Vamana Purana — Chanda & Munda Discover Katyayani, Shloka 37

Chanda and Munda Discover Katyayani; Mahishasura’s Proposal and the Vishnu-Panjara Protection

Devanagari script

ततः सेनापतिर्दैत्यो चिक्षुरो नाम नारद सेनाग्रगामिनं चक्रे नमरं नाम दानवम्

Transliteration

tataḥ senāpatirdaityo cikṣuro nāma nārada senāgragāminaṃ cakre namaraṃ nāma dānavam

Translation

Entonces el comandante daitya, llamado Cikṣura—oh Nārada—designó al dānava llamado Namara como jefe que marcharía al frente del ejército, en la vanguardia.

Word by Word

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (ablatival adverb)

• सेनापतिः: commander (general)
• सेनापतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेनापति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दैत्यः: the Daitya
• दैत्यः: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चिक्षुरः: Cikṣura (name)
• चिक्षुरः: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिक्षुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (नाम)

• नाम: named; by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Name-marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देश (quotative/‘by name’)

• नारद: O Nārada
• नारद: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• सेनाग्रगामिनम्: one who goes at the head of the army
• सेनाग्रगामिनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना + अग्र + गामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (सेनायाः अग्रे गच्छति इति)

• चक्रे: made; appointed
• चक्रे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• नमरम्: Namara (name)
• नमरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (नाम)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Name-marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देश (quotative/‘by name’)

• दानवम्: a Dānava (demon)
• दानवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator addressing Nārada (implying Pulastya → Nārada frame)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• War preparation
• Leadership and hierarchy

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse highlights how power organizes itself through delegated authority; Purāṇic ethics often contrasts such ambition-driven hierarchy with dharma-driven leadership (where authority is restrained by yajña, dāna, and protection).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa?

Vamśānucarita/Carita: it records named figures (Cikṣura, Namara) and their roles in events that explain subsequent actions at a sacred locale.

What is the symbolic significance?

Appointing a 'front-runner' (senāgragāmin) symbolizes the projection of will/ego to the forefront—often a narrative precursor in Purāṇas to a corrective intervention by dharma or divinity.