Vamana Purana — Nakshatra-Purusha Vrata, Shloka 67

The Nakshatra-Purusha Vrata: Worship of Vishnu’s Body as the Constellations

Devanagari script

इत्येवमुक्त्वा वणिजं प्रेतराजो ऽनुगैः सह स्वनामानि यथान्यायं सम्यगाख्यातवाञ्छुचिः

Transliteration

ityevamuktvā vaṇijaṃ pretarājo 'nugaiḥ saha svanāmāni yathānyāyaṃ samyagākhyātavāñchuciḥ

Translation

“Having spoken thus to the merchant, the lord of the pretas (Yama), together with his attendants, the pure one, then duly and correctly declared his own names (i.e., identified himself in proper form).”

Speakers

• Narrator reporting: Preta-rāja (Yama) addressing a merchant (vaṇij)
• with his attendants present.

Primary Deities

• Yama (Preta-rāja)

Key Themes

• Authority of Yama in afterlife order
• Proper identification and ritual propriety (yathā-nyāya)
• Closure marker in māhātmya narrative
• Purity (śuci) associated with dharmic speech/act

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why would Yama ‘declare his own names’ in a Purāṇic narrative?

Name-declaration functions as formal identification and authentication of authority. In Purāṇic storytelling, especially around dharma and afterlife matters, stating names/titles can mark a juridical or ritually ‘proper’ conclusion to an instruction or boon.

Who are the ‘anugas’ accompanying Preta-rāja?

They are Yama’s attendants/messengers (often called yamadūtas in broader literature). Their presence underscores that the episode concerns the administration of post-mortem states and the enforcement/recognition of dharmic outcomes.

What role does the ‘merchant’ (vaṇij) play in such māhātmya episodes?

Merchants frequently appear as representative householders/travelers in tīrtha narratives—figures who undertake journeys, encounter sacred places, and receive instruction. This makes them ideal exemplars for teaching the fruits of rites like piṇḍa-dāna and observances tied to specific times.