Vamana Purana — Kurukshetra & Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 48

Kurukshetra, Pṛthūdaka Tīrtha, and the Marriage of Saṃvaraṇa with Tapatī

Devanagari script

तपत्युवाच ब्रह्मन् मया खेदमुपेत्य यो हि सहाप्सरोभिः परिचारिकाभिः दृष्टो ह्यरण्ये ऽमरगर्भतुल्यो नृपात्मजो लक्षणतो ऽभिजाने

Transliteration

tapatyuvāca brahman mayā khedamupetya yo hi sahāpsarobhiḥ paricārikābhiḥ dṛṣṭo hyaraṇye 'maragarbhatulyo nṛpātmajo lakṣaṇato 'bhijāne

Translation

Tapatī said: ‘O Brahmin, the one whom I saw in the forest—when I had fallen into distress—along with apsarases and attendant maidens, that prince, like one born from a god (or like a divine offspring), I recognize by his marks.’

Word by Word

• tapatī: Tapatī
• tapatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• brahman: O Brahmin (O sage)
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सम्बोधन-रूप), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• mayā: by me / I
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन

• khedam: distress/sorrow
• khedam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• upetya: having undergone
• upetya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√i (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त (gerund): ‘having reached/undergone’

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle): emphasis/causal ‘indeed/for’

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सहार्थक (preposition-like): ‘together with’

• apsarobhiḥ: with apsarases
• apsarobhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• paricārikābhiḥ: with attendants
• paricārikābhiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paricārikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• dṛṣṭaḥ: was seen
• dṛṣṭaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + kta
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि ‘was seen’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात: emphasis ‘indeed’

• araṇye: in the forest
• araṇye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: araṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• amara-garbha-tulyaḥ: equal to a divine child
• amara-garbha-tulyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amara (प्रातिपदिक) + garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + tulya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अमरगर्भस्य तुल्यः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘equal to a divine embryo/child’

• nṛpa-ātmajaḥ: the king’s son
• nṛpa-ātmajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• lakṣaṇataḥ: by (his) characteristics
• lakṣaṇataḥ: Hetu/Pramāṇa (हेतु/प्रमाण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: lakṣaṇatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): ‘from/by the marks’

• abhijāne: I recognize
• abhijāne: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√jñā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speakers

• Tapatī speaking to a Brahmin/sage (likely Vasiṣṭha or another; not explicitly named in this verse)

Primary Deities

• Tapatī

Key Themes

• Lakṣaṇa (recognition by marks)
• Distress and refuge
• Divine comparison (deva-tulya)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

In Purāṇic narrative, rightful recognition is grounded in observable lakṣaṇas rather than mere desire or rumor—suggesting an ethic of verification and discernment even amid emotional distress.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita: the verse advances a royal/heroic identification episode (recognition of a prince), typical of genealogical-hero narratives embedded within tīrtha or āśrama frames.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Amaragarbha-tulya’ elevates the prince as deva-sadṛśa, preparing the reader for a dharma-centric evaluation: outward signs mirror inner merit (puṇya/tejas).