Vamana Purana — Saptasarasvata Tirtha, Shloka 11

Harihara Revelation and the Tirtha-Glorification of Saptasarasvata in Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

मदुनो ऽष्टौ जलस्योक्ताः सर्वे ते द्विगुणाः सुराः ततो रोचनया देवमष्टोत्तरशतेन हि

Transliteration

maduno 'ṣṭau jalasyoktāḥ sarve te dviguṇāḥ surāḥ tato rocanayā devamaṣṭottaraśatena hi

Translation

Eight (measures) of honey are prescribed, and all those (measures) are to be doubled in the case of surā (spirituous liquor). Thereafter, one should anoint the deity with rocanā, (doing so) with the (recitation of) the one-hundred-and-eight (names/mantras).

Word by Word

• मधुनः: of honey
• मधुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Numeral used substantively

• जलस्य: of water
• जलस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; Genitive singular

• उक्ताः: are said/declared
• उक्ताः: Karta-anuguṇa (कर्तृअनुगुण/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; PPP agreeing with subject

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; adjective to अष्टौ

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• द्विगुणाः: double/twofold
• द्विगुणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; adjective to सुराः; compound meaning 'twofold'

• सुराः: gods
• सुराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• रोचनया: with rocanā (yellow pigment)
• रोचनया: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोचना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• देवम्: the god (deity)
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative singular

• अष्टोत्तरशतेन: with one hundred and eight (108)
• अष्टोत्तरशतेन: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्ट + उत्तर + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; Instrumental singular; compound = 'शतं अष्टोत्तरम्' (108)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

Speakers

• Not specified in the excerpt (instructional voice within the chapter’s ritual discourse).

Primary Deities

• Unspecified Deva (deity being worshipped)

Key Themes

• Puja-vidhi (ritual procedure)
• Upacara (anointing/offerings)
• Mantra-japa/Name-recitation (108)
• Ritual measurements and substitutions

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why are honey and surā mentioned with specific measures in a Purāṇic ritual context?

The verse reads like a procedural rule (vidhi) specifying quantities for liquid offerings (dravya). Honey is a common auspicious substance; surā appears in certain ritual streams (especially some Śaiva/Śākta or local temple usages) as a prescribed offering, with the text emphasizing a different (here, doubled) measure.

What is ‘rocanā’ and why is it used to anoint the deity?

Rocanā is a yellow auspicious pigment/unguent (often glossed as gorocanā). It is used for marking and anointing as part of upacāras, signifying auspiciousness, radiance, and ritual consecration of the deity’s form.

What does ‘aṣṭottaraśata’ (108) imply here?

It typically indicates performing the act (anointing) alongside 108-fold recitation—either 108 names (nāma) or 108 mantra repetitions—linking physical worship (dravyapūjā) with verbal/mental worship (japa).