Vamana Purana — Nara-Narayana's Tapas, Shloka 37

Indra's Temptation and the Burning of Kama

Devanagari script

सति सत्यं प्रकुपिता मा कोपं कुरु सुन्दरि पादप्रणामावनतमभिभाषितु मर्हसि

Transliteration

sati satyaṃ prakupitā mā kopaṃ kuru sundari pādapraṇāmāvanatamabhibhāṣitu marhasi

Translation

“হে সতী! তুমি সত্যিই ক্রুদ্ধ হয়েছ; হে সুন্দরী, ক্রোধ কোরো না। তোমার পায়ে প্রণাম করে নত আমাকে কথা বলার অনুগ্রহ করো।”

Word by Word

• सति: O Satī
• सति: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सती’ (proper/common noun as address)

• सत्यम्: truly
• सत्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: ‘truly’); मूलतः नपुंसक-Subanta द्वितीया-एकवचन

• प्रकुपिता: angered
• प्रकुपिता: कर्तृविशेषण (predicate of ‘you’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- कुप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: निषेध (prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (prohibitive particle used with imperative)

• कोपम्: anger
• कोपम्: कर्म (Karma/object of कुरु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुरु: do/make
• कुरु: क्रिया (command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुन्दरि: O beautiful one
• सुन्दरि: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पादप्रणामावनतम्: (me) bowed down in salutation at (your) feet
• पादप्रणामावनतम्: कर्म (Karma/object; the bowed one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद-प्रणाम-अवनत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: (पादप्रणाम) तत्पुरुष (पादयोः प्रणामः) + अवनत (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव: ‘pāda-praṇāma-avanata’ = ‘bowed due to salutation at the feet’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘me’)

• अभिभाषितुम्: to speak/address
• अभिभाषितुम्: प्रयोजन (purpose/complement of मर्हसि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-भाष् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थक (purpose/complement)

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Hara (Śiva) speaking (continuation of dream-dialogue)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Hara)
• Sati

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Kṣamā (forbearance)
• Humility
• Reconciliation
• Bhakti-like submission (pāda-praṇāma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Anger is portrayed as a rupture in dharmic harmony; the remedy shown is humility, respectful speech, and willingness to reconcile—virtues applicable to householders and rulers alike.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita-oriented narrative (conduct and episode of divine figures), serving the purāṇic pedagogical role rather than genealogical (vaṃśa) or cosmic (sarga/pratisarga) enumeration.

What is the symbolic significance?

Śiva’s bowing at Sati’s feet reverses expected hierarchies to teach that pacifying anger may require self-lowering; it sacralizes humility as a spiritual power equal to asceticism.