Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

तमापतन्तं प्रसमीक्ष्य पाशं गदां च दाक्षायणिनन्दनस्तु विवेश वेगात् पयसां निधानं ततो ऽन्धको देवबलं ममर्द

Transliteration

tamāpatantaṃ prasamīkṣya pāśaṃ gadāṃ ca dākṣāyaṇinandanastu viveśa vegāt payasāṃ nidhānaṃ tato 'ndhako devabalaṃ mamarda

Translation

Voyant le lacet et la massue fondre sur lui, le fils de Dakṣāyaṇī se précipita dans le réservoir des eaux. Alors Andhaka écrasa l’armée des dieux.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); सर्वनाम

• āpatantam: falling/charging (towards)
• āpatantam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√pat (धातु) + śatṛ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमानकाले शतृ), Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying 'tam'

• prasamīkṣya: having observed
• prasamīkṣya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-sam-√īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय), अव्यय; ‘having observed’

• pāśam: noose
• pāśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• gadām: mace
• gadām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• dākṣāyaṇi-nandanaḥ: the son of Dākṣāyaṇī
• dākṣāyaṇi-nandanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dākṣāyaṇī (प्रातिपदिक) + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘of Dākṣāyaṇī’); Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tu: indeed/however
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• viveśa: entered
• viveśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√viś (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• vegāt: with speed
• vegāt: Hetu/Apādāna (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; adverbial sense ‘from/with speed’

• payasām: of the waters
• payasām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: payas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nidhānam: repository/abode
• nidhānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of ‘viveśa’

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Deśa/Kāla-adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable adverb (अव्यय), ‘then/from there’

• andhakaḥ: Andhaka
• andhakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: andhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• deva-balam: the army/strength of the gods
• deva-balam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘of the gods’); Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• mamarda: crushed/pressed down
• mamarda: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mṛd (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

Speakers

• Narrative voice within the Purāṇic frame (commonly Pulastya → Nārada
• but not explicit in the provided verses)

Primary Deities

• Varuṇa

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Tactical retreat into one’s own element
• Andhaka’s onslaught

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even divine powers employ prudence: strategic withdrawal is not defeat but preservation of order for a later restoration. The gods’ vulnerability in battle highlights that cosmic balance is maintained through coordinated dharmic effort, not mere invincibility.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / Carita: continuing martial narration involving devas and asuras (especially Andhaka). It functions as episodic history within the broader purāṇic account.

What is the symbolic significance?

Varuṇa entering the waters reflects returning to one’s svadhātu (own element), a motif of elemental sovereignty. Andhaka’s crushing of the deva host symbolizes the temporary ascendancy of tamas/adharma before the corrective reassertion of ṛta (cosmic order).