Vamana Purana — Portents at Bali's Sacrifice, Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

सा दृष्टावा निचितं कूपं शिलया गिरिकल्पया उच्चैः प्रोवाच केनेयं कूपोपरि शिला कृता

Transliteration

sā dṛṣṭāvā nicitaṃ kūpaṃ śilayā girikalpayā uccaiḥ provāca keneyaṃ kūpopari śilā kṛtā

Translation

Seeing the well filled up/blocked with a stone like a mountain, she cried aloud: ‘By whom has this stone been placed upon the well?’

Speakers

• The mother speaks (lament/question) in the presence of the sealed well; the narrative voice continues to address Bhārgava.

Key Themes

• Discovery and accusation
• Lament (śoka) expressed as a loud cry
• Concealment and injustice (sealed well)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

How should “girikalpayā” be understood—does it name a mountain?

No; it is a descriptive simile meaning ‘mountain-like’ (very large/heavy), emphasizing the impossibility of removing the stone without help.

What does “nicitaṃ kūpam” convey beyond ‘a well’?

It indicates the well is not merely covered but effectively ‘filled in’ or ‘blocked up,’ suggesting deliberate sealing to hide what is inside.

Why is the mother’s speech framed as a question (‘By whom…?’)?

The question functions as both accusation and narrative trigger: it invites revelation of the perpetrator and transitions the episode from concealment to disclosure.