Vamana Purana — Kurukshetra & Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 49

Kurukshetra, Pṛthūdaka Tīrtha, and the Marriage of Saṃvaraṇa with Tapatī

Devanagari script

पादौ शुभौ चक्रगदासिचिह्नौ जङ्घे तथोरू करिहस्ततुल्यौ कटिस्तथा सिंहकटिर्यथैव क्षामं च मध्यं त्रिबलीनिबद्धम्

Transliteration

pādau śubhau cakragadāsicihnau jaṅghe tathorū karihastatulyau kaṭistathā siṃhakaṭiryathaiva kṣāmaṃ ca madhyaṃ tribalīnibaddham

Translation

His feet were auspicious, bearing the marks of a discus, a mace, and a sword. His shanks and thighs were like an elephant’s trunk or forearm. His waist was like a lion’s, and his middle was slender, marked with three folds.

Word by Word

• pādau: (his) two feet
• pādau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• śubhau: auspicious/beautiful
• śubhau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण (qualifying pādau)

• cakra-gadā-asi-cihnau: bearing the marks of discus, mace, and sword
• cakra-gadā-asi-cihnau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + asi (प्रातिपदिक) + cihna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (चक्रगदासिचिह्नौ यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘having marks of discus, mace, sword’

• jaṅghe: (his) two shanks
• jaṅghe: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṅghā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Connector (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण/समुच्चयार्थ: ‘likewise/also’

• ūrū: (his) two thighs
• ūrū: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• kari-hasta-tulyau: like an elephant’s trunk
• kari-hasta-tulyau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kari (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक) + tulya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (करिहस्तस्य तुल्यौ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘equal to an elephant’s trunk/hand’

• kaṭiḥ: waist
• kaṭiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tathā: also
• tathā: Connector (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय: ‘also’

• siṃha-kaṭiḥ: lion-like waist
• siṃha-kaṭiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सिंह इव कटिः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानार्थ (comparative): ‘as/like’

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle): ‘indeed/just’

• kṣāmam: slender
• kṣāmam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying madhyam)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थ

• madhyam: the middle (waist)
• madhyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘middle/waist-region’

• tri-balī-nibaddham: marked with three folds
• tri-balī-nibaddham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + balī (प्रातिपदिक) + nibaddha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्रिभिः बलीभिः निबद्धम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘bound/marked with three folds’

Speakers

• Continuation of Tapatī’s recognition-description (speaker inferred from prior verse continuity)

Key Themes

• Lakṣaṇa-śāstra (physiognomic auspicious marks)
• Royal/heroic ideal body (mahāpuruṣa-lakṣaṇa style)
• Iconographic symbolism (cakra/gadā)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The tradition links outer lakṣaṇas with inner dharma and kṣātra-tejas (royal vigor): the ideal ruler is not merely powerful but ‘auspiciously formed,’ implying fitness for protection and righteous governance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita: it is a descriptive segment establishing the stature and legitimacy of a princely figure—supporting the narrative arc of royal line/hero characterization.

What is the symbolic significance?

Cakra and gadā are classic Viṣṇu emblems; as ‘marks’ on the body they can function as a narrative hint of divine favor or a Viṣṇu-aligned destiny, even when the text is not explicitly presenting an avatāra.