Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

न चैव सा वरारोहा विभिन्ना लाघावान्मया न च जानामि सा कुत्र तस्माद् गच्छामि मार्गितुम्

Transliteration

na caiva sā varārohā vibhinnā lāghāvānmayā na ca jānāmi sā kutra tasmād gacchāmi mārgitum

Translation

ആ സുന്ദരിയായ സ്ത്രീയെ ഞാൻ അതിവേഗത്തിൽ പരിക്കേൽപ്പിച്ചിട്ടില്ല; അവൾ എവിടെയാണെന്നും എനിക്ക് അറിയില്ല. അതിനാൽ ഞാൻ അവളെ അന്വേഷിക്കാൻ പോകുന്നു.

Speakers

• The king continuing to address the Brahmin (implied continuity from 39.62).

Key Themes

• Quest/search motif
• Assertion of innocence (not harming the lady)
• Separation and resolve

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the speaker stress that he did not injure her?

It removes moral culpability and redirects the narrative from accidental harm to disappearance/abduction, justifying a dharmic search rather than expiation for violence.

What is the significance of the epithet 'varārohā'?

It is a conventional kāvya-style epithet for a noble or beautiful woman, signaling her status and desirability—often used when a disappearance triggers conflict or a journey.