Vamana Purana — Chanda & Munda Discover Katyayani, Shloka 11

Chanda and Munda Discover Katyayani; Mahishasura’s Proposal and the Vishnu-Panjara Protection

Devanagari script

वृत्तावरोमौ च मृदू कुमार्याः शोभेत ऊरू समनुत्तमौ हि आवासनार्थं मकरध्वजेन जनस्य देशाविव सन्निविष्टौ

Transliteration

vṛttāvaromau ca mṛdū kumāryāḥ śobheta ūrū samanuttamau hi āvāsanārthaṃ makaradhvajena janasya deśāviva sanniviṣṭau

Translation

কুমাৰীৰ উৰুদ্বয় গোল, লোমহীন আৰু কোমল; সিহঁত অনুত্তম ৰূপে শোভে। যেন মকৰধ্বজে (কামদেৱে) জনসাধাৰণৰ বাসাৰ্থে দুটা দেশখণ্ডৰ দৰে স্থাপন কৰিছে।

Word by Word

• वृत्त-अवरोमौ: rounded and hairless
• वृत्त-अवरोमौ: Visheshana (विशेषण of ऊरू)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्त + अवरोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (वृत्तौ अवरोमौ = rounded and hairless)

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

• मृदू: soft
• मृदू: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ऊरू)

• कुमार्याः: of the maiden
• कुमार्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शोभेत: would shine / shines (poetic)
• शोभेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ऊरू: the two thighs
• ऊरू: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• समनुत्तमौ: most excellent
• समनुत्तमौ: Visheshana (विशेषण of ऊरू)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अनु + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वपद-समास (समनु-उत्तम = exceedingly excellent)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• आवासनार्थम्: for residence
• आवासनार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवास + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (आवासस्य अर्थः = for dwelling)

• मकरध्वजेन: by Makara-bannered (Cupid)
• मकरध्वजेन: Karana (करण/Agent-Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (मकरध्वज = ‘whose banner is a makara’, i.e., Kāma)

• जनस्य: of people
• जनस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देशौ: two regions/lands
• देशौ: Upamana (उपमान; in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (simile particle)

• सन्निविष्टौ: placed, set
• सन्निविष्टौ: Kriya-visheshana / Visheshana (विशेषण of ऊरू)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + नि√विश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘seated/placed’

Speakers

• Narrative voice not explicit in excerpt; poetic description

Primary Deities

• Kāma (Makaradhvaja)

Key Themes

• Śṛṅgāra aesthetics
• Embodied metaphor
• Kāma as cosmic force

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

By portraying Kāma as 'seeking residence', the verse hints that desire is not merely personal but a pervasive force that 'inhabits' the mind through sense-perception; ethical discipline involves guarding the inner 'territories' where desire settles.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Like the prior verse, it is ancillary poetic narration (varṇana) rather than a pañcalakṣaṇa core topic.

What is the symbolic significance?

The thighs as 'two regions' suggest a microcosm-macrocosm mapping: the body becomes a landscape, and Kāma becomes a quasi-divinity occupying that landscape—an aesthetic way to express the sovereignty of erotic impulse.