Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 25

Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

वरुणः शिशुमारस्थो बद्ध्वा पाशैर्महासुरान् गदया दारयामास तमभ्यागाद् विरोचनः

Transliteration

varuṇaḥ śiśumārastho baddhvā pāśairmahāsurān gadayā dārayāmāsa tamabhyāgād virocanaḥ

Translation

Varuṇa, stationed upon the Śiśumāra (aquatic mount), bound the great Asuras with nooses and then smashed them with his mace; Virocana advanced against him.

Word by Word

• वरुणः: Varuṇa
• वरुणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शिशुमारस्थः: standing on/at the Śiśumāra (constellation)
• शिशुमारस्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिशुमार + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (शिशुमारे स्थितः)

• बद्ध्वा: having bound
• बद्ध्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बद्ध्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त, √बन्ध् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• पाशैः: with nooses
• पाशैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• महासुरान्: great asuras
• महासुरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (महान्तः असुराः)

• गदया: with a mace
• गदया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• दारयामास: tore / split
• दारयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दॄ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (दारय-)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अभ्यगात्: approached / came near
• अभ्यगात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; उपसर्गः—अभि

• विरोचनः: Virocana
• विरोचनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicitly provided in input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada framing)

Primary Deities

• Varuṇa
• Virocana

Key Themes

• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Divine weaponry (pāśa, gadā)
• Waters-aspect deity in battle

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The pāśa (noose) motif emphasizes restraint before destruction: cosmic governance ideally binds and regulates wrongdoing prior to punitive force—an ethical sequencing of niyama (control) then daṇḍa (chastisement).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / manvantara-episode style narration: a conflict episode involving prominent Devas and Asura lineages that supports the purāṇic historical-mythic continuum.

What is the symbolic significance?

Varuṇa, as lord of ṛta in the watery domain, represents binding law (pāśa) and moral surveillance; Virocana’s direct advance signals asuric resistance to cosmic regulation—foreshadowing the later need for subtler dharma-restoration via Vāmana’s ‘measure’ rather than mere force.