Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

ततो मयोक्तो नैवास्मि कपे देववतीत्यहम् नाम्ना वेदवतीत्येवं मेरोरपि कृताश्रया

Transliteration

tato mayokto naivāsmi kape devavatītyaham nāmnā vedavatītyevaṃ merorapi kṛtāśrayā

Translation

Lalu aku berkata: “Wahai kera, aku bukan ‘Devavatī’. Namaku Vedavatī; demikianlah aku pun bernaung dan menetap di Meru.”

Speakers

• Vedavatī replying to the monkey (kapi)

Primary Deities

• Meru (cosmic sacred geography)

Key Themes

• Clarification of identity (name vs. epithet)
• Taking refuge/abode (āśraya) in a sacred-cosmic locale
• Purity/tejas implied by residence on Meru

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does Vedavatī deny being ‘Devavatī’?

The monkey’s ‘devavatī’ can be read as either a compliment (‘goddess-like’) or a mistaken proper name. Vedavatī corrects it to her true name, emphasizing narrative precision and her distinct identity within the tradition.

What does ‘kṛtāśrayā on Meru’ convey?

It indicates that Vedavatī has established a dwelling or spiritual refuge on Meru, a locus of heightened sanctity in Purāṇic cosmography. The phrase can imply both physical residence and a symbolic ‘taking shelter’ in an exalted, dharmic sphere.

How does this passage relate to the Vāmana Purāṇa’s geographic character?

Even within narrative, the text uses cosmographic anchors like Meru to situate events within a sacred map. Meru functions as a central coordinate of the Purāṇic world, linking personal story to universal geography.