Vamana Purana — Manifestation of Katyayani, Shloka 9

The Manifestation of Katyayani (Durga) and the Humbling of the Vindhya by Agastya

Devanagari script

माहेश्वराद् वक्त्रमथो बभूव नेत्रत्रयं पावकतेजसा च याम्येन केशा हरितेजसा च भुजास्तथाष्टादश संप्जज्ञिरे

Transliteration

māheśvarād vaktramatho babhūva netratrayaṃ pāvakatejasā ca yāmyena keśā haritejasā ca bhujāstathāṣṭādaśa saṃpjajñire

Translation

ومن قوة ماهيشڤرا نشأ الوجه؛ ومن توهّج النار (أغني) تكوّنت العيون الثلاث. ومن قوة يَما نشأ الشعر؛ ومن إشراق هاري وُلدت الأذرع الثماني عشرة.

Word by Word

• माहेश्वरात्: from Maheśvara (Śiva)
• माहेश्वरात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• वक्त्रम्: a face, mouth
• वक्त्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अथो: then indeed
• अथो: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अथ + उ; अनन्तरता/particle: then indeed)

• बभूव: came to be, arose
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नेत्रत्रयम्: a triad of eyes (three eyes)
• नेत्रत्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र-त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः द्विगु (त्रयम् नेत्राणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पावकतेजसा: by the fire’s radiance
• पावकतेजसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक-तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (पावकस्य तेजसा), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• याम्येन: by Yama’s (power) / by the southern (power)
• याम्येन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; यमसम्बन्धि (pertaining to Yama/southern)

• केशाः: hair
• केशाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• हरितेजसा: by Hari’s radiance
• हरितेजसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि-तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (हरेः तेजसा), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• भुजाः: arms
• भुजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण: likewise)

• अष्टादश: eighteen
• अष्टादश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्द, अव्ययवत्/विशेषणरूपेण; ‘eighteen’ (भुजान् विशेषयति)

• सम्प्रजज्ञिरे: were produced, came into being
• सम्प्रजज्ञिरे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speakers

• Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (likely within the Purāṇic dialogue frame
• often Pulastya → Nārada
• but unconfirmed here).

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Maheśvara)
• Agni (Pāvaka)
• Yama
• Vishnu (Hari)

Key Themes

• Shaiva–Vaishnava harmony
• Theophany / composite form
• Iconography and divine embodiment
• Tejas as creative principle

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse presents divinity as a coordinated unity of powers (tejas) rather than competing sectarian absolutes: Śiva, Viṣṇu, and other deities contribute to one manifest form, encouraging a non-exclusivist vision of the sacred.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Best fits as part of Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative description (characteristics and manifestation of a divine figure) rather than sarga/pratisarga. It is iconographic-theological material embedded in narrative.

What is the symbolic significance?

The face from Maheśvara implies sovereignty of consciousness; three eyes from fire suggest omnivision/transformative insight; hair from Yama evokes time, mortality, and restraint; eighteen arms from Hari indicate protective, all-capable agency—many arms as capacity to uphold dharma.