Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 23

Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

भ्रामयन्तं महादण्डं दृष्ट्वा भानुसुतो मुने दुःसहं दुर्धरं मत्वा अन्तर्धानमगाद् यमः

Transliteration

bhrāmayantaṃ mahādaṇḍaṃ dṛṣṭvā bhānusuto mune duḥsahaṃ durdharaṃ matvā antardhānamagād yamaḥ

Translation

Ô sage, voyant le grand bâton tournoyer, le fils de Bhānu (Yama) le jugea insupportable et impossible à maîtriser, puis Yama entra en retrait et disparut.

Word by Word

• भ्रामयन्तम्: whirling / causing to whirl
• भ्रामयन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रामयत् (कृदन्त, √भ्रम् धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), कर्मणि/कर्तरि प्रयोगसामर्थ्य; पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• महादण्डम्: the great staff/rod
• महादण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् दण्डः)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृष्ट्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त, √दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• भानुसुतः: the son of Bhānu (Yama)
• भानुसुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भानोः सुतः)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• दुःसहम्: unbearable
• दुःसहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःसह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दुर्धरम्: hard to hold/withstand
• दुर्धरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मत्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त, √मन् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया

• अन्तर्धानम्: disappearance / concealment
• अन्तर्धानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर्धान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अगात्: went / resorted to
• अगात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator voice addressing a sage (mune)
• within the Purāṇic frame (commonly Pulastya → Nārada
• but not explicit in the provided excerpt)

Primary Deities

• Yama

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Fear/strategic retreat
• Limits of punitive authority under brute force
• Antardhāna (disappearance motif)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The episode dramatizes that even cosmic regulators (like Yama) may withdraw in specific narrative moments; Purāṇic ethics often uses such reversals to show that power without dharma can create temporary disorder, yet does not negate the eventual reassertion of cosmic law.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This belongs to vaṃśānucarita/ākhyāna-style mythic history: an action beat in a conflict narrative involving a deva figure (Yama) and an asuric antagonist (Andhaka).

What is the symbolic significance?

Yama’s ‘antardhāna’ signifies a momentary eclipse of juridical/moral restraint (daṇḍa in the sense of punishment) by violent force (daṇḍa as weapon). The doubled sense of daṇḍa underscores the tension between rightful punishment and mere weaponized domination.