Vamana Purana — Saptasarasvata Tirtha, Shloka 30

Harihara Revelation and the Tirtha-Glorification of Saptasarasvata in Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

चक्रासिहस्तं हलशार्ङ्गपाणिं पिनाकशूलाजगवान्वितं च कपर्दखट्वाङ्गकपालघण्टासशङ्खटङ्काररवं महर्षे

Transliteration

cakrāsihastaṃ halaśārṅgapāṇiṃ pinākaśūlājagavānvitaṃ ca kapardakhaṭvāṅgakapālaghaṇṭāsaśaṅkhaṭaṅkāraravaṃ maharṣe

Translation

يا أيها الحكيم العظيم، رأوا تلك الصورة تحمل في يديها القرصَ والسيف؛ وتمسك المحراثَ وقوسَ شارنغا (Śārṅga)؛ وهي أيضًا مزوّدةٌ بپيناكا (Pināka) والرمح الثلاثي والحية. وكانت مزدانةً بعُقدة الشعر الملبّد (jaṭā)، وعصا الخَطْوانغا (khaṭvāṅga)، والجمجمة والجرس؛ وتدوّي برنينٍ وصليلٍ مع صوت الصدفة المقدّسة (śaṅkha).

Word by Word

• चक्र-असि-हस्तम्: having discus and sword in hand
• चक्र-असि-हस्तम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + असि (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘चक्रं च असिं च हस्ते यस्य’

• हल-शार्ङ्ग-पाणिम्: having plough and Śārṅga (bow) in hand
• हल-शार्ङ्ग-पाणिम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हल (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘हलः शार्ङ्गश्च पाणौ यस्य’

• पिनाक-शूल-अजग-वान्वितम्: endowed with Pināka, trident, and (ajaga)
• पिनाक-शूल-अजग-वान्वितम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिनाक (प्रातिपदिक) + शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + अजग (प्रातिपदिक) + वान्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वन्/वृत्? in sense ‘endowed with’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘पिनाकेन शूलेन अजगेन च वान्वितम्/युक्तम्’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• कपर्द-खट्वाङ्ग-कपाल-घण्टा-स-शङ्ख-टङ्कार-रवम्: having the sound of clattering with kaparda, khaṭvāṅga, skull, bell, conch, etc.
• कपर्द-खट्वाङ्ग-कपाल-घण्टा-स-शङ्ख-टङ्कार-रवम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपर्द (प्रातिपदिक) + खट्वाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + कपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + स (अव्यय/समास-अवयव) + शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + टङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘कपर्द… (आदि) टङ्कारः (ध्वनिः) रवः यस्य/यत्र’ ; ‘स-’ = ‘सहित’ (with) as compound member

• महर्षे: O great sage
• महर्षे: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator addressing a ‘maharṣi’ (great sage) within the dialogue frame.

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (Hari)
• Śiva (Śaṅkara/Hara)
• Balarāma (implied by hala as an emblem)

Key Themes

• Syncretic iconography (weapons and emblems combined)
• Sectarian reconciliation (Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava)
• Auspicious sound (śaṅkha/ṭaṅkāra)
• Martial-protective aspect of the divine

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why are both Śārṅga and Pināka mentioned together?

Śārṅga is paradigmatically Viṣṇu’s bow and Pināka Śiva’s. Their co-presence is a deliberate ‘double-signature’ indicating that the same supreme agency wields both preservative and transformative powers, collapsing sectarian exclusivity.

What does the inclusion of khaṭvāṅga and kapāla communicate?

These are strong Śaiva/Kāpālika markers associated with cremation-ground symbolism and transcendence of conventional purity norms. In a Harihara context, they assert that the supreme encompasses both royal auspiciousness (cakra, śaṅkha) and ascetic/liminal sovereignty (kapāla, khaṭvāṅga).

How should ‘ṭaṅkāra-rava’ be understood here?

It denotes a sharp, ringing reverberation—classically the twang/clang associated with weaponry or bowstring—paired with the conch’s sound. The verse builds an acoustic icon: the deity is recognized not only by form but by the combined sonic emblems of both traditions.