Vamana Purana — Merit of Shravana Dvadashi, Shloka 87

The Merit of Śravaṇa-Dvādaśī and the Liberation of a Preta through Gayā Piṇḍa-Rites

Devanagari script

ततो दैत्यं समुत्पाट्य तस्यां प्रक्षिप्य वेगतः अवर्षत् सिकतावृष्ट्या तां गर्तामपूरयत

Transliteration

tato daityaṃ samutpāṭya tasyāṃ prakṣipya vegataḥ avarṣat sikatāvṛṣṭyā tāṃ gartāmapūrayata

Translation

Then, uprooting the Daitya, he hurled him swiftly into that pit; and by a rain of sand he filled up that chasm.

Speakers

• Narrator (traditionally Pulastya) to Nārada

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Vāsudeva)

Key Themes

• Subjugation and containment of demonic forces
• Mythic geomorphology (formation/filling of a chasm)
• Restoration of stability through divine action

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the narrative function of ‘rain of sand’ (sikatā-vṛṣṭi)?

It depicts a controlled, elemental act: the Lord not only defeats the Daitya but also ‘seals’ the disruption in the earth. In Purāṇic idiom, such filling actions often prevent the return of chaos and can explain the origin of dunes, sandy tracts, or filled depressions.

Does ‘uprooting’ (samutpāṭya) imply the Daitya was embedded in the earth?

The verb can be literal or figurative. Literally, it can suggest the Daitya had taken a fixed, entrenched position (like a rooted tree or a fortified presence). Figuratively, it conveys total removal—leaving no remnant of his power or foothold.

Could this ‘pit’ be interpreted as a future sacred site (tīrtha) in the text’s geographic agenda?

Potentially, yes: the Vāmana Purāṇa often links mythic events to physical features. However, without an explicit place-name in these verses, we should treat it as an unnamed geomorphic motif unless the surrounding passages identify it.