Vamana Purana — Vamana's Birth, Shloka 31

Vamana’s Birth during Bali’s Horse-Sacrifice and the Mapping of Vishnu’s Sacred Presences

Devanagari script

पत्नी विन्ध्यावली चास्य दीक्षिता यज्ञकर्मणि ललनानां सहस्रस्य प्रधाना ऋषिकन्यका

Transliteration

patnī vindhyāvalī cāsya dīkṣitā yajñakarmaṇi lalanānāṃ sahasrasya pradhānā ṛṣikanyakā

Translation

शुक्रेणाश्वः श्वेतवर्णो मधुमासे सुलक्णः महीं विहर्तुमुत्सृष्टस्तारकाक्षो ऽन्वगाच्च तम्

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Purāṇic dialogue (contextually the reciter describing the sacrifice to the listener; commonly framed as Pulastya to Nārada in this section of the Vāmana Purāṇa).

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu
• Agni

Key Themes

• Royal consecration (dīkṣā)
• Aśvamedha framework
• Ritual legitimacy through lineage (ṛṣi-kanyā)
• Queenship and participation in yajña

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Vindhyāvalī described as dīkṣitā in the yajña?

In śrauta-style royal sacrifices, the sacrificer’s household—especially the chief queen—participates under vows and ritual restraints (dīkṣā). The verse signals that the rite is properly constituted, not merely performed by the king alone.

What does ṛṣikanyakā imply about Vindhyāvalī?

Ṛṣikanyakā indicates a woman of rishi lineage or ascetic pedigree, emphasizing purity, ritual eligibility, and prestige. In Purāṇic narrative, such descriptors bolster the dhārmic authority of the sacrifice.

Does this verse contain geographical data typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

Not directly. It is a narrative-ritual detail; the geography-heavy portions typically enumerate tīrthas, rivers, and regions, which are absent here.