Vamana Purana — Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva, Shloka 55

The Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva: Himavan Grants the Marriage

Devanagari script

अहं यत्तपसात्मानं शोषयामि कृशोदरि बाल्ये ऽपि संयततनुस्तत्तु श्लाघ्यं द्विजन्मनाम्

Transliteration

ahaṃ yattapasātmānaṃ śoṣayāmi kṛśodari bālye 'pi saṃyatatanustattu ślāghyaṃ dvijanmanām

Translation

Ô toi à la taille fine, en ce que je dessèche (mortifie) mon corps par le tapas, bien que je sois encore dans l’enfance, une telle maîtrise du corps est vraiment louable parmi les dvija, les « deux-fois-nés ».

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (कर्तृकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यत्: that (which)
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative/conjunctive: 'that/which')

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: करण (करणकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• आत्मानम्: (my) self/body
• आत्मानम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• शोषयामि: I emaciate/dry up
• शोषयामि: कर्ता (कर्तृकारक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (causative) भावः—शोषयति = 'causes to dry/emaciate'

• कृशोदरि: O slender-waisted one
• कृशोदरि: सम्बोधन (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृश-उदरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—कृशम् उदरं यस्याः सा

• बाल्ये: in childhood
• बाल्ये: अधिकरण (अधिकरणकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'even/also')

• संयततनुः: (I) with restrained body
• संयततनुः: कर्ता (कर्तृकारक)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संयत-तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—संयता तनुः यस्य (controlled-bodied); अहम् इति विशेषणम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता/विषय (वाक्यविषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; 'that (act)'

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• श्लाघ्यम्: praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्यम्: विधेय (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लाघ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजन्मनाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि-जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—द्वे जन्मनी यस्य (ब्राह्मणादि); षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः

Speakers

• Unspecified in input; speaker defends/justifies their tapas to a woman addressed as ‘kṛśodari’

Key Themes

• Tapas (austerity)
• Brahmacarya / self-restraint
• Dharma norms for dvija
• Youthful discipline

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse asserts that disciplined restraint (saṃyama) is a virtue even when practiced early. In Purāṇic dharma discourse, tapas is valued not as self-harm but as training the senses and stabilizing intention.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Didactic material embedded in narrative (ākhyāna). It is not a sarga/pratisarga passage; it supports dharma instruction within the story framework.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Drying up the body’ symbolizes reducing attachment to bodily comfort and ego-claims. The mention of dvija frames tapas as a culturally sanctioned pathway to inner authority and spiritual maturity.