास्मि च भूभुजा

Transliteration

mayātmā tasya dattaśva sakhībhivāryamāṇayā tataḥ śaptāsmi tātena viyuktāsmi ca bhūbhujā

Translation

«Bien que mes compagnes aient tenté de m’en détourner, je me suis donnée à lui. Alors mon père me maudit, et je fus séparée de ce roi.»

Speakers

• Same female narrator continuing her account to the listener in the chapter’s frame.

Key Themes

• Transgression and social restraint
• Paternal curse (śāpa) as karmic mechanism
• Separation and suffering leading to pilgrimage/atonement

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the force of “ātmā dattaḥ” in Purāṇic narrative diction?

It is a conventional euphemism indicating yielding oneself—often implying a breach of expected conduct (maryādā) or a socially disapproved union, which then invites a śāpa (curse) or other consequence.

Why does a father’s curse matter so much in Purāṇas?

Śāpa functions as a juridical-moral device: it externalizes dharmic violation into a binding fate that can usually be resolved only through tapas, divine grace, or tirtha-contact—thereby integrating ethics with sacred geography.

How does this verse prepare for the Godāvarī/Śrīkaṇṭha mention?

The separation and curse create the narrative necessity for seeking a higher remedy; the next verse shows the turn toward a sacred destination and deity-vision as the means of resolution.