Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Counsel to Andhaka, Shloka 52

Shukra’s Curse on King Danda and Prahlada’s Counsel to Andhaka on Dharma

Devanagari script

इत्येवमुक्तो मतिमान् शम्बरो ऽन्दकमागमत् समागम्याब्रवीद् वाक्यं शर्वगौर्योश्च भाषितम्

Transliteration

ityevamukto matimān śambaro 'ndakamāgamat samāgamyābravīd vākyaṃ śarvagauryośca bhāṣitam

Translation

Assim instruído, o prudente Śambara foi até Andhaka. Tendo-se encontrado com ele, transmitiu a mensagem, repetindo as palavras ditas a respeito de Śarva (Śiva) e de Gaurī.

Speakers

• Narrator describing Śambara reporting to Andhaka; Śambara conveys prior statements about Śiva (Śarva) and Gaurī.

Primary Deities

• Śiva (Śarva)
• Pārvatī (Gaurī)

Key Themes

• Asura counsel and communication
• Escalation of conflict with Śiva and the Goddess
• Role of messengers in Purāṇic battle narratives

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is Śambara in Purāṇic literature, and what is his function here?

Śambara is a recurring Asura name across Purāṇas, often portrayed as a strategist or adversary. Here he functions as a messenger/counsellor who relays provocative or strategic speech to Andhaka, moving the plot toward confrontation.

Why does the verse specify ‘Śarva and Gaurī’?

Naming Śiva as Śarva and Pārvatī as Gaurī anchors the episode in the Śaiva mythic register and signals that the reported words directly concern the divine couple—typically a catalyst for Andhaka’s aggression and eventual destruction.

Is this verse descriptive or dialogic?

It is primarily narrative (ākhyāna) prose-in-verse: it reports movement and the act of delivering a message, preparing for Andhaka’s reaction in the next verse.