Vamana Purana — Sati's Death & Virabhadra, Shloka 54

Sati’s Death and the Assault on Daksha’s Sacrifice: Virabhadra versus the Devas

Devanagari script

ततो जटाधरो दृष्ट्वा गणेशं शोणिताप्लुतम् निश्वसन्तं यथा नागं क्रोधं चक्रे तदाव्ययः

Transliteration

tato jaṭādharo dṛṣṭvā gaṇeśaṃ śoṇitāplutam niśvasantaṃ yathā nāgaṃ krodhaṃ cakre tadāvyayaḥ

Translation

তেতিয়া জটাধৰ (শিৱ) এ গণেশক তেজেৰে লথপথ আৰু সাপৰ দৰে গধুৰ শ্বাস লোৱা দেখি, সেই অব্যয় দেৱ তৎক্ষণাৎ ক্ৰুদ্ধ হ’ল।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence/time: 'thereupon/then'

• jaṭādharaḥ: the matted-hair bearer (Śiva)
• jaṭādharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṭā + dhara (प्रातिपदिक); 'dhṛ' (धातु) base in dhara
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: jaṭāṃ dharati iti

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), 'having seen'

• gaṇeśam: Gaṇeśa
• gaṇeśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• śoṇita-āplutam: smeared/soaked with blood
• śoṇita-āplutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoṇita + āpluta (प्रातिपदिक); āpluta from √plu (प्लु धातु) with ā-
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with implied 'rūpam/vapuḥ' or used adjectivally for gaṇeśam by sense; tatpuruṣa: śoṇitena āplutam (instrumental relation)

• niśvasantam: breathing heavily
• niśvasantam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niśvasat (प्रातिपदिक); present participle from √śvas (श्वस् धातु) with nis-
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); Śatṛ-pratyaya present active participle (शतृ), qualifying gaṇeśam

• yathā: as, like
• yathā: Sambandha/Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), comparative particle (उपमा-प्रयोग)

• nāgam: a serpent/elephant (here: serpent)
• nāgam: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); object of comparison with yathā

• krodham: anger
• krodham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• cakre: made/assumed
• cakre: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); parasmaipada form used in epic style

• tadā: at that time
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb of time (कालवाचक)

• avyayaḥ: imperishable, unchanging
• avyayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); epithet of jaṭādharaḥ

Speakers

• Narratorial layer (within the Purana’s dialogue framework
• typically Pulastya → Nārada)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Jaṭādhara)
• Gaṇeśa
• Vishnu (implicit via prior verses)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Shaiva-Vaishnava Synthesis
• Divine emotion as cosmic catalyst
• Protection of devotees/kin

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The protection of dependents is treated as a sacred duty: Shiva’s anger is not petty emotion but a dharmic response to injury of one under his care, reflecting the ideal of guardianship (rakṣaṇa).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita/Vamśānucarita narrative: a situational turning point (Shiva’s krodha) that drives subsequent action in the episode, rather than a doctrinal or cosmological section.

What is the symbolic significance?

Gaṇeśa ‘blood-drenched’ signifies disruption in the gaṇa-order; Shiva’s ‘avyaya’ epithet underscores that even when wrathful, he remains the immutable ground of power. The serpent-like breath evokes prāṇa under strain—cosmic tension preceding resolution.