Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 21

Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Origin of Kapalin Rudra (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

अप्रतर्क्यमविज्ञेयं भावाभावविवर्जितम् निमग्नुपर्वततरु तमोभूतं सुदुर्दसम्

Transliteration

apratarkyamavijñeyaṃ bhāvābhāvavivarjitam nimagnuparvatataru tamobhūtaṃ sudurdasam

Translation

It was beyond reasoning and unknowable, devoid of both being and non-being; mountains and trees were submerged, everything had become darkness, and the condition was exceedingly dire.

Word by Word

• अप्रतर्क्यम्: inconceivable
• अप्रतर्क्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + प्रतर्क्य (प्रातिपदिक; √तर्क्/तर्क)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषण

• अविज्ञेयम्: unknowable
• अविज्ञेयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + विज्ञेय (प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा + यत्/णीय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; णीयत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: 'to be known') with negation

• भाव-अभाव-विवर्जितम्: devoid of being and non-being
• भाव-अभाव-विवर्जितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाव + अभाव + विवर्जित (वि-√वृज्/√वर्ज् क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाव-अभाव इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व as prior member; whole as तत्पुरुष with विवर्जित ('devoid of')

• निमग्नु-पर्वत-तरु: with mountains and trees submerged
• निमग्नु-पर्वत-तरु: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निमग्न (नि-√मज्ज् क्त) + पर्वत + तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: 'with mountains and trees submerged' (निमग्न as qualifier)

• तमः-भूतम्: turned into darkness
• तमः-भूतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तमस् + भूत (भू क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'become darkness'

• सु-दुर्दसम्: very hard to endure/terrible
• सु-दुर्दसम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दुर्दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्ग/उपपद 'सु' intensifier

Speakers

• Not explicit in the provided verses; continuing the pralaya account attributed to ancient transmission

Key Themes

• Pralaya
• Limits of cognition
• Tamas (darkness) imagery
• Undifferentiated state

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse cautions that ultimate states (like dissolution) exceed ordinary pramāṇas (means of knowledge) such as inference and sensory cognition; it encourages humility and reliance on śāstra-guided insight for metaphysical questions.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

As pratisarga groundwork: by emphasizing the collapse of categories (bhāva/abhāva) and the submergence of the world, it sets the stage for how ordered creation is later reconstituted.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Bhāva-abhāva-vivarjita’ signals a suspension of conceptual binaries; ‘tamobhūta’ reflects the dominance of tamas when manifest differentiation dissolves—symbolizing the withdrawal of name-and-form prior to renewed emergence.