Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 77

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

Devanagari script

इत्येवमुक्त्वा स ऋषिः समाश्वास्य सुदेवजम् शकुनिं पुरतझ कृत्वा सेन्द्रद्युम्नः सपुत्रकः

Transliteration

ityevamuktvā sa ṛṣiḥ samāśvāsya sudevajam śakuniṃ puratajha kṛtvā sendradyumnaḥ saputrakaḥ

Translation

આ રીતે કહી તે ઋષિએ સુદેવજને આશ્વાસન આપ્યું; પછી શકુનીને આગળ રાખીને, ઇન્દ્રદ્યુમ્ન પુત્રসহ આગળ વધ્યો.

Speakers

• Narrator voice (Purāṇic narrator) describing events; the immediately preceding speech is by a ṛṣi to Sudevaja.

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Shiva

Key Themes

• Tirtha Yatra (pilgrimage)
• Guidance of sages
• Royal pilgrimage and merit

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is being consoled here, and why does it matter in a tīrtha narrative?

Sudevaja is explicitly named as the one reassured by the ṛṣi. In Purāṇic tīrtha sections, consolation by a sage typically marks a transition from grief/confusion to purposeful pilgrimage, framing the journey as dharmic and merit-bearing rather than merely worldly travel.

What does 'placing Śakuni in front' imply?

Purataḥ kṛtvā indicates Śakuni is made to go ahead—commonly as a guide, pathfinder, or leader of the party. In tīrtha itineraries, this detail signals an organized yātrā with a knowledgeable leader, reinforcing the geography-driven structure of the Vāmana Purāṇa.

Is any deity directly invoked in this verse?

No deity is named in this śloka; it functions as connective narrative tissue. Deity-centered meaning is supplied by the surrounding tīrtha context (where rivers and sacred sites are typically linked to Śiva/Vişṇu merit).