Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 8

Akhaṇḍa-Ekādaśī Vrata and the Vaiṣṇava Protective Hymn; Prelude to the Kātyāyanī–Mahiṣāsura Narrative

Devanagari script

स्कन्दस्य बन्धुजीवस्तु रवेरश्वत्थ एव च कात्यायनयाः शमीजाताबिल्वो लक्ष्मायाः करे ऽभवत्

Transliteration

skandasya bandhujīvastu raveraśvattha eva ca kātyāyanayāḥ śamījātābilvo lakṣmāyāḥ kare 'bhavat

Translation

For Skanda, the bandhujīva plant (arose); for Ravi (the Sun), the aśvattha (sacred fig) indeed. From Kātyāyanī was born the śamī tree; and the bilva became (placed in) the hand of Lakṣmī.

Word by Word

• स्कन्दस्य: of Skanda
• स्कन्दस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular

• बन्धुजीवः: the bandhujīva plant (scarlet ixora / pomegranate-flower, context-dependent)
• बन्धुजीवः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धुजीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; particle (emphasis/contrast)

• रवेः: of the Sun
• रवेः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular

• अश्वत्थः: the aśvattha tree (sacred fig)
• अश्वत्थः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphatic particle

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• कात्यायनयाः: of Kātyāyanī
• कात्यायनयाः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कात्यायनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular

• शमी-जातः: born from the śamī tree
• शमी-जातः: विशेषण (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शमी (प्रातिपदिक) + जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शम्याः जातः); क्त-कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• बिल्वः: the bilva tree (bael)
• बिल्वः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• लक्ष्मायाः: of Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्मायाः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive singular

• करे: in/on the hand
• करे: अधिकरण (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Locative singular

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: क्रिया (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘became/was’

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya to Nārada (standard frame; not explicit in excerpt)

Primary Deities

• Skanda
• Sūrya (Ravi)
• Kātyāyanī (Devī)
• Lakṣmī

Key Themes

• Sacred flora
• Goddess traditions (Śākta)
• Shaiva-Vaishnava-Śākta coexistence
• Ritual botany

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Religious life is presented as integrative: multiple deities and paths share a common sacred world. Reverence for specific trees supports ritual discipline (vrata, pūjā materials) and cultivates gratitude toward nature as a divine gift.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is a sarga-type enumerative passage (manifestation and ordering of sacred correspondences), not a dynastic genealogy or manvantara account.

What is the symbolic significance?

Aśvattha’s link with Sūrya highlights vitality and cosmic order; bilva in Lakṣmī’s hand signals prosperity and auspiciousness; śamī from Kātyāyanī evokes protective power and victory; Skanda’s plant points to martial/fiery energy transposed into botanical symbolism.