Vamana Purana — Shiva's Wedding Procession (Part 1), Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

ततः शैलपतिः प्राह पर्वतं गन्धमादनम् गच्छ शैलानुपामन्त्र्य सर्वानागान्तुर्महसि

Transliteration

tataḥ śailapatiḥ prāha parvataṃ gandhamādanam gaccha śailānupāmantrya sarvānāgānturmahasi

Translation

Then the Lord of the mountains spoke to the mountain Gandhamādana: “Go, invite the mountains, and have them all come.”

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अव्यय-प्रकारः: काल/अनन्तरार्थक (temporal adverb: 'thereupon/then')

• शैलपतिः: lord of mountains (Himālaya)
• शैलपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैलपति (प्रातिपदिक) = शैल + पति
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राह: said/spoke
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• पर्वतम्: to the mountain
• पर्वतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गन्धमादनम्: Gandhamādana (mountain)
• गन्धमादनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धमादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); पर्वत-नाम (proper name)

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शैलान्: the mountains
• शैलान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• उपामन्त्र्य: having summoned/invited
• उपामन्त्र्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), अर्थः: 'having summoned/invited'

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (qualifier) शैलानाम्

• आगन्तुः: of the visitor/arriver
• आगन्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आगन्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• महसि: in the great splendor/majesty
• महसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महि/महस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speakers

• Narrative voice reports: Śailapati (chief of mountains) addressing Gandhamādana

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Cosmic Assemblies
• Mythic Etiology
• Pilgrimage Context (Tīrtha-Māhātmya framing)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse models delegated responsibility within cosmic order: a leader assigns a messenger to convene others for a larger dharmic purpose, reflecting cooperation (saṅgha) and disciplined hierarchy in maintaining world-order.

How does this fit the Pañcalakṣaṇa?

This is best classified under vāmśānucarita/ākhyāna-style narration rather than sarga/pratisarga: a mythic episode describing the actions of personified natural entities (mountains) within the ongoing narrative frame of the Purāṇa.

What is the symbolic significance?

Mountains personified as agents suggests ‘stability’ and ‘support’ becoming active participants in sacred history; Gandhamādana functions as a liminal messenger-mountain, linking regions and assembling the terrestrial powers for a destined event.