Vamana Purana — Nakshatra-Purusha Vrata, Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच कथं पुरूरवा विष्णुमाराघ्य द्विजसत्तम विरूपत्वं समुत्सृज्य रूपं प्राप श्रिया सह

Transliteration

nārada uvāca kathaṃ purūravā viṣṇumārāghya dvijasattama virūpatvaṃ samutsṛjya rūpaṃ prāpa śriyā saha

Translation

നാരദൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ദ്വിജസത്തമാ! പുരൂരവസ് വിഷ്ണുവിനെ ആരാധിച്ച് വിരൂപത ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച്, ശ്രീയോടുകൂടിയ സുന്ദരരൂപം എങ്ങനെ പ്രാപിച്ചു?

Speakers

• Nārada speaking to the narrating sage (addressed as ‘dvijasattama’
• commonly Pulastya in Vāmana Purāṇa dialogue frames).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Narada
• Shri (Lakshmi)

Key Themes

• Tirtha Mahima
• Narrative causality (how the boon was obtained)
• Restoration of beauty and fortune
• Devotion as transformative power

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Is ‘Śrī’ here the goddess Lakṣmī or simply ‘prosperity’?

Both readings are traditional and compatible. In Purāṇic Sanskrit, ‘śrī’ frequently denotes royal fortune and auspicious splendor, while also evoking Lakṣmī as Viṣṇu’s inseparable power. The phrase ‘śriyā saha’ emphasizes that beauty (rūpa) and prosperity (śrī) arise together.

What does Nārada’s question signal about the structure of the chapter?

It marks a transition from brief phala-statements (Purūravas, Bhṛgu) to an expanded kathā (explanatory narrative) detailing the circumstances, vow, worship-method, and the tirtha’s role in producing the boon.

Why pair ‘virūpatva’ (deformity) with ‘aiśvarya/śrī’ (prosperity)?

Mahātmya passages often present a complete restoration: bodily well-being/beauty plus social-political flourishing. The pairing underscores that the tirtha’s grace is holistic—removing both personal affliction and worldly misfortune.