Vamana Purana — Nara-Narayana's Tapas, Shloka 97

Nara-Narayana’s Tapas, Indra’s Temptation, and the Burning of Kama: The Origin of Ananga and the Shiva-Linga Episode

Devanagari script

प्रदह्यमानौ चरणौ दृष्ट्वासौ कुसुमायुधः उत्ससर्ज धनुः श्रेष्ठं तज्जगामाथ पञ्चधा

Transliteration

pradahyamānau caraṇau dṛṣṭvāsau kusumāyudhaḥ utsasarja dhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṃ tajjagāmātha pañcadhā

Translation

Seeing his feet burning, the flower-weaponed one (Kāma) let go his excellent bow; and it then went into five pieces.

Word by Word

• प्रदह्यमानौ: being burnt / burning
• प्रदह्यमानौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + दह् (धातु) → प्रदह्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/भावे शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषणम्

• चरणौ: (two) feet
• चरणौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव (gerund/absolutive), अव्यय

• असौ: he (that one)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कुसुमायुधः: Kusumāyudha (Kāma, whose weapon is flowers)
• कुसुमायुधः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुसुमम् एव आयुधं यस्य); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उत्ससर्ज: released / let go
• उत्ससर्ज: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• श्रेष्ठम्: excellent / best
• श्रेष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (धनुः)

• तत्: that (bow)
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (धनुः इत्यस्य पुनर्निर्देशः)

• जगाम: went
• जगाम: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रमसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय (then/now)

• पञ्चधा: into five parts
• पञ्चधा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्चधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (in five ways/into five parts)

Speakers

• Unspecified in the provided excerpt (likely within Pulastya–Nārada narrative frame)

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• Kama (Madana)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Defeat of desire
• Symbolic disarmament
• Tapas versus temptation

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When inner discipline is awakened (tapas/jñāna), the instruments of temptation lose their power; the ‘bow’ of desire is rendered ineffective.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita-focused narration (divine/daiva event description), not sarga/pratisarga; it functions as exemplum within the Purāṇic storytelling layer.

What is the symbolic significance?

The flower-bow breaking into five evokes the five sense-channels (pañcendriya) through which desire operates; the shattering signifies sensory subjugation under higher yogic fire.