Vamana Purana — Portents at Bali's Sacrifice, Shloka 34

Portents at Bali’s Sacrifice and the Kośakāra’s Son: The Power of Past Karma

Devanagari script

सा क्रन्दितं चिराच्छ्रुत्वा धर्मिष्ठा पतिमब्रवीत् पश्य स्वयं मुनिश्रेष्ठ सशब्दस्तनयस्तव

Transliteration

sā kranditaṃ cirācchrutvā dharmiṣṭhā patimabravīt paśya svayaṃ muniśreṣṭha saśabdastanayastava

Translation

बहुत देर बाद रोने की आवाज़ सुनकर वह परम धर्मनिष्ठा स्त्री अपने पति से बोली—“हे मुनिश्रेष्ठ, स्वयं देखिए, आपका पुत्र ऊँचे स्वर से रो रहा है।”

Speakers

• The virtuous wife speaking to her husband (addressed as muniśreṣṭha).

Key Themes

• Miraculous/auspicious birth motif
• Householder piety (gṛhastha-dharma)
• Foreshadowing of a sacred narrative tied to a tīrtha

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is the husband addressed as “muniśreṣṭha” in a household scene?

Purāṇic narration often portrays exemplary householders as tapasvins or muni-like figures, emphasizing that spiritual attainment and dharma can be upheld within domestic life.

What is suggested by “cirāt śrutvā” (“having heard after a long time”)?

It implies an unusual interval—either the child had not cried before, or the sound is extraordinary—serving as a narrative cue that the child’s appearance or nature is not ordinary.

Does this verse contain tīrtha-geography data?

Not directly. It functions as narrative setup within a larger māhātmya where the geography and sanctity of the associated tīrtha are typically elaborated elsewhere in the chapter/section.