Vamana Purana — Sukesha's Boon & Twelve Dharmas, Shloka 32

Sukesha’s Boon, the Twelve Dharmas of Beings, and the Cosmography of the Seven Dvipas with the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

तस्योपरि च देवेशो ब्रह्म शौलेन्द्रमुत्तमम् कर्णिकाकारमत्युच्चं स्थापयामास सत्त्म

Transliteration

tasyopari ca deveśo brahma śaulendramuttamam karṇikākāramatyuccaṃ sthāpayāmāsa sattma

Translation

وعلى ذلك أقام ربُّ الآلهة، براهما، المقامَ الأعلى، بالغَ العلوّ، على هيئة «كارṇيكā» أي قلب زهرة اللوتس (مِبيضها).

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/its
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual)

• उपरि: above, upon
• उपरि: अधिकरण (अव्यय-निर्दिष्ट/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गार्थ/अव्यय (adverb/preposition: ‘above/upon’)

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

• देवेशः: lord of the gods
• देवेशः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (देवानाम् ईशः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्म: Brahmā
• ब्रह्म: कर्ता (समानााधिकरण/Subject in apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; Nom/Acc), एकवचन; here apposition to subject

• शौल-इन्द्रम्: the excellent ‘Śaulendra’ (a Śiva-like emblem/peak)
• शौल-इन्द्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौल + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (शूलस्य इन्द्रः/शूल-इन्द्रः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: कर्म (विशेषण/Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण of शौल-इन्द्रम्

• कर्णिका-आकारम्: having the shape of a pericarp/lotus-center
• कर्णिका-आकारम्: कर्म (विशेषण/Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्णिका + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (कर्णिकायाः आकारः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of शौल-इन्द्रम्

• अति-उच्चम्: very high
• अति-उच्चम्: कर्म (विशेषण/Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + उच्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (अत्युच्च = अत्यन्तं उच्चः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of शौल-इन्द्रम्

• स्थापयामास: established, set up
• स्थापयामास: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + णिच् causative स्थापय (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; causative sense ‘caused to be placed/established’

• सत्त्वम्: (as) pure essence / goodness
• सत्त्वम्: कर्म/विशेषणार्थ (object/adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; adverbial/object-like usage (as ‘goodness/essence’ or epithet)

Speakers

• Not specified in input (likely within a narrator-to-listener dialogue frame)

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Sarga (creation)
• Lotus symbolism
• Cosmic hierarchy

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Creation is portrayed as structured and intentional: even “place” and “height” in the cosmos are depicted as established by an intelligent principle, reinforcing the Purāṇic view that order and meaning precede human life.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Sarga: it belongs to the descriptive account of how the cosmic arrangement (loka-structure/seat) is set in place by Brahmā.

What is the symbolic significance?

The lotus-pericarp (karṇikā) evokes the lotus cosmology: purity and emergence from waters. It also aligns with the broader Purāṇic motif of Brahmā’s creative station being lotus-associated, signifying ordered manifestation from the undifferentiated.