Vamana Purana — Kurukshetra & Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

कस्य चेमौ सुतौ वीरौ ख्यातौ शुम्भनिशुम्भकौ एतद् विस्तरतः सर्वं यथावद् वक्तुमर्हसि

Transliteration

kasya cemau sutau vīrau khyātau śumbhaniśumbhakau etad vistarataḥ sarvaṃ yathāvad vaktumarhasi

Translation

„Und wessen Söhne sind diese beiden Helden, berühmt als Śumbha und Niśumbha? Du sollst mir dies alles ausführlich und in rechter Weise darlegen.“

Word by Word

• kasya: of whom
• kasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; "of whom"

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• imau: these two
• imau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; "these two"

• sutau: sons
• sutau: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to imau)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual

• vīrau: heroic, valiant
• vīrau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; adjective qualifying sutau

• khyātau: renowned
• khyātau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √khyā (ख्या धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; "renowned/known"

• śumbha-niśumbhakau: Śumbha and Niśumbha
• śumbha-niśumbhakau: Karta (कर्ता) (name/apposition to sutau)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śumbha (प्रातिपदिक) + niśumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Dual; द्वन्द्व-समास (itaretara-dvandva): "Śumbha and Niśumbha"

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of vaktum

• vistarataḥ: in detail
• vistarataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vistara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (adverbial), तसिल्-प्रत्यय (ablatival adverb): "in detail/at length"

• sarvam: all (of it)
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; apposition/intensifier to etat

• yathāvat: properly
• yathāvat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathāvat (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb: "properly, as it really is"

• vaktum: to tell
• vaktum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/infinitive complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Infinitive (तुमुन्), "to speak/tell"

• arhasi: you ought / you are fit
• arhasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यम), Singular; "you are able/ought"

Speakers

• Nārada to Brahmā

Primary Deities

• Brahmā (as narrator)
• Śumbha
• Niśumbha

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Asura genealogy
• Purāṇic historiography
• Dharma restoration narrative

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

By asking ‘whose sons,’ the text highlights that power and conduct arise within lineages and tendencies (guṇa/saṃskāra). The ethical lesson is that fame (khyāti) can attach to valor, but without dharma it becomes destructive and invites correction.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśa/Vamśānucarita elements: inquiry into descent (vamśa) and the narrative of notable figures (anucarita). Such genealogical anchoring is a standard Purāṇic device to legitimize and contextualize mythic events.

What is the symbolic significance?

Naming and lineage-questioning symbolically ‘locate’ chaos within the moral universe: even formidable adversaries have origins and causes, making the cosmic struggle intelligible rather than arbitrary.