Vamana Purana — Portents at Bali's Sacrifice, Shloka 98

Portents at Bali’s Sacrifice and the Kośakāra’s Son: The Power of Past Karma

Devanagari script

सुश्रोणी तनुमध्या च वणिक्पुत्रप्रिया शुभा नाम्ना चन्द्रावली नाम समुद्घाट्याथ पञ्जरम्

Transliteration

suśroṇī tanumadhyā ca vaṇikputrapriyā śubhā nāmnā candrāvalī nāma samudghāṭyātha pañjaram

Translation

ఆమె సుశ్రోణి, తనుమధ్య, శుభలక్షణ, వణిక్‌పుత్రునికి ప్రియమైనది. ఆమె పేరు చంద్రావళి; ఆపై పంజరాన్ని తెరిచింది.

Speakers

• Narrator (first-person voice) continues; broader frame-speaker not given in excerpt.

Key Themes

• Introduction of a named character (Candrāvalī)
• Domestic scene (opening a cage)
• Social setting (merchant family milieu)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the significance of naming (Candrāvalī) in Purāṇic narrative units?

Naming often marks a shift from generic description to plot-relevant agency. Once a character is named, she typically becomes a causal node for a vow, transgression, boon, curse, or a meritorious act that later ties back to tīrtha-phala (the ‘result’ of pilgrimage) in the surrounding māhātmya.

What does ‘vaṇikputrapriyā’ imply socially?

It indicates association with a mercantile household—either as wife/lover/beloved of a merchant’s son—suggesting an urban or trade-linked social milieu. Purāṇic tīrtha narratives frequently include such householders to universalize access to merit beyond royal/ascetic circles.

Does ‘pañjara’ suggest a specific motif?

Yes. A cage commonly signals a bird/pet motif, often used to introduce a messenger, a captive being, or a moral contrast between bondage and liberation—themes that can later be mapped onto tīrtha-based purification or release.