Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 118

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

Devanagari script

यश्चैव जाम्बूवनदतुल्यवर्णः श्वेतं जटाभारमधारयिष्यत् स एष नूनं तपतां वरिष्ठो ऋतध्वजो नात्र विचारमस्ति

Transliteration

yaścaiva jāmbūvanadatulyavarṇaḥ śvetaṃ jaṭābhāramadhārayiṣyat sa eṣa nūnaṃ tapatāṃ variṣṭho ṛtadhvajo nātra vicāramasti

Translation

また、ジャムブーの果実に比せられる肌の色をもち、白きジャター（jaṭā）の髪塊を戴く者——その人こそ苦行者の中の第一、リタドヴァジャ（Ṛtadhvaja）である。ここに疑いはない。

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the episode (identification of a person by ascetic marks); immediate interlocutors are clarified in the next verses (Nandayantī speaking).

Primary Deities

• Śiva (Śaṃbhu)

Key Themes

• Ascetic iconography (jaṭā, varṇa)
• Recognition of a mahātapasvin
• Ṛta (cosmic order/truth) as a spiritual ideal

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is ‘jāmbūvana-datulya-varṇa’ significant in Purāṇic description?

Purāṇas often use natural comparanda (fruits, metals, lotuses) to convey a recognizable sacred physiognomy. ‘Jāmbū’ suggests a dark, glossy hue—frequently associated with spiritual potency and a distinctive, memorable identity marker in narrative recognition scenes.

What does the name ‘Ṛtadhvaja’ imply beyond being a personal name?

Etymologically, ṛta denotes cosmic truth/order (a Vedic concept), and dhvaja is a banner/standard. The compound can signal a person whose ‘standard’ is truth—i.e., one aligned with dharma and cosmic order—fitting for a ‘foremost ascetic’.

Does ‘white matted hair’ have a symbolic meaning?

Yes. Jaṭā marks renunciation and tapas; ‘white’ can indicate age, purity, or an otherworldly radiance. In Purāṇic narrative, such details function as identifiers and as moral-spiritual cues about the person’s attained status.