Vamana Purana — Shiva's Wedding Procession (Part 1), Shloka 19

Shiva’s Wedding Procession to Kailasa and the Marriage of Girija (Kali)

Devanagari script

ततस्तु त्वरितो ऽभ्यागाद् द्वाःस्थो ऽद्रिर्गन्धमादनः धारयन् वै करे दण्डं पद्मरागमयं महत्

Transliteration

tatastu tvarito 'bhyāgād dvāḥstho 'drirgandhamādanaḥ dhārayan vai kare daṇḍaṃ padmarāgamayaṃ mahat

Translation

Then, the doorkeeper—(the mountain) Gandhamādana—hurriedly came forward, holding in his hand a great staff made of ruby (padmarāga).

Speakers

• Narratorial verse (likely within Pulastya–Nārada frame
• but not explicit in the given lines)

Key Themes

• Tīrtha/Sacred geography
• Pilgrimage narrative framing
• Court/threshold protocol (dvāḥstha)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even sacred realms are depicted as governed by order (maryādā): access is mediated through attendants and proper approach, underscoring humility and procedural righteousness when seeking audiences with exalted beings.

How does this fit the Pañcalakṣaṇa?

This passage functions as ancillary narrative within tīrtha-mahātmya and pilgrimage description rather than core cosmogony; it most closely aligns with episodic narration supporting dharma and sacred topography, not directly with sarga/pratisarga.

What is the symbolic significance?

Personifying Gandhamādana as a gatekeeper symbolizes the ‘threshold’ between ordinary space and sanctified space; the ruby staff suggests splendor/authority (tejas) associated with guarding sacred precincts.