Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

अरिष्टनेमिनं चक्रे इध्माहरणकारिणम् भृगुं च मन्त्रसंस्कारे सम्यग् दक्षं प्रयुक्तवान्

Transliteration

ariṣṭaneminaṃ cakre idhmāharaṇakāriṇam bhṛguṃ ca mantrasaṃskāre samyag dakṣaṃ prayuktavān

Translation

He appointed Ariṣṭanemi to be the one who brings the fuel-sticks (for the sacrifice). And he duly engaged Bhṛgu in the consecration/conditioning of the mantras; Dakṣa was properly employed (in the rite).

Word by Word

• अरिष्ट-नेमिनम्: Ariṣṭanemi
• अरिष्ट-नेमिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + नेमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; proper name

• चक्रे: appointed / made
• चक्रे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘he made/appointed’

• इध्म-आहरण-कारिणम्: as the fuel-bringer
• इध्म-आहरण-कारिणम्: Karma (कर्म; नियुक्ति-फल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इध्म (प्रातिपदिक) + आहरण (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; predicate-object complement to अरिष्टनेमिनम्: ‘as one who brings fuel’

• भृगुम्: Bhṛgu
• भृगुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction

• मन्त्र-संस्कारे: in the mantra-ritual/consecration
• मन्त्र-संस्कारे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular ‘in the rite of mantra-consecration/processing’

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner adverb ‘properly, duly’

• दक्षम्: skilled
• दक्षम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; adjective qualifying भृगुम् (‘skilled’)

• प्रयुक्तवान्: employed / assigned
• प्रयुक्तवान्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रयुक्तवत् (कृदन्त; प्र+√युज् (धातु) + क्तवतुँ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; perfective periphrastic ‘employed/assigned’; subject understood (दक्षः)

Speakers

• Likely within the Pulastya → Nārada dialogue frame (standard for Vāmana Purāṇa)
• but not explicit in the excerpt

Key Themes

• Ritual order (yajña)
• Vedic roles and offices
• Prajāpati administration

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is sustained by right placement of responsibility: the sacrifice functions when each qualified agent performs a defined role with correctness (samyak).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / Manvantara-style administrative narration: it sketches the ordering of ritual and cosmic offices under Prajāpatis and ṛṣis rather than avatāra narrative.

What is the symbolic significance?

Fuel (idhmā) and mantra-saṃskāra represent the two pillars of yajña—material offering and sacred speech—requiring both logistical support (Ariṣṭanemi) and brahmarṣi authority (Bhṛgu).