Vamana Purana — Ritadhvaja Aids Galava, Shloka 4
Ritadhvaja’s Aid to Galava and Andhaka’s Infatuation with Gauri
नारद उवाच/ किमर्थं गालवस्यासौ साधयामास सत्तमः येनासौ पत्रिणा दैत्यं निजघान नृपात्मजः
nārada uvāca/ kimarthaṃ gālavasyāsau sādhayāmāsa sattamaḥ yenāsau patriṇā daityaṃ nijaghāna nṛpātmajaḥ
ਨਾਰਦ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਉਸ ਸ੍ਰੇਸ਼ਠ ਪੁਰਖ ਨੇ ਗਾਲਵ ਦਾ ਕਿਹੜਾ ਉਦੇਸ਼ ਪੂਰਾ ਕੀਤਾ, ਜਿਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਰਾਜਪੁੱਤਰ ਨੇ ਤੀਰ ਨਾਲ ਉਸ ਦੈਤ ਦਾ ਵਧ ਕੀਤਾ?
{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
It marks a transition from a brief heroic summary to the underlying cause (nidāna). Purāṇas often use a sage’s inquiry to justify expanding the story and to connect royal action to ascetic or dhārmic aims.
The phrase is intentionally broad: it can cover a ritual commission, protection of tapas, retrieval of something needed for a rite, or repayment of a debt to a sage. The next verse begins to specify it by describing Gālava’s tapas and its obstruction.
Within this micro-narrative, the daitya is Pātālaketu (named in the preceding verse). The label ‘daitya’ situates him in the asuric class opposed to ascetic order and dharma.