Vamana Purana — Kurukshetra & Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 49

Kurukshetra, Pṛthūdaka Tīrtha, and the Marriage of Saṃvaraṇa with Tapatī

Devanagari script

पादौ शुभौ चक्रगदासिचिह्नौ जङ्घे तथोरू करिहस्ततुल्यौ कटिस्तथा सिंहकटिर्यथैव क्षामं च मध्यं त्रिबलीनिबद्धम्

Transliteration

pādau śubhau cakragadāsicihnau jaṅghe tathorū karihastatulyau kaṭistathā siṃhakaṭiryathaiva kṣāmaṃ ca madhyaṃ tribalīnibaddham

Translation

Ses pieds étaient de bon augure, portant les marques du disque, de la massue et de l’épée. Ses jambes et ses cuisses étaient comme le bras ou la trompe d’un éléphant. Sa taille était celle d’un lion, et son milieu, mince, était marqué de trois plis.

Word by Word

• pādau: (his) two feet
• pādau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• śubhau: auspicious/beautiful
• śubhau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषण (qualifying pādau)

• cakra-gadā-asi-cihnau: bearing the marks of discus, mace, and sword
• cakra-gadā-asi-cihnau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + asi (प्रातिपदिक) + cihna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (चक्रगदासिचिह्नौ यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘having marks of discus, mace, sword’

• jaṅghe: (his) two shanks
• jaṅghe: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṅghā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Connector (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण/समुच्चयार्थ: ‘likewise/also’

• ūrū: (his) two thighs
• ūrū: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ūru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• kari-hasta-tulyau: like an elephant’s trunk
• kari-hasta-tulyau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kari (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक) + tulya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (करिहस्तस्य तुल्यौ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘equal to an elephant’s trunk/hand’

• kaṭiḥ: waist
• kaṭiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tathā: also
• tathā: Connector (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय: ‘also’

• siṃha-kaṭiḥ: lion-like waist
• siṃha-kaṭiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सिंह इव कटिः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yathā: as/like
• yathā: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानार्थ (comparative): ‘as/like’

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphatic particle): ‘indeed/just’

• kṣāmam: slender
• kṣāmam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying madhyam)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थ

• madhyam: the middle (waist)
• madhyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘middle/waist-region’

• tri-balī-nibaddham: marked with three folds
• tri-balī-nibaddham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + balī (प्रातिपदिक) + nibaddha (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्रिभिः बलीभिः निबद्धम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘bound/marked with three folds’

Speakers

• Continuation of Tapatī’s recognition-description (speaker inferred from prior verse continuity)

Key Themes

• Lakṣaṇa-śāstra (physiognomic auspicious marks)
• Royal/heroic ideal body (mahāpuruṣa-lakṣaṇa style)
• Iconographic symbolism (cakra/gadā)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The tradition links outer lakṣaṇas with inner dharma and kṣātra-tejas (royal vigor): the ideal ruler is not merely powerful but ‘auspiciously formed,’ implying fitness for protection and righteous governance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita: it is a descriptive segment establishing the stature and legitimacy of a princely figure—supporting the narrative arc of royal line/hero characterization.

What is the symbolic significance?

Cakra and gadā are classic Viṣṇu emblems; as ‘marks’ on the body they can function as a narrative hint of divine favor or a Viṣṇu-aligned destiny, even when the text is not explicitly presenting an avatāra.