Vamana Purana — Harihara Revelation, Shloka 33

Harihara Revelation and the Kurukshetra Tirtha Cycle: Sthanu in Vishnu and the Sanctification of Saptasarasvata

Devanagari script

तदुक्तं साध्यमुख्येन वाक्यं श्रुत्वा पितामहः प्राह प्रहस्य भगवान् क्श्रुणु वत्सेति नारद

Transliteration

taduktaṃ sādhyamukhyena vākyaṃ śrutvā pitāmahaḥ prāha prahasya bhagavān kśruṇu vatseti nārada

Translation

সাধ্যদের মধ্যে শ্রেষ্ঠের বাক্য শুনে পিতামহ ভগবান (ব্রহ্মা) মৃদু হাসি হেসে বললেন—“শোন বৎস, হে নারদ।”

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (तदुक्तम् इत्यत्र पूर्वपदम्)

• उक्तम्: said/uttered
• उक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘तद्’ इत्यनेन सह ‘तदुक्तम्’ = ‘that which was said’

• साध्य-मुख्येन: by the chief of the Sādhyas
• साध्य-मुख्येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (साध्यानां मुख्यः)

• वाक्यम्: speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• पितामहः: the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘प्र’ उपसर्गार्थे (प्र + आह)

• प्रहस्य: smiling/laughing
• प्रहस्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + हस् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्ययभाव (absolutive); अर्थः—‘हसित्वा’ (having smiled/laughed)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• वत्स: dear child
• वत्स: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator frame implied; Brahmā addressing Nārada after hearing the Sādhya-chief’s words

Primary Deities

• Brahmā
• Nārada

Key Themes

• Transmission of dharma
• Authority of Brahmā as lawgiver
• Didactic setup (question-response frame)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who are the Sādhyas, and why is a ‘foremost Sādhya’ mentioned here?

The Sādhyas are a recognized deva-class in Purāṇic cosmology, often linked with ritual efficacy and cosmic order. Mentioning a ‘foremost Sādhya’ functions as an authority marker: Brahmā responds to a statement already framed as reliable and dharmically weighty.

Why does Brahmā ‘smile’ before teaching?

In dharma-discourse, a smile commonly signals benevolence and pedagogical ease—Brahmā is about to clarify a potentially technical topic (inheritance/sons) without harshness, indicating a composed, instructive tone.

Does this verse contain any tīrtha or geographic material typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. This is a narrative hinge introducing a dharma-teaching segment; the geography-focused material appears elsewhere, while this passage is juridical/ritual in orientation.