Vamana Purana — Rudra's Wrath & Kalarupa, Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

स्त्रीपुंसयोः समं रूपं शय्यासनपरिग्रहः वीणावाद्यधृङ् मिथुनं गीतनर्तकशिल्पिषु

Transliteration

strīpuṃsayoḥ samaṃ rūpaṃ śayyāsanaparigrahaḥ vīṇāvādyadhṛṅ mithunaṃ gītanartakaśilpiṣu

Translation

In Mithuna (den Zwillingen) ist die Gestalt von Frau und Mann gleich; (sie sind) Besitzer von Lager und Sitz (häuslichem Mobiliar). Mithuna wird dargestellt, wie es die vīṇā und andere Instrumente trägt, inmitten von Sängern, Tänzern und Kunsthandwerkern.

Word by Word

• स्त्री: woman/female
• स्त्री: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन-समासाङ्ग (in compound base)

• पुंसयोः: of the male (and female) / of the two: woman and man
• पुंसयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन

• समम्: equal(ly)
• समम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (adverbial sense: equally)

• रूपम्: form/appearance
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• शय्या: bed
• शय्या: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शय्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-समासाङ्ग (in compound base)

• आसन: seat
• आसन: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-समासाङ्ग (in compound base)

• परिग्रहः: possession/acceptance (of bed and seat)
• परिग्रहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शय्या-आसनयोः परिग्रहः)

• वीणा: vīṇā (lute)
• वीणा: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-समासाङ्ग (in compound base)

• वाद्य: musical instrument
• वाद्य: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-समासाङ्ग (in compound base)

• धृक्: holder/player (of vīṇā and instruments)
• धृक्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृ (धातु) + क्विप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त (धृक् = धारकः); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वीणा-वाद्ययोः धृक्)

• मिथुनम्: pair/couple; the sign Mithuna (Gemini)
• मिथुनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• गीत: song/singing
• गीत: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-समासाङ्ग (in compound base)

• नर्तक: dancer
• नर्तक: Samasa-anga (समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-समासाङ्ग (in compound base)

• शिल्पिषु: among singers, dancers, and artisans
• शिल्पिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिल्पिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (गीत-नर्तक-शिल्पिनः)

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya to Nārada (not explicit in excerpt)

Key Themes

• Cosmology/Astral Lore
• Gender Complementarity
• Arts (music/dance/craft)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse presents complementarity rather than hierarchy: male and female are portrayed as ‘equal in form’ within the Mithuna symbolism, and the household (bed/seat) and arts (music, dance, craft) are treated as culturally elevating, not merely worldly.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is cosmological/astral characterization (sarga-type descriptive material). It does not narrate dynasties or manvantaras but supplies a world-order taxonomy through rāśi attributes.

What is the symbolic significance?

Mithuna signifies duality-in-unity: paired forces (woman/man), domestic stability (furnishings), and refined expression (vīṇā, song, dance). In Purāṇic symbolism, such pairing can also hint at harmony of opposites and the generative principle underlying society.