Vamana Purana — Kurukshetra & Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

यथा च पार्वतीकोशात् समुद्धभूता हि कौशिकी यथा हतवती शुम्भं निसुम्भं च महासुरम्

Transliteration

yathā ca pārvatīkośāt samuddhabhūtā hi kauśikī yathā hatavatī śumbhaṃ nisumbhaṃ ca mahāsuram

Translation

«Et (dis-moi) comment Kauśikī, en vérité, surgit de l’enveloppe (kośa) de Pārvatī, et comment elle tua Śumbha ainsi que Niśumbha, le grand asura.»

Word by Word

• yathā: as, just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable), उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/"as")

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• pārvatī-kośāt: from Pārvatī's sheath/covering
• pārvatī-kośāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārvatī (प्रातिपदिक) + kośa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): pārvatyāḥ kośaḥ → pārvatīkośaḥ; kośāt = "from the sheath/covering"

• sam-uddha-bhūtā: arisen/emerged forth
• sam-uddha-bhūtā: Karta (कर्ता) / Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + ud + √bhū (भू धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/क्तवतु-भाव), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; upasarga: सम्+उद्; agrees with kauśikī

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, निपात (particle), emphasis/indeed

• kauśikī: Kauśikī (the goddess)
• kauśikī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauśikī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; proper name

• yathā: as, just as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, उपमान/प्रकारवाचक ("as") introducing second comparison

• hatavatī: (she) slew / having slain
• hatavatī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (हन् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Perfect participle in -वत् (क्तवतु-प्रत्यय), Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; "having slain"; agrees with (implicit) kauśikī

• śumbham: Śumbha
• śumbham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper name

• nisumbham: Niśumbha
• nisumbham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nisumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; proper name

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• mahā-asuram: the great demon
• mahā-asuram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; कर्मधारय-समास: mahān asuraḥ → mahāsuraḥ; here acc. sg. mahāsuram

Speakers

• Nārada to Brahmā (requesting detailed narration)

Primary Deities

• Pārvatī (Devī)
• Kauśikī (Devī’s manifestation)

Key Themes

• Devi theology
• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Protective divine power (śakti)
• Mythic warfare as restoration of dharma

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The Goddess is portrayed as responsive protective power: when disorder intensifies (asura domination), śakti manifests in a decisive form to restore balance. Ethically, it reinforces that adharma-driven power (asuric rule) is ultimately self-defeating.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita/Carita (narratives of divine manifestations and exploits), with an embedded Deva–Asura conflict motif often used across Purāṇas to illustrate dharma’s reassertion.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Kośa’ (sheath) imagery suggests a latent potency becoming explicit—an unveiling of inner radiance/power. Kauśikī’s emergence signals that the divine can externalize a specialized form suited to a specific cosmic crisis.