Vamana Purana — Manifestation of Katyayani, Shloka 30
Humbling of the Vindhya by Agastya
गत्वा वचः प्राह मुनिर्महीध्रं यास्ये महातीर्थवरं सुपुण्यम् वृद्धोस्मयशक्तश्च तवाधिरोढुं तस्माद् भवान् नीचतरो ऽस्तु सद्यः // वम्प्_19.29 इत्येवमुक्तो मुनिस्त्तमेन स नीचशृङ्गस्त्वभवन्महीध्रः समाक्रमच्चापि महर्षिमुक्यः प्रोल्लङ्घ्य विन्ध्यं त्विदमाह शैलम्
gatvā vacaḥ prāha munirmahīdhraṃ yāsye mahātīrthavaraṃ supuṇyam vṛddhosmayaśaktaśca tavādhiroḍhuṃ tasmād bhavān nīcataro 'stu sadyaḥ // VamP_19.29 ityevamukto munisttamena sa nīcaśṛṅgastvabhavanmahīdhraḥ samākramaccāpi maharṣimukyaḥ prollaṅghya vindhyaṃ tvidamāha śailam
Aproximando-se, o sábio disse à montanha: “Vou a um grande tīrtha, excelso e supremamente santo. Estou velho e sem força para subir-te; portanto, torna-te mais baixo imediatamente.”
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FAQs
The episode encodes humility and service: even the ‘earth-bearer’ must yield to dharma when asked for the welfare of movement, pilgrimage, and world-order.
Narrative (ākhyāna) supporting kṣetra/tīrtha orientation; not sarga/pratisarga. It functions as a geographic-theological charter explaining why a region is passable/ordered.
The mountain’s ‘lowering’ symbolizes the subordination of pride (unnatural swelling) to tapas and dharma, enabling southward flow—often read as opening pathways for culture, pilgrimage, and rivers.