Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

इत्युक्ताः शङ्करः क्रुद्धो वदनं घोरचक्षुषा निर्दग्धुकामस्त्वनिशं ददर्श भगवानजः

Transliteration

ityuktāḥ śaṅkaraḥ kruddho vadanaṃ ghoracakṣuṣā nirdagdhukāmastvaniśaṃ dadarśa bhagavānajaḥ

Translation

Thus addressed, Śaṅkara became enraged; with dreadful eyes (he turned his) face, desiring to burn (all). Meanwhile, the Blessed Unborn (Aja) kept watching continually.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• uktāḥ: (having been) spoken/said
• uktāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/locative absolute-like; contextual)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच्) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त/क्त (past passive participle) from √vac ‘to say’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘having been spoken/being addressed’ (contextually: ‘when (these words) were spoken’)

• śaṅkaraḥ: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• śaṅkaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kruddhaḥ: angry
• kruddhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kruddha (कृदन्त, √krudh क्रुध्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त/क्त; ‘angry’

• vadanam: face/mouth
• vadanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ghoracakṣuṣā: with a terrible eye
• ghoracakṣuṣā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक) + cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास ‘घोरं चक्षुः’ = terrible eye; तृतीया = ‘with (his) terrible eye’

• nirdagdhukāmaḥ: desiring to burn (him)
• nirdagdhukāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-√dah (दह्) + tumun (तुमुन्) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (उपपद) ‘निर्दग्धुं कामः’ = desiring to burn up; ‘nirdagdhu’ = infinitive (तुमुन्) from √dah with nir-

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (adversative/emphatic)

• aniśam: constantly
• aniśam: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time-manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aniśam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘continually’

• dadarśa: saw/looked at
• dadarśa: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ajaḥ: Aja (Brahmā)
• ajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम (Aja = Brahmā)

Speakers

• Narratorial description; Śaṅkara as acted-upon figure; ‘Aja’ (likely Brahmā) observing

Primary Deities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva/Rudra)
• Aja (likely Brahmā)

Key Themes

• Control of destructive power
• Cosmic checks and balances among deities
• Wrath as a catalyst for dissolution
• Narrative integration of Brahmā–Śiva dynamics

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even legitimate cosmic power (to destroy) is portrayed as needing governance; the text emphasizes oversight and restraint to preserve dharma until the proper time of dissolution.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best read as pratisarga/saṃsthāna-related narrative material: it depicts the management of destructive forces within ongoing cosmic administration.

What is the symbolic significance?

Rudra’s ‘burning intent’ symbolizes the latent pralaya-fire; ‘Aja’ observing signifies the supervising intelligence/order (often Brahmā as cosmic regulator) that contextualizes destruction within a larger cycle.