Vamana Purana — Slaying of Raktabija, Shloka 43

The Slaying of Raktabīja and Niśumbha–Śumbha; the Manifestation of the Mātṛkās and the Devas’ Hymn

Devanagari script

तमापतन्तं निस्त्रिंशं षड्भिर्बर्हिणराजितैः चिच्छेद चर्मणा सार्द्ध तदद्भुतमिवाभवत्

Transliteration

tamāpatantaṃ nistriṃśaṃ ṣaḍbhirbarhiṇarājitaiḥ ciccheda carmaṇā sārddha tadadbhutamivābhavat

Translation

As that sword (nistriṃśa) came rushing down, (Ambikā) cut it into six pieces—splendidly adorned with peacock-feather-like brilliance—together with the shield; and it appeared as something wondrous.

Word by Word

• तम्: him / that (one)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आपतन्तम्: falling/charging towards
• आपतन्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ+पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle active), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं तम्

• निस्त्रिंशम्: sword / scimitar
• निस्त्रिंशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निस्त्रिंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• षड्भिः: with six
• षड्भिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• बर्हिण-राजितैः: adorned with peacock-feathers
• बर्हिण-राजितैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बर्हिण (प्रातिपदिक) + राजित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन; तृतीया-बहुवचन विशेषण (षड्भिः ...); तत्पुरुष (बर्हिणेन राजित = adorned with peacock-feathers)

• चिच्छेद: cut / severed
• चिच्छेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चर्मणा: with a hide/shield
• चर्मणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• सार्द्धम्: together with
• सार्द्धम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्द्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable meaning ‘together with’)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful / astonishing
• अद्भुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणं तत्

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle: as if)

• अभवत्: became / was
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Narrator (Sūta) describing the battle to the assembled sages (Śaunaka and others) [frame typical of Purāṇic narration]

Primary Deities

• Ambikā (Devī)
• (implied) Śiva’s gaṇa-aligned forces
• Mahāsura (unnamed here)

Key Themes

• Devī’s martial prowess
• Miraculous combat feats (adbhuta)
• Protection of dharma through divine intervention
• Epic-style weapon description

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who performs the cutting, and why is it significant?

The agent is Ambikā (Devī). The verse highlights her superhuman precision: she severs both the incoming sword and the accompanying shield, underscoring divine mastery over asuric aggression in the Andhaka-cycle battles.

What does “barhiṇa-rājita” imply in a weapon context?

Barhiṇa literally means ‘peacock.’ In martial description it commonly signals ornamentation or a shimmering, iridescent brilliance like peacock feathers—either on the sword fragments or on the weapon’s decorative fittings—intensifying the ‘adbhuta’ (marvel) effect.

Does this verse contribute to the Vāmana Purāṇa’s geographical/tīrtha focus?

Not directly. This is a yuddha-varṇana (battle description) segment within the Andhaka narrative; no sacred sites are named here, unlike the Purāṇa’s tīrtha-mahātmya passages.