Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 26

Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

तोमरैर्वज्रसंस्पर्शैः शक्तिभिर्मार्गणैरपि जलेशं ताडयामास मुद्गरैः कणपैरपि

Transliteration

tomarairvajrasaṃsparśaiḥ śaktibhirmārgaṇairapi jaleśaṃ tāḍayāmāsa mudgaraiḥ kaṇapairapi

Translation

Mit Speeren, deren Berührung wie ein Vajra-Schlag war, mit Lanzen (śakti) und auch mit Pfeilen schlug er den Herrn der Wasser; mit Hämmern (mudgara) und sogar mit Knüppeln (kaṇapa) ebenso.

Word by Word

• तोमरैः: with spears
• तोमरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• वज्रसंस्पर्शैः: with (weapons) having thunderbolt-like touch
• वज्रसंस्पर्शैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र + संस्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वज्रस्य संस्पर्शः येषाम्/वज्र-स्पर्श-सदृशाः) विशेषणम् (तोमरादीनाम्)

• शक्तिभिः: with lances/javelins
• शक्तिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• मार्गणैः: with arrows
• मार्गणैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चयार्थे

• जलेशम्: the lord of waters (Varuṇa)
• जलेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जलस्य ईशः)

• ताडयामास: struck / beat
• ताडयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तड्/√ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (ताडय-)

• मुद्गरैः: with hammers/maces
• मुद्गरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• कणपैः: with clubs/staves (kaṇapa)
• कणपैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कणप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चयार्थे

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicitly provided in input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada framing)

Primary Deities

• Varuṇa (Jaleśa)

Key Themes

• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Weapon imagery
• Escalation of violence

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Escalating weaponry illustrates how conflict multiplies harm once restraint fails; the purāṇic lesson often implied is that victory grounded only in force is unstable, necessitating a dharmic, divinely guided resolution.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita-style martial narration within the broader purāṇic account of divine-asuric struggles; it supports the narrative arc leading into avatāra-driven restoration of balance.

What is the symbolic significance?

Assault on ‘Jaleśa’ symbolizes an attack on the sustaining, life-supporting element (waters/order). The ‘vajra-like’ contact evokes Indra’s paradigm of decisive divine power, but here mirrored through asuric aggression—highlighting the inversion of sacred power when wielded without alignment to ṛta/dharma.