Vamana Purana — Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva, Shloka 15

The Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva: Himavan Grants the Marriage

Devanagari script

तामुद्वृत्तजलां दृष्ट्वा प्रबबन्ध पितामहः ऋक्सामाथर्वयजुभिर्वाङ्मयैर्बन्धनैर्दृढम्

Transliteration

tāmudvṛttajalāṃ dṛṣṭvā prababandha pitāmahaḥ ṛksāmātharvayajubhirvāṅmayairbandhanairdṛḍham

Translation

Seeing her as waters risen in tumult, Pitāmaha (Brahmā) firmly bound her with bonds made of speech—the mantras of the Ṛg, Sāma, Atharva, and Yajus Vedas.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• उद्वृत्तजलाम्: whose water had surged up / overflowing with water
• उद्वृत्तजलाम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + वृत्त (कृदन्त; क्त) ← वृत् (धातु) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘उद्वृत्तं जलं यस्याः सा’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla/Converb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having seen’

• प्रबबन्ध: bound, restrained
• प्रबबन्ध: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पितामहः: the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ऋक्: Ṛg (hymns)
• ऋक्: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप; in compound/enumeration

• साम: Sāman (chants)
• साम: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप; in compound/enumeration

• आथर्व: Atharvan (Atharva-veda)
• आथर्व: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अथर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप; in compound/enumeration

• यजुभिः: with Yajus formulas
• यजुभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• वाङ्मयैः: made of speech
• वाङ्मयैः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाक् + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘speech-made’

• बन्धनैः: with bonds, restraints
• बन्धनैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• दृढम्: firmly
• दृढम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa/Manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; adverbial/accusative of manner: ‘firmly’

Speakers

• Narrative description; Brahmā (Pitāmaha) acts as restrainer

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Vedic authority (śruti)
• Mantra as cosmic technology
• Restraint of chaos
• Restoration of order

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Order is restored not merely by force but by śabda (authoritative sacred speech). The verse teaches that disciplined, truthful utterance—symbolized by Vedic mantras—functions as a stabilizing principle against unregulated power.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Again this is closest to Sarga/Pratisarga-style cosmological material: it depicts maintenance of cosmic structure through Vedic principles, an archetypal Purāṇic motif explaining how worlds are regulated.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Bonds made of speech’ (vāṅmaya-bandhana) symbolizes that reality is governed by ṛta through mantra/śruti. The four Vedas collectively represent comprehensive sacred order; binding the flood signifies converting chaotic overflow into a contained, life-sustaining element.