Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 30

Akhaṇḍa-Ekādaśī Vrata and the Vaiṣṇava Protective Hymn; Prelude to the Kātyāyanī–Mahiṣāsura Narrative

Devanagari script

शार्ङ्गमादाय च धनुरस्त्रं नारायणं हरे नमस्ते रक्ष रक्षघ्न ऐशान्यां शरणं गतः

Transliteration

śārṅgamādāya ca dhanurastraṃ nārāyaṇaṃ hare namaste rakṣa rakṣaghna aiśānyāṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ

Translation

শার্ঙ্গ ধনুরস্ত্র ধারণ করে, হে নারায়ণ, হে হরি, আপনাকে নমস্কার। হে রক্ষাঘ্ন, ঈশান কোণে আমাকে রক্ষা করুন; আমি আপনার শরণাগত।

Word by Word

• शार्ङ्गम्: Śārṅga (Viṣṇu’s bow)
• शार्ङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√दा (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having taken)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्त्रम्: weapon
• अस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नारायणम्: O Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे अपि (O Nārāyaṇa)

• हरे: O Hari
• हरे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उक्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निपातवत् प्रयोगः; नमस्कारार्थक (salutation particle)

• ते: to you/your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), एकवचन; enclitic

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• रक्षघ्न: O slayer of demons
• रक्षघ्न: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् + घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रक्षसां घ्नः)

• ऐशान्याम्: in the northeast (direction)
• ऐशान्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐशानी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (locative), एकवचन; दिक्-विशेषः (northeast)

• शरणम्: refuge
• शरणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गतः: (I) have gone/approached
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (I have gone/approached)

Speakers

• Unspecified in provided excerpt; direct address to Viṣṇu

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Bhakti
• Protective prayer
• Directional guardianship (dik-raksha)
• Refuge (śaraṇāgati)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Divine protection is framed as both compassionate and forceful: Hari is not only worshipped but also invoked as the active remover of dangers, encouraging the devotee to combine devotion with vigilance and moral alignment.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is a devotional-ritual passage (stotra/prayoga) that typically appears as an applied religious practice within Purāṇic teaching; it is not directly cosmogenesis or dynastic history but supports dharma through prescribed recitation.

What is the symbolic significance?

Śārṅga represents focused, far-reaching divine will—protection that can ‘reach’ any threat. The aiśānya (north-east) is traditionally a potent, liminal direction; placing Hari’s bow there indicates sealing the most spiritually charged quarter with the Lord’s sovereignty.