Vamana Purana — Ritadhvaja Aids Galava, Shloka 18

Ritadhvaja’s Aid to Galava and Andhaka’s Infatuation with Gauri

Devanagari script

ततो विचरता तेन मन्दरे चारुकन्दरे दृष्टा गौरी च गिरिजा सखीमध्ये स्थिताशुभा

Transliteration

tato vicaratā tena mandare cārukandare dṛṣṭā gaurī ca girijā sakhīmadhye sthitāśubhā

Translation

ಅವನು ಸಂಚರಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವಾಗ, ಮಂದರ ಪರ್ವತದ ಸುಂದರ ಗುಹೆಯಲ್ಲಿ, ಸಖಿಯರ ಮಧ್ಯೆ ನಿಂತಿದ್ದ ಗೌರಿಯನ್ನು—ಗಿರಿಜೆಯನ್ನು—ಕಂಡನು; ಅದು ಅವನಿಗೆ ಅಶುಭಸೂಚಕವಾಯಿತು.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालबोधक अव्यय (then)

• विचरता: by him who was roaming
• विचरता: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चर् (धातु) + शतृ
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘तेन’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (pronoun)

• मन्दरे: on/in Mandara (mountain)
• मन्दरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चारुकन्दरे: in the lovely cave(s)
• चारुकन्दरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चारु + कन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (चारु कन्दरं यस्मिन्)

• दृष्टा: was seen
• दृष्टा: Karma (कर्म/Object in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘गौरी’ कर्तृस्थाने

• गौरी: Gaurī
• गौरी: Karma (कर्म/Object in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• गिरिजा: daughter of the mountain
• गिरिजा: Karma (कर्म/Object in passive-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि + जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गिरेः जाता)

• सखीमध्ये: in the midst of (her) friends
• सखीमध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखी + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सखीनां मध्ये)

• स्थिता: standing/situated
• स्थिता: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; गौरी इति विशेषण

• अशुभा: inauspicious (as written)
• अशुभा: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; गौरी इति विशेषण (नञ्-पूर्वक)

Speakers

• Pulastya narrating to the frame-dialogue listener (commonly Nārada).

Primary Deities

• Parvati (Gauri/Girija)
• Shiva

Key Themes

• Andhaka’s transgressive gaze/desire motif (setup)
• Śakti’s presence as narrative pivot
• Sacred mountain setting
• Portent/inauspiciousness for adharma

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Mandara significant as a setting?

Mandara is a mythically charged mountain in Purāṇic geography, often associated with divine events. Here it functions as a sacred, elevated space where the goddess is encountered—intensifying the gravity of Andhaka’s impending transgression.

What does ‘aśubhā’ mean when applied to Gaurī, who is auspicious?

It is relational: not that the goddess is intrinsically inauspicious, but that her being seen in this context becomes a bad omen for the wrongdoer. The term signals that the encounter will lead to Andhaka’s downfall and the unfolding of the Andhaka-vadha trajectory.

Why emphasize that she is ‘among companions’ (sakhī-madhye)?

It situates the scene in a feminine, protected retinue typical of goddess narratives, and heightens the impropriety of the intruder’s gaze. It also prepares for subsequent reactions—flight, protection, or divine intervention—within the episode’s dramatic structure.