Vamana Purana — Nara-Narayana's Tapas, Shloka 22

Nara-Narayana’s Tapas, Indra’s Temptation, and the Burning of Kama: The Origin of Ananga and the Shiva-Linga Episode

Devanagari script

ततो नारायणो दृष्ट्वा आश्रमस्यानवद्यताम् समीक्ष्य च दिशः सर्वास्ततो ऽनङ्गमपश्यत

Transliteration

tato nārāyaṇo dṛṣṭvā āśramasyānavadyatām samīkṣya ca diśaḥ sarvāstato 'naṅgamapaśyata

Translation

Daraufhin sah Nārāyaṇa die makellose Vorzüglichkeit der Einsiedelei, blickte in alle Himmelsrichtungen und erblickte sodann Ananga (Kāma).

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (adverb: ‘then/thereupon’)

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय/gerund)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया—‘having seen’

• आश्रमस्य: of the hermitage
• आश्रमस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अनवद्यताम्: faultlessness, blamelessness
• अनवद्यताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनवद्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक—‘faultlessness’

• समीक्ष्य: having examined
• समीक्ष्य: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + √ईक्ष् (धातु) → समीक्ष्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; ‘having looked/observed’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दिशः: directions
• दिशः: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण—दिशः सर्वाः

• ततः: then
• ततः: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरम् (then)

• अनङ्गम्: Ananga (Kāma)
• अनङ्गम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कामदेवस्य नाम

• अपश्यत्: saw
• अपश्यत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speakers

• Not explicit in provided excerpt (likely within the Purāṇic frame dialogue
• often Pulastya → Nārada)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)
• Kāma (Ananga)

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Tapas vs. Desire (Kāma/Ananga motif)
• Divine inspection of holy place

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even in a ‘faultless’ sacred setting, desire (Kāma/Ananga) can appear; the implied lesson is vigilance and discernment—purity of place supports practice, but self-mastery remains essential.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is narrative/ethical exemplification attached to tīrtha-māhātmya and tapas themes; it aligns most closely with dharma-oriented instruction and character-episodes (aṅga-kathā) rather than genealogical or cosmogenic lakṣaṇas.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Ananga’ (bodiless desire) signifies subtle temptation: not always gross or visible, it can arise even amid sanctity. Nārāyaṇa’s ‘surveying the directions’ suggests comprehensive awareness before confronting or understanding desire’s entry.