Vamana Purana — Jabali on the Banyan Tree, Shloka 34

Jabali Bound on the Banyan Tree and Nandayanti’s Appeal at Sri-Kantha on the Yamuna

Devanagari script

सा प्राह दण्डं नृपातिं मुहूर्त परिपालय तमेव याचस्व गुरुं स ते दास्यत्यसंशयम्

Transliteration

sā prāha daṇḍaṃ nṛpātiṃ muhūrta paripālaya tameva yācasva guruṃ sa te dāsyatyasaṃśayam

Translation

اس نے انسانوں کے سردار دَण्ड سے کہا—“ایک لمحہ ٹھہرو؛ اسی گرو سے درخواست کرو، وہ بے شک تمہیں عطا کرے گا۔”

Word by Word

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथम), Singular (एकवचन)

• daṇḍam: O Daṇḍa
• daṇḍam: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used as संबोधन-रूपेण (addressed person in acc.)

• nṛpātim: the king
• nṛpātim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘lord of men/king’

• muhūrtam: for a moment
• muhūrtam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण, duration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; duration accusative

• paripālaya: protect / guard
• paripālaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + pāl (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यम), Singular; parasmaipada

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• eva: only / indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• yācasva: request / beg
• yācasva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yāc (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd Person (मध्यम), Singular; ātmanepada

• gurum: the teacher
• gurum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; pronoun

• dāsyati: will give
• dāsyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 3rd Person (प्रथम), Singular; parasmaipada

• asaṃśayam: undoubtedly
• asaṃśayam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषण), ‘without doubt’

Speakers

• A female speaker addressing Daṇḍa (called nṛpati).

Primary Deities

• Śukra (Uśanas)

Key Themes

• Guru-prasāda (boon through the preceptor)
• Restraint and timing
• Petition/entreaty (yācñā)
• Authority structures in Asura polity

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is approaching the guru emphasized instead of acting immediately?

Purāṇic narratives frequently frame success as dependent on guru’s sanction. The advice ‘wait a moment’ signals that unapproved action can become a fault (doṣa) and invite obstruction or punishment.

Who is the ‘guru’ here?

Given the immediately preceding mention of Śukra, ‘guru’ most naturally refers to Śukra/Uśanas, the Asuras’ preceptor, whose approval or gift is decisive in Daitya affairs.

Is ‘nṛpati’ literal kingship or honorific?

It can be both. In such episodes it often functions as an honorific for a ruler/leader (here Daṇḍa), underscoring political status while the plot turns on personal counsel.