Vamana Purana — Jabali on the Banyan Tree, Shloka 23

Jabali Bound on the Banyan Tree and Nandayanti’s Appeal at Sri-Kantha on the Yamuna

Devanagari script

अरजा स्वगृहे वह्निं शुश्रुषन्ती महासुर अतिष्ठत सुचार्वङ्गी ततो ऽब्यागान्नराधिपः

Transliteration

arajā svagṛhe vahniṃ śuśruṣantī mahāsura atiṣṭhata sucārvaṅgī tato 'byāgānnarādhipaḥ

Translation

Arajā, in her own house, stood attending upon the sacred fire. She, of beautiful limbs, remained there; then the king arrived.

Word by Word

• अरजा: Arajā
• अरजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• स्वगृहे: in (her) own house
• स्वगृहे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य गृहे)

• वह्निम्: fire
• वह्निम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• शुश्रुषन्ती: serving / attending upon
• शुश्रुषन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuśrūṣ (धातु) + śatṛ (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (अरजा)

• महासुर: O great Asura
• महासुर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् असुरः)

• अतिष्ठत: stood / remained
• अतिष्ठत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• सुचार्वङ्गी: beautiful-limbed
• सुचार्वङ्गी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + cāru-aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सु + चार्वङ्गी) विशेषण (अरजा)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अपादानार्थक-अव्यय (then/from there)

• अभ्यागात्: came / arrived
• अभ्यागात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-ā-gam (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गौ: अभि-, आ-

• नराधिपः: the king
• नराधिपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नराणाम् अधिपः)

Speakers

• Narrator to audience (frame not explicit in excerpt).

Primary Deities

• Agni (as household/sacrificial fire)

Key Themes

• Agni-sevā (service to sacred fire)
• Domestic ritual order
• Courtly/royal arrival scene
• Purity and household dharma

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Is ‘vahni’ here ordinary fire or a ritual fire?

In Purāṇic narrative, ‘vahni’ in a household context typically implies the maintained sacred fire (gārhapatya/household Agni) or a ritually significant fire, not merely a cooking flame.

What does Araja’s ‘service to fire’ convey about her character?

It signals discipline, purity, and adherence to household dharma; such details often foreshadow her role in alliances or events where ritual propriety becomes decisive.

Who is ‘narādhipaḥ’ in this immediate context?

The verse indicates the arrival of the king (lord of men) within the Asura-linked court narrative; the specific identity is clarified by surrounding verses (not included here), but the epithet marks royal authority entering the domestic-ritual scene.