Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

तमापतन्तं बाणैघैर्ववर्षं रविनन्दनम् हिरण्यकशिपोः पुत्रश् चापमानम्य वेगवान्

Transliteration

tamāpatantaṃ bāṇaighairvavarṣaṃ ravinandanam hiraṇyakaśipoḥ putraś cāpamānamya vegavān

Translation

Cuando avanzó el hijo de Ravi (el Sol), el veloz hijo de Hiraṇyakaśipu, tensando su arco, lo cubrió con una feroz lluvia de flechas.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• आपतन्तम्: as he was rushing/falling upon (him)
• आपतन्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); ‘falling/charging towards’

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural)

• घैः: in showers/volleys
• घैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural); here as intensifier ‘in masses/volleys’ (rare)

• ववर्ष: rained down (shot)
• ववर्ष: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• रविनन्दनम्: the Sun’s son (Yama)
• रविनन्दनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि-नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ‘son of the Sun’ (Yama)

• हिरण्यकशिपोः: of Hiraṇyakaśipu
• हिरण्यकशिपोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यकशिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• आनम्य: having bent/drawn
• आनम्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभावः; ‘having bent/drawn (the bow)’

• वेगवान्: swift/impetuous
• वेगवान्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying पुत्रः)

Speakers

• Narratorial layer not explicit in the provided verses (commonly framed as Pulastya → Nārada in the Vāmana Purāṇa
• but not verifiable from this excerpt alone)

Primary Deities

• Sūrya (via 'Ravinandana')

Key Themes

• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Heroic combat
• Use of weapons (dhanus/bāṇa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse emphasizes the intensity of adharmic aggression (indiscriminate “arrow-rain”) and sets the stage for the restoration of balance through disciplined counter-force rather than uncontrolled violence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best classified under Vaṃśānucarita/Carita material (narratives of beings in dynastic/lineage contexts and their exploits), specifically a battle episode within the broader mythic history.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Ravinandana’ represents solar order and visibility (prakāśa), while the Daitya’s arrow-shower symbolizes obscuring, chaotic force; the confrontation dramatizes the Purāṇic motif of order meeting disruption.