Vamana Purana — Rudra's Wrath & Kalarupa, Shloka 18

Rudra’s Wrath at Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Iconography of Kālarūpa through the Zodiac

Devanagari script

भग्नदन्तस्तथा पूषा शोणिताभिप्लुताननः पपात भुवि निःसंज्ञो वज्राहत इवाचलः

Transliteration

bhagnadantastathā pūṣā śoṇitābhiplutānanaḥ papāta bhuvi niḥsaṃjño vajrāhata ivācalaḥ

Translation

So fiel Pūṣan, mit zerbrochenen Zähnen und blutüberströmtem Gesicht, bewusstlos zu Boden — wie ein Berg, den ein Blitz getroffen hat.

Word by Word

• भग्न-दन्तः: (Pūṣā) with broken teeth
• भग्न-दन्तः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagna (कृदन्त; भञ्ज् धातु (धातु), क्त) + danta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भग्नाः दन्ताः यस्य/भग्नदन्तः) — व्यवहारतः बहुव्रीहिवत् विशेषण-प्रयोगः

• तथा: thus/also
• तथा: सम्बन्ध/रीति (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पूषा: Pūṣā (the deity Pūṣan)
• पूषा: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūṣan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शोणित-अभिप्लुत-आननः: whose face was drenched with blood
• शोणित-अभिप्लुत-आननः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoṇita (प्रातिपदिक) + abhi-pluta (कृदन्त; प्लु धातु (धातु) + अभि-उपसर्ग, क्त) + ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (शोणितेन अभिप्लुतम् आननम् यस्य)

• पपात: fell
• पपात: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (पत् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (भू/भूमि प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• निः-संज्ञः: unconscious
• निः-संज्ञः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्/निः-तत्पुरुष (संज्ञा नास्ति यस्य)

• वज्र-आहतः: struck by a thunderbolt
• वज्र-आहतः: उपमान-विशेषण (simile qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक) + āhata (कृदन्त; हन् धातु (धातु) + आ-उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (वज्रेण आहतः)

• इव: like/as if
• इव: उपमा (Simile marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमावाचक-निपात (particle of comparison)

• अचलः: a mountain
• अचलः: उपमान (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speakers

• Narratorial description (within the Purāṇic dialogue frame)

Primary Deities

• Pūṣan
• Śiva

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Karmic consequence
• Mythic etiologies (deity’s bodily mark)
• Ritual order and its enforcement

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The imagery underscores the inevitability and weight of the results of adharmic action; even divine beings within the cosmic administration are not exempt from moral causality when they violate reverence and propriety.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

As with the preceding verses, it is part of mythic-historical narration (Vamśānucarita-style), functioning as an etiological closure to the punitive act and reinforcing the Purāṇic role of instructive narrative.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘mountain struck by thunderbolt’ simile conveys the crushing of hardened pride; the fall to earth signifies forced humility, and bloodied speech-organs (mouth/teeth) symbolize the purification of corrupted speech through consequence.