Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 11

Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Origin of Kapalin Rudra (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

आमन्त्र्य कृतावान्दक्षः सदस्यान् यज्ञसंसदि विद्वान् गुणसंपन्नान् वेदवेदाड्गपारगान्

Transliteration

āmantrya kṛtāvāndakṣaḥ sadasyān yajñasaṃsadi vidvān guṇasaṃpannān vedavedāḍgapāragān

Translation

Dakṣa, having duly invited them, appointed as members in the sacrificial assembly those who were learned, endowed with virtues, and well-versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas.

Word by Word

• आमन्त्र्य: having invited
• आमन्त्र्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √मन्त्र् (धातु) (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having invited/summoned’

• कृतावान्: did / performed
• कृतावान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृतवत् (कृदन्त; √कृ (धातु) + क्तवतुँ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परोक्षभूतार्थे/परफेक्ट-भावे ‘did/has done’; agrees with दक्षः

• दक्षः: Dakṣa
• दक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• सदस्यान्: the members (of the assembly)
• सदस्यान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural

• यज्ञ-संसदि: in the sacrificial assembly
• यज्ञ-संसदि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + संसद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular; ‘in the sacrificial assembly’

• विद्वान्: learned
• विद्वान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; √विद् (धातु) + वस्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; present participial adjective ‘knowing/learned’; qualifies दक्षः

• गुण-संपन्नान्: endowed with virtues
• गुण-संपन्नान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त; सम्+√पद्/√पन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; qualifies सदस्यान्

• वेद-वेदाङ्ग-पारगान्: masters of the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• वेद-वेदाङ्ग-पारगान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पारग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural; ‘those who have gone to the far shore (masters) of Veda and Vedāṅgas’; qualifies सदस्यान्

Speakers

• Not explicit in the given verses (likely within the Purāṇic narration frame)

Key Themes

• Rituals
• Vedic learning
• Dharma/qualification

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual authority is not arbitrary: the text ties legitimacy to learning (vidyā) and character (guṇa), presenting competence and virtue as prerequisites for sacred leadership.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is ancillary Purāṇic material supporting dharma/ācāra and vamśa-linked ritual culture; it functions as narrative infrastructure rather than cosmogenesis.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘yajña-saṃsad’ represents ordered cosmos: selecting Veda-Vedāṅga experts symbolizes aligning the rite with ṛta (cosmic order) through correct knowledge and conduct.