Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 13

Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

परङ्मुखे सहस्राक्षे तदा दैवतबलं महत् पातयामा द्रत्येन्द्रः पादमुष्टितलादिभिः

Transliteration

paraṅmukhe sahasrākṣe tadā daivatabalaṃ mahat pātayāmā dratyendraḥ pādamuṣṭitalādibhiḥ

Translation

When Sahasrākṣa (Indra) turned away, then the mighty host of the gods was struck down by the lord of the Dānavas, with kicks, fists, palms, and the like.

Word by Word

• पराङ्मुखे: when (he) was turned away
• पराङ्मुखे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराङ्मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्गे (Masculine); विशेषणम् (adjectival)

• सहस्राक्षे: in/when (Indra) the thousand-eyed
• सहस्राक्षे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्राक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); बहुव्रीहिः—सहस्रम् अक्षाणि यस्य (one who has a thousand eyes)

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

• दैवतबलम्: the divine force/strength
• दैवतबलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैवत-बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (of the gods + force)

• महत्: great
• महत्: कर्म (Karma/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying दैवतबलम्)

• पातयाम: we caused to fall / we struck down
• पातयाम: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural); णिच् (causative) sense: ‘to cause to fall’

• द्रत्येन्द्रः: Dratyendra (a chief/Indra-like one)
• द्रत्येन्द्रः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रति-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः (dṛti + indra, epithet/name)

• पाद: with feet
• पाद: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural) (in compound with following)

• मुष्टि: with fists
• मुष्टि: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural) (in compound with following)

• तल: with palms/soles
• तल: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural) (in compound with following)

• आदिभिः: and the like
• आदिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘etc.’-sense as noun ‘and others’

Speakers

• Narrative layer not specified in input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada framing)

Primary Deities

• Indra

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Reversal of Fortune
• Martial Valor

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When leadership wavers (paraṅmukhatā), collective strength collapses; the verse warns against fear-driven retreat and highlights the need for steadiness in protecting dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / Carita: an episode illustrating the oscillation of power between devas and asuras within purāṇic historical cycles.

What is the symbolic significance?

The asura’s use of bodily strikes (kicks, fists, palms) underscores raw force overpowering formal divine order when that order loses resolve—an image of tamasic aggression prevailing over a momentarily weakened sattvic governance.