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
नारद उवाच—सत्तमः स किमर्थं गालवस्य कार्यं साधयामास, येन नृपात्मजः पत्रिणा दैत्यं निजघान?
{ "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.