Vamana Purana — Rudra's Wrath & Kalarupa, Shloka 48

Rudra’s Wrath at Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Iconography of Kālarūpa through the Zodiac

Devanagari script

वृषः सदृशरूपो हि चरते गोकुलादिषु तस्याधिवासभूमित्तु कुषीवलधराश्रयः

Transliteration

vṛṣaḥ sadṛśarūpo hi carate gokulādiṣu tasyādhivāsabhūmittu kuṣīvaladharāśrayaḥ

Translation

« Vṛṣa (Taureau) a, en vérité, une forme semblable au taureau et se meut dans des lieux tels que les gokula (hameaux de gardiens de vaches). Le sol qui est sa demeure est dit être le refuge et le soutien de celui qui tient la charrue, le cultivateur. »

Word by Word

• वृषः: Taurus (the Bull sign)
• वृषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सदृशरूपः: having a similar form
• सदृशरूपः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश + रूप (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘सदृशं रूपं यस्य’

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक

• चरते: moves / roams
• चरते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• गोकुलादिषु: in cowherd-settlements etc.
• गोकुलादिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोकुल + आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (आदि-शब्दान्त-समूह), सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘गोकुल-आदि’ इत्येषु

• तस्य: of it / of that (sign)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अधिवासभूमिः: dwelling-place
• अधिवासभूमिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिवास + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘अधिवासस्य भूमिः’ (dwelling-ground)

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• कुषीवलधराश्रयः: a resort of cultivators
• कुषीवलधराश्रयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुषीवल + धर + आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘कुषीवलधराणाम् आश्रयः’ (resort of ploughmen/field-bearers)

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya to Nārada (standard Vāmana Purāṇa framing; not explicit in the provided excerpt)

Key Themes

• Sacred Geography
• Cosmology/Astral Lore
• Agrarian Symbolism

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse links cosmic order to everyday life: the ‘Bull’ imagery (strength, fertility, steadiness) is mapped onto pastoral and agrarian settings, implying that dharma and prosperity are sustained when society honors cultivation, cattle-care, and orderly livelihood.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This aligns most closely with sarga/pratisarga-style cosmological description (astral or world-order mapping), rather than vaṃśa or vaṃśānucarita. It is descriptive cosmography/astronomy embedded within the Purāṇic narrative.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Vṛṣa’ functions as a symbol of fecundity and stability. By placing his ‘dwelling’ with the cultivator, the text sacralizes farming as participating in cosmic rhythm—suggesting the heavens ‘support’ the ploughman through seasonal and zodiacal regularity.