Vamana Purana — Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva, Shloka 59

The Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva: Himavan Grants the Marriage

Devanagari script

तत् किमर्थमपास्यैतानलङ्काराञ् जटा धृताः चीनांशुकं परित्यज्य किं त्वं वल्कलधारिणी

Transliteration

tat kimarthamapāsyaitānalaṅkārāñ jaṭā dhṛtāḥ cīnāṃśukaṃ parityajya kiṃ tvaṃ valkaladhāriṇī

Translation

Then for what reason, having cast aside these ornaments, have you worn matted locks (jaṭā)? Why, abandoning fine garments, have you become a wearer of bark-cloth?

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• किम्: what?
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• अर्थम्: purpose
• अर्थम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अपास्य: having discarded
• अपास्य: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla/Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अप + अस् (धातु) → अपास्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/अव्ययीभाव-गेरुन्ड)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive in -ya): 'having cast aside'

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अलङ्कारान्: ornaments
• अलङ्कारान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• जटाः: matted locks
• जटाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• धृताः: worn
• धृताः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धृत (कृदन्त, क्त/क्तप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (PPP: 'worn/held')

• चीनांशुकम्: Chinese cloth/silk garment
• चीनांशुकम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चीन + अंशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (चीनदेशसम्बन्धि अंशुकम्)

• परित्यज्य: having given up
• परित्यज्य: पूर्वकाल (Pūrvakāla/Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि + त्यज् (धातु) → परित्यज्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having abandoned'

• किम्: why?/what?
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुषार्थे सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वल्कलधारिणी: (become) a bark-cloth wearer
• वल्कलधारिणी: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्कल + धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वल्कलं धारयति इति)

Speakers

• Likely Śiva speaking to Girijā (Pārvatī) (exact narrative frame not supplied in input)

Primary Deities

• Śiva
• Pārvatī (Girijā)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Tapas and renunciation
• Outer vs. inner asceticism
• Householder-ascetic tension

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

External marks of renunciation (jaṭā, bark-cloth) should be purposeful rather than performative; the implied ethical question is whether austerity is undertaken for higher realization or merely as a dramatic rejection of comfort.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It belongs to narrative instruction (carita/anvākhyāna) embedded in Purāṇic dialogue, not to the five cosmological marks as primary subject matter.

What is the symbolic significance?

Ornaments vs. bark-cloth symbolizes the polarity of śṛṅgāra (worldly adornment) and vairāgya (dispassion). The verse pushes toward the Purāṇic ideal that true tapas is an inner state, with outer signs secondary.