Vamana Purana — Nara-Narayana's Tapas, Shloka 89

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

Devanagari script

महापाशुपतश्चासीद्भरद्वाजस्तपोधनः तस्य शिष्यो ऽप्यभूद्राजा ऋषभः सोमकेश्वरः

Transliteration

mahāpāśupataścāsīdbharadvājastapodhanaḥ tasya śiṣyo 'pyabhūdrājā ṛṣabhaḥ somakeśvaraḥ

Translation

Bharadvāja, reich an asketischer Kraft, war ein großer Pāśupata (Mahā-Pāśupata). Sein Schüler war ebenfalls ein König — Ṛṣabha, bekannt als Somakeśvara.

Word by Word

• महापाशुपतः: the great Pāśupata
• महापाशुपतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + pāśupata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg); कर्मधारय: 'महान् पाशुपतः'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, conjunction

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg)

• भरद्वाजः: Bharadvāja
• भरद्वाजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharadvāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg)

• तपोधनः: rich in austerity (ascetic)
• तपोधनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg); बहुव्रीहि: 'तपो धनं यस्य सः'

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Gen. 6), एकवचन (sg)

• शिष्यः: disciple
• शिष्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, particle (सम्भावना/समुच्चय)

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg)

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg)

• ऋषभः: Ṛṣabha (name)
• ऋषभः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg)

• सोमकेश्वरः: Somakeśvara (name/title)
• सोमकेश्वरः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: soma + keśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m), प्रथमा (Nom. 1), एकवचन (sg); तत्पुरुष: 'सोमस्य केश्वरः/ईश्वरः' (नाम)

Speakers

• Not explicit in the provided verses (commonly framed as Pulastya → Nārada in the Vāmana Purāṇa)

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Guru-Śiṣya Lineage
• Tapas/Austerity
• Kingship integrated with ascetic discipline

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse presents tapas and Śaiva devotion as compatible with worldly rulership: spiritual attainment is not restricted to renunciants; a king can be a legitimate disciple in a rigorous Śaiva path.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / paramparā-style material: it functions like a lineage record (succession of teachers and disciples), a common Purāṇic mode of legitimizing doctrines through transmission.

What is the symbolic significance?

By naming a royal disciple with a Śaiva epithet (Somakeśvara), the text signals the reach of Pāśupata identity across social roles, emphasizing initiation/discipleship over mere status.