Vamana Purana — Indra's Penance & Aditi's Vow, Shloka 6

Indra’s Penance at the Great River and Aditi’s Solar Vow for Vishnu’s Descent

Devanagari script

कश्यपो ऽप्याह देवेशं भ्रूणहत्या कृता त्वया दित्युदरात् त्वया गर्भः कृत्तो वै बहुधा बलात्

Transliteration

kaśyapo 'pyāha deveśaṃ bhrūṇahatyā kṛtā tvayā dityudarāt tvayā garbhaḥ kṛtto vai bahudhā balāt

Translation

Kaśyapa too said to the Lord of the gods: “You have committed the sin of bhrūṇahatya. From Diti’s womb you forcibly cut the embryo into many parts.”

Speakers

• Kaśyapa to Indra (deveśa)

Primary Deities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Kaśyapa
• Diti

Key Themes

• Bhrūṇahatya as mahāpātaka (great sin)
• Violation of maternal/embryonic sanctity
• Consequences of violence even for devas
• Mythic etiology (embryo divided into many)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is ‘bhrūṇahatya’ and why is it treated as severe?

Bhrūṇahatya is the killing of an embryo/fetus, classed in dharma traditions among the gravest sins (mahāpātaka) because it violates life at its most protected stage and disrupts lineage and cosmic order.

What is the mythic background of Indra cutting Diti’s embryo?

In Purāṇic tradition, Diti seeks a powerful son to overthrow Indra; Indra enters her womb and divides the fetus, often explained as the origin of the Maruts (storm-gods) or as a narrative of Indra’s fear leading to transgression.

Why is Kaśyapa the one who identifies the sin?

Kaśyapa is both patriarchal authority and Diti’s husband; as a prajāpati he embodies dharmic oversight and thus names the act in juridical-moral terms (pāpa) rather than merely as a conflict among devas and asuras.