Vamana Purana — Kurukshetra & Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 38

Kurukshetra, Pṛthūdaka Tīrtha, and the Marriage of Saṃvaraṇa with Tapatī

Devanagari script

स चाप्यरुह्य तुरगं प्रतिष्ठानं पुरोत्तमम् गतस्तु मेरुशिखरं कामचारी यथामरः

Transliteration

sa cāpyaruhya turagaṃ pratiṣṭhānaṃ purottamam gatastu meruśikharaṃ kāmacārī yathāmaraḥ

Translation

Er bestieg ein Pferd, brach aus Pratiṣṭhāna, der vortrefflichen Stadt, auf und gelangte zum Gipfel des Berges Meru, frei sich bewegend wie ein Gott.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘also’

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having mounted’

• तुरगम्: horse
• तुरगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रतिष्ठानम्: Pratiṣṭhāna (place/city)
• प्रतिष्ठानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरोत्तमम्: the best of cities
• पुरोत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुर-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रतिष्ठानम्); समास: पुर + उत्तम (तत्पुरुष)

• गतः: having gone
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having gone’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• मेरुशिखरम्: to the peak of Meru
• मेरुशिखरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु-शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: मेरु + शिखर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कामचारी: moving at will
• कामचारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (सः); समास: काम + चारिन् (तत्पुरुष)

• यथा: like/as
• यथा: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान-अव्यय (comparative indeclinable)

• अमरः: an immortal (god)
• अमरः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Not explicit in the given verses (likely within the Pulastya–Nārada narrative frame of the Purāṇa)

Key Themes

• Vamśānucarita (dynastic/royal narrative)
• Sacred geography (cosmic topography)
• Kāmacāra (divine-like mobility)
• Quest/romance trajectory

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames royal agency as disciplined yet expansive: the hero departs a famed capital and moves toward a cosmic summit, suggesting that aspiration (toward higher realms/ideals) is a legitimate axis of dharma when aligned with purpose rather than mere indulgence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita: it advances a dynastic/heroic account (movement of a king/hero between capitals and sacred/cosmic locales), not sarga/pralaya.

What is the symbolic significance?

Meru functions as an axis-mundi symbol: the hero’s ascent/journey toward Meru mirrors an inward ascent toward a ‘center’ of order and destiny; ‘kāmacārī like a god’ elevates the narrative tone, portraying exceptional capacity granted by merit or fate.