Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

साब्रवीच्छ्रुयतां यास्मि मन्दभाग्या कृशोदरी यता यात्राफले वृत्ते समायातास्मि पुष्करम्

Transliteration

sābravīcchruyatāṃ yāsmi mandabhāgyā kṛśodarī yatā yātrāphale vṛtte samāyātāsmi puṣkaram

Translation

Ia berkata: “Dengarkan. Aku bernasib malang, berpinggang ramping. Ketika buah ziarah itu terjadi, aku tiba di Puṣkara.”

Speakers

• The woman replying to the questioner (direct speech).

Key Themes

• Puṣkara-tīrtha identification
• Pilgrimage fruition (yātrā-phala) as narrative hinge
• Human suffering brought into sacred geography

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the significance of Puṣkara in Purāṇic tīrtha geography?

Puṣkara is a major pan-Indic pilgrimage complex, widely celebrated for its sanctifying waters and ritual efficacy. In Purāṇic mapping, naming Puṣkara anchors the narrative to a recognized tīrtha-node, allowing subsequent verses to elaborate its merits, rites, and promised outcomes.

Why does the speaker call herself “mandabhāgyā” (unfortunate) upon reaching a great tīrtha?

The contrast is deliberate: even at a foremost tīrtha, personal misfortune (here, separation or unresolved distress) can persist until the tīrtha’s ‘phala’ unfolds. This sets up the didactic point that sacred places transform circumstances over time, often through vows, bathing, gifts, or divine encounter.

Does “kṛśodarī” add doctrinal meaning or is it purely descriptive?

Primarily descriptive and conventional, marking the speaker as a young woman in a narrative register. Secondarily, it heightens pathos—her fragility underscores the emotional and moral stakes of the forthcoming account tied to Puṣkara’s sacred power.