Vamana Purana — Harihara Revelation, Shloka 75
Harihara Revelation and the Kurukshetra Tirtha Cycle: Sthanu in Vishnu and the Sanctification of Saptasarasvata
यदीह मां योद्धुमुपागतो ऽसि तत् कम्पेत ते हृदयं किमर्थम् ज्वरातुरस्येव मुहुर्मुहुर्वै तन्नास्मि योत्स्ये सह कातरेण / 35.74 इत्येवमुक्तो मधुसूदनेन मुरुस्तदा स्वे हृदये स्वहस्तम् कथं क्व कस्येति मुहुस्तथोक्त्वा निपातयामास विपन्नबुद्धिः
yadīha māṃ yoddhumupāgato 'si tat kampeta te hṛdayaṃ kimartham jvarāturasyeva muhurmuhurvai tannāsmi yotsye saha kātareṇa / 35.74 ityevamukto madhusūdanena murustadā sve hṛdaye svahastam kathaṃ kva kasyeti muhustathoktvā nipātayāmāsa vipannabuddhiḥ
“‘Jika engkau datang ke sini untuk bertarung denganku, mengapa hatimu bergetar berkali-kali seperti orang yang diserang demam? Aku tidak akan bertempur dengan seorang pengecut.’ Setelah ditegur demikian oleh Madhusūdana, Mura meletakkan tangannya sendiri di dadanya dan berulang-ulang berkata, ‘Bagaimana? Di mana? Terhadap siapa (aku takut)?’ lalu rebah, akalnya pun kacau.”
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FAQs
The language suggests more than ordinary fear: repeated trembling ‘like a fever patient’ and the disintegration of mind (vipanna-buddhi) imply the overpowering presence (tejas) of Viṣṇu, a Purāṇic trope where divine radiance itself defeats adharmic opponents.
It inverts the asura’s self-image as a heroic challenger. By framing trembling as cowardice, Viṣṇu delegitimizes the asura’s claim to honorable combat and underscores that adharmic aggression lacks true steadiness (dhairya).
It is a stylized expression of bewilderment—‘How (is this happening)? Where (is the danger)? Of whom (am I afraid)?’—marking a mind overwhelmed and unable to locate a rational cause, consistent with Purāṇic depictions of asuras undone by divine presence.