Vamana Purana — Rules of Purity (Shauca), Shloka 11

Rules of Purity (Śauca), Permissible Foods, and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

उपावृत्तस्ततस्तस्माद् गृहस्थाश्रमकाम्यया असमानर्षिकुलजां कन्यामुद्वहेद् निशाचर

Transliteration

upāvṛttastatastasmād gṛhasthāśramakāmyayā asamānarṣikulajāṃ kanyāmudvahed niśācara

Translation

Dann, nachdem er (aus der Schülerzeit) zurückgekehrt ist und den Āśrama des Haushälters (gṛhastha) begehrt, soll er ein Mädchen heiraten, das aus einer ṛṣi-Linie stammt, die nicht der seinen entspricht—o Niśācara.

Word by Word

• उपावृत्तः: having returned
• उपावृत्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय/Past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक/क्रमवाचक (from there/then)

• तस्मात्: from that (stage)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गृहस्थ-आश्रम-काम्यया: by desire for the householder-āśrama
• गृहस्थ-आश्रम-काम्यया: Hetu (हेतु/निमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (गृहस्थाश्रमस्य काम्या/इच्छा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/तृतीया), एकवचन

• असमान-ऋषि-कुल-जाम्: born in a non-equal (different/unequal) ṛṣi lineage
• असमान-ऋषि-कुल-जाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असमान (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (असमानं ऋषिकुलं यस्याः सा/ततः जाता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कन्याम्)

• कन्याम्: a maiden
• कन्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उद्वहेत्: should marry
• उद्वहेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + वह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निशाचर: O night-roamer (address)
• निशाचर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; संबोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speakers

• Unspecified in the provided excerpt (likely within the Purāṇic dialogue frame
• often Pulastya instructing Nārada)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Ashrama System
• Gṛhastha
• Marriage norms (gotra/lineage rule)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Householder life is presented as a deliberate dharmic transition after training. The instruction about a different ṛṣi-lineage reflects the classical concern for lawful marriage boundaries and social-ritual order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is normative dharma material (ācāra) rather than a cosmological or dynastic narrative unit. It functions as Purāṇic instruction supporting varṇāśrama practice, not as a direct pañcalakṣaṇa component.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Return’ (upāvṛtti) symbolizes re-entry into society with discipline intact. Marriage into a different ṛṣi-lineage symbolizes ordered continuity—channeling desire into dharma rather than impulse.