Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

तस्मिन् स शेते भगवान् निद्रां वर्षसहस्रिकीम् रात्र्यन्ते सृजते लोकान् राजसं रूपास्थितः

Transliteration

tasmin sa śete bhagavān nidrāṃ varṣasahasrikīm rātryante sṛjate lokān rājasaṃ rūpāsthitaḥ

Translation

Therein the Blessed Lord lies in sleep for thousands of years; at the end of the cosmic night, abiding in a rājasa (creation-impelling) form, he brings forth the worlds.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that (state/place)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (contextual), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शेते: lies / sleeps
• शेते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निद्राम्: sleep
• निद्राम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वर्ष-सहस्रिकीम्: lasting a thousand years
• वर्ष-सहस्रिकीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ष + सहस्र + इक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'of a thousand years' qualifying निद्रा

• रात्रि-अन्ते: at night’s end
• रात्रि-अन्ते: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'at the end of the night'

• सृजते: creates
• सृजते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• लोकान्: worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Plural)

• राजसम्: rajasic
• राजसम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) (of रूपम् implied)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गुणविशेषण (of rajas)

• रूप-आस्थितः: having assumed (that) form
• रूप-आस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता) (qualifier of भगवान्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप + आस्थित (आ-√स्था क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'having assumed a form' (आस्थित = assumed)

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (frame narrative; typical for Vāmana Purāṇa)

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (as the supreme Bhagavān in cosmic sleep/creation mode)

Key Themes

• Sarga (creation)
• Pralaya and cosmic night
• Guṇa theory (rajas as creative impetus)
• Purāṇic cosmology

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Creation is portrayed as rhythmic and lawful: after withdrawal (cosmic night/sleep), manifestation resumes through the Lord’s activating power (rajas). The teaching emphasizes order (ṛta) behind cosmic change rather than randomness.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa?

This belongs to Sarga (primary creation): the Lord’s transition from quiescence to manifestation and the production of lokas (world-systems).

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘sleep’ signifies unmanifest potential and the cessation of differentiated experience; ‘end of night’ marks the return of time and causality. The rājasa form symbolizes the energizing, outward-turning principle that makes plurality appear.