HomeVamana PuranaAdh. 1Shloka 18
Previous Verse
Next Verse

Vamana Purana — Narada Questions Pulastya, Shloka 18

Narada Questions Pulastya: The Vamana Purana Begins and Satī’s Monsoon Lament

पतन्ति धारा गगनात् परिच्युता बका बलाकाश्च सरन्ति तोयदान् कदम्बसर्ज्जार्जुनकेतकीद्रुमाः पुष्पाणि मुञ्चन्ति सुमारुताहताः

patanti dhārā gaganāt paricyutā bakā balākāśca saranti toyadān kadambasarjjārjunaketakīdrumāḥ puṣpāṇi muñcanti sumārutāhatāḥ

Des nappes de pluie tombent, relâchées du ciel. Hérons et grues se déplacent près des nuages dispensateurs d’eau. Les arbres kadamba, sāla/sarjja, arjuna et ketakī laissent choir leurs fleurs, frappés par une brise douce.

पतन्तिfall
पतन्ति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√pat (पत्-धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन
धाराःstreams (of rain)
धाराः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdhārā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
गगनात्from the sky
गगनात्:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootgagana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (ablative)
परि-च्युताःfallen down
परि-च्युताः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpari-√cyu (च्यु-धातु)
Formकृत (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘having fallen down’ (agreeing with धाराः)
बकाःcranes
बकाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbaka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
बलाकाःherons/storks
बलाकाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbalākā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
सरन्तिmove, go
सरन्ति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√sṛ (सृ-धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन
तोयदान्the rain-giving clouds
तोयदान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottoya (प्रातिपदिक) + da (दा-धातु/प्रातिपदिक ‘giver’)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (तोयं ददाति इति) — ‘rain-givers’ (clouds)
कदम्ब-सर्ज्ज-अर्जुन-केतकी-द्रुमाःkadamba, sarjja, arjuna and ketakī trees
कदम्ब-सर्ज्ज-अर्जुन-केतकी-द्रुमाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkadamba (प्रातिपदिक) + sarjja (प्रातिपदिक) + arjuna (प्रातिपदिक) + ketakī (प्रातिपदिक) + druma (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (list-compound)
पुष्पाणिflowers
पुष्पाणि:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootpuṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन
मुञ्चन्तिrelease, drop
मुञ्चन्ति:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√muc (मुच्-धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन
सु-मरुत-आहताःstruck by strong winds
सु-मरुत-आहताः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsu (उपसर्ग/अव्यय ‘well/strongly’) + marut (प्रातिपदिक) + āhata (प्रातिपदिक from √han)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सु-मरुता आहताः) — ‘struck by strong wind’ (agreeing with द्रुमाः)
Implied Satī’s continued description to Śiva
ŚivaSatī
ShaivismSeasonal cycle (prāvṛṭ)Auspicious/ominous natural signsPoetic catalog of flora and fauna

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

FAQs

The verse underscores impermanence and abundance simultaneously: flowers fall even as rains nourish. This duality supports a Purāṇic ethic of detachment without denial—participating in the world while remembering its transience.

As with the prior verses, it is supportive narration within carita (episode description). It does not directly contribute to sarga/pratisarga or vaṃśa lists but contextualizes an impending event/dialogue.

Rain (dhārā) symbolizes grace and purification; birds gathering near clouds suggest instinctive turning toward sources of sustenance—analogous to jīvas turning toward the divine. Flower-fall can hint at the fragility of worldly beauty, preparing the reader for more serious moral/theological developments in the surrounding episode.