Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 25

Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Origin of Kapalin Rudra (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

ततो महात्मा ह्यसृजदहङ्कारं सुदारुणम् येनाक्रान्ताव् उभौ देवौ तावेव ब्रह्मशङ्करौ

Transliteration

tato mahātmā hyasṛjadahaṅkāraṃ sudāruṇam yenākrāntāv ubhau devau tāveva brahmaśaṅkarau

Translation

Darauf erschuf der Großgesinnte ein überaus schreckliches Ahaṅkāra (Ich-Prinzip), durch das jene beiden Götter — Brahmā und Śaṅkara — überwältigt wurden.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/काल-निर्देशक (ablatival adverb: ‘then/from that’)

• महात्मा: the great-souled one
• महात्मा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (causal/emphatic particle)

• असृजत्: created, produced
• असृजत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अहङ्कारम्: ego, self-conceit
• अहङ्कारम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुदारुणम्: very dreadful
• सुदारुणम्: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय-उपसर्ग) + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अहङ्कारम्)

• येन: by which
• येन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध/करण (by which)

• आक्रान्तौ: overpowered
• आक्रान्तौ: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘overpowered’

• उभौ: both
• उभौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• देवौ: the two gods
• देवौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• ब्रह्मशङ्करौ: Brahmā and Śaṅkara
• ब्रह्मशङ्करौ: समानााधिकरण-कर्ता (Appositional subject/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (Brahmā and Śaṅkara)

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Purāṇic frame (likely within Pulastya–Nārada dialogue
• but not explicit in given verses)

Primary Deities

• Brahmā
• Śaṅkara (Rudra/Śiva)

Key Themes

• Sarga
• Ahaṅkāra
• Sectarian harmony via shared subjection of deities to cosmic principles
• Metaphysics of guṇas/tattvas (implied)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even the highest functional deities (Brahmā and Rudra) can be depicted as constrained by cosmic principles like ahaṅkāra; this teaches humility and warns that ego eclipses discernment and harmony.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Sarga (creation), specifically the emergence/operation of a tattva-like principle (ahaṅkāra) that conditions subsequent interactions among beings.

What is the symbolic significance?

Ahaṅkāra functions as the veil that generates rivalry and misrecognition; by showing both Brahmā and Śiva equally overcome, the text levels sectarian hierarchy and frames conflict as a product of ignorance rather than true divine opposition.