Vamana Purana — Shukra's Curse on King Danda, Shloka 77

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

Devanagari script

इत्येवमुक्त्वा स ऋषिः समाश्वास्य सुदेवजम् शकुनिं पुरतझ कृत्वा सेन्द्रद्युम्नः सपुत्रकः

Transliteration

ityevamuktvā sa ṛṣiḥ samāśvāsya sudevajam śakuniṃ puratajha kṛtvā sendradyumnaḥ saputrakaḥ

Translation

Setelah berkata demikian, resi itu menenteramkan Sudevaja. Kemudian Indradyumna, bersama puteranya, dengan menempatkan Śakuni di hadapan sebagai penunjuk jalan, meneruskan perjalanan.

Speakers

• Narrator voice (Purāṇic narrator) describing events; the immediately preceding speech is by a ṛṣi to Sudevaja.

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Shiva

Key Themes

• Tirtha Yatra (pilgrimage)
• Guidance of sages
• Royal pilgrimage and merit

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is being consoled here, and why does it matter in a tīrtha narrative?

Sudevaja is explicitly named as the one reassured by the ṛṣi. In Purāṇic tīrtha sections, consolation by a sage typically marks a transition from grief/confusion to purposeful pilgrimage, framing the journey as dharmic and merit-bearing rather than merely worldly travel.

What does 'placing Śakuni in front' imply?

Purataḥ kṛtvā indicates Śakuni is made to go ahead—commonly as a guide, pathfinder, or leader of the party. In tīrtha itineraries, this detail signals an organized yātrā with a knowledgeable leader, reinforcing the geography-driven structure of the Vāmana Purāṇa.

Is any deity directly invoked in this verse?

No deity is named in this śloka; it functions as connective narrative tissue. Deity-centered meaning is supplied by the surrounding tīrtha context (where rivers and sacred sites are typically linked to Śiva/Vişṇu merit).