Vamana Purana — Sati's Death & Virabhadra, Shloka 10

Sati’s Death and the Assault on Daksha’s Sacrifice: Virabhadra versus the Devas

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच/ जयायास्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा वज्रपातसमं सती मन्युनाभिप्लुता ब्रह्मन् पञ्चत्वमगमत् ततः

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca/ jayāyāstadvacaḥ śrutvā vajrapātasamaṃ satī manyunābhiplutā brahman pañcatvamagamat tataḥ

Translation

Dijo Pulastya: «Al oír aquellas palabras de Jaya—como la caída de un rayo—la mujer virtuosa, oh brahmán, anegada por la ira, cayó entonces en la muerte».

Word by Word

• pulastyaḥ: Pulastya
• pulastyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pulastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• jayāyāḥ: of Jayā
• jayāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jayā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of vacaḥ

• vacaḥ: speech/words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; prior action

• vajrapāta-samam: like a thunderbolt-strike
• vajrapāta-samam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक) + pāta (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (vajrasya pātaḥ) + उपमानार्थ ‘samam’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of tad vacaḥ)

• satī: Satī
• satī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; proper/epithet ‘Satī’

• manyunā: by anger
• manyunā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• abhiplutā: overwhelmed
• abhiplutā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √plu (धातु) + abhi- (उपसर्ग) + abhiplutā (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of satī

• brahman: O Brahman (sage)
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• pañcatvam: the state of five elements (death)
• pañcatvam: Gati/Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; state/condition noun

• agamat: went/attained
• agamat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tataḥ: then/thereupon
• tataḥ: Kāla/Hetu (काल/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपादान/क्रमबोधक adverb (‘thereupon/from that’)

Speakers

• Pulastya narrating to Narada (explicit: ‘Pulastya uvāca’; addressee inferred from standard frame)

Key Themes

• Narrative Frame (Rishi dialogue)
• Consequences of Anger (Manyu)
• Ritual Politics
• Dharma and Emotional Discipline

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Manyu (wrath) is portrayed as immediately destructive, capable of overturning even ‘satī’ qualities. The ethical lesson is mastery of reactive emotion, especially in contexts of honor, ritual status, and speech.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / episodic narration: a moralized story within the puranic dialogue structure rather than cosmological creation or dissolution.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Thunderbolt-like words’ depicts speech as karmically potent; verbal injury can function like a weapon. ‘Pañcatva’ emphasizes the body’s return to elements, underscoring impermanence and the high stakes of dharmic restraint.