Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 165

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

Devanagari script

वृत्ते मुनिर्विवाहे तु शक्रादीन् प्राह दैवतान् अस्मिस्तीर्थे भवद्भिस्तु सप्तगोदावरे सदा

Transliteration

vṛtte munirvivāhe tu śakrādīn prāha daivatān asmistīrthe bhavadbhistu saptagodāvare sadā

Translation

{"syncretic_content": false, "primary_deity": "Shiva", "secondary_deities": ["Vīrabhadra"], "hari_hara_unity": null, "shakti_presence": null, "theological_tradition": "shaiva"}

Speakers

• A muni (sage) speaking to Śakra (Indra) and other deities

Primary Deities

• Indra
• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Tirtha Mahima (deities’ perpetual presence)
• Deva-sannidhya (divine immanence at pilgrimage sites)
• Ritual completion leading to sanctification of place

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does the sage’s injunction to the gods imply about Saptagodāvarī?

It asserts deva-sannidhya: the tirtha is not merely commemorative but continuously empowered by the abiding presence of Indra and other gods, making it perpetually efficacious for rites and pilgrimage.

Why is Indra (Śakra) singled out first (‘śakrādīn’)?

Indra commonly heads deva-lists in Purāṇic diction; invoking him first signals a formal address to the entire divine assembly and underscores the cosmic recognition of the tirtha.

How does this verse fit the Vamana Purana’s geographical agenda?

By tying a named Godāvarī tirtha (Saptagodāvarī) to a concrete ritual-historical episode and then declaring ongoing divine presence, the text converts narrative into a durable geographic-sacral marker for pilgrims.