Vamana Purana — Narada Questions Pulastya, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्यमुषिमासीनमाश्रमे वाग्विदां वरम् नारदः परिपप्रच्छ पुराणं वामनाश्रयम्

Transliteration

pulastyamuṣimāsīnamāśrame vāgvidāṃ varam nāradaḥ paripapraccha purāṇaṃ vāmanāśrayam

Translation

Nārada interrogea le sage Pulastya—assis dans son ermitage, le plus éminent des connaisseurs de la parole sacrée—au sujet du Purāṇa ayant Vāmana pour appui et centre.

Word by Word

• पुलस्त्य-मुनिम्: Pulastya the sage
• पुलस्त्य-मुनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पुलस्त्यः स मुनिः)

• आसीनम्: seated
• आसीनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आस्’ धातोः—seated

• आश्रमॆ: in the hermitage
• आश्रमॆ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• वाक्-विदाम्: of the knowers of speech
• वाक्-विदाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाचां विदः = speech-knowers)

• वरम्: the best
• वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘श्रेष्ठम्’ अर्थे

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• परिपप्रच्छ: asked (in detail)
• परिपप्रच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्ग: परि-

• पुराणम्: the Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• वामन-आश्रयम्: having Vāmana as its basis/theme
• वामन-आश्रयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वामन (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वामनम् आश्रयः यस्य/वामनाश्रयम्)

Speakers

• Nārada to Pulastya

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Purāṇic transmission
• Guru–śiṣya dialogue
• Scriptural inquiry

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The Purāṇic method values humble, sustained inquiry (paripraśna) and lineage-based transmission; spiritual knowledge is approached through dialogue, not mere assertion.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is the framing device that introduces forthcoming pancalakṣaṇa elements; it functions as the nidāna (occasion) for narration rather than a direct sarga/pratisarga unit.

What is the symbolic significance?

Pulastya represents authoritative Vedic speech and memory; Nārada represents devotional curiosity and itinerant dissemination—together modeling how Purāṇas bridge learned tradition and lived bhakti.