Vamana Purana — Manifestation of Katyayani, Shloka 17

The Manifestation of Katyayani (Durga) and the Humbling of the Vindhya by Agastya

Devanagari script

गन्धर्वराजो रजतानुलिप्तं पानस्य पूर्णं सदृशं च भाजनम् भुजङ्गहारं भुजगेश्वरो ऽपि अम्लानपुष्पामृतवः स्रजं च

Transliteration

gandharvarājo rajatānuliptaṃ pānasya pūrṇaṃ sadṛśaṃ ca bhājanam bhujaṅgahāraṃ bhujageśvaro 'pi amlānapuṣpāmṛtavaḥ srajaṃ ca

Translation

Der König der Gandharvas gab ein zum Trinken geeignetes Gefäß, mit Silber überzogen und gefüllt. Und auch der Herr der Schlangen gab eine Schlangen-Halskette sowie eine Girlande vom nektartragenden Baum, aus unvergänglichen Blüten.

Word by Word

• गन्धर्वराजः: king of the Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वराजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व-राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गन्धर्वाणां राजा)

• रजत-अनुलिप्तम्: smeared with silver
• रजत-अनुलिप्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजत + अनु-लिप्त (लिप् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयभावः (रजतेन अनुलिप्तम् = silver-smeared)

• पानस्य: of drink
• पानस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पूर्णम्: full
• पूर्णम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदृशम्: suitable/appropriate
• सदृशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• भाजनम्: vessel/cup
• भाजनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भुजङ्गहारम्: serpent-garland
• भुजङ्गहारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजङ्ग-हार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भुजङ्गानां हारः)

• भुजगेश्वरः: lord of serpents (Nāga king)
• भुजगेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजग-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भुजगानाम् ईश्वरः)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; 'also/even')

• अम्लानपुष्पामृतवः: the nectar-bearing (tree) with unfading flowers
• अम्लानपुष्पामृतवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्लान-पुष्प-अमृतवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य अम्लानानि पुष्पाणि अमृतं वहन्ति सः)

• स्रजम्: garland
• स्रजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रज्/स्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicit in the given verses (commonly Pulastya → Nārada framework in the Vāmana Purāṇa)

Primary Deities

• Śiva (implied recipient)
• Gandharva-rāja
• Bhujageśvara (Nāga-lord)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Ritual offering (upacāra)
• Mythic flora (amṛta-bearing tree)
• Sectarian Harmony

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse models ‘bhakti as service’ (sevā): offerings are not abstract but concrete upacāras (vessels, garlands), implying that reverence is expressed through careful, fitting actions (sadṛśa) and purity/beauty.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is narrative-ritual description embedded in carita material (not a cosmological lakṣaṇa); it supports dharma through exemplifying deity-honoring conduct.

What is the symbolic significance?

Silver (rajata) suggests cooling, lunar purity; the Nāga-garland evokes mastery over fear/poison and the transmutation of danger into ornament; the unfading-flower garland from an ‘amṛta-bearing’ source signals immortality and the timelessness of divine auspiciousness.