HomeVamana PuranaAdh. 19Shloka 9
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Vamana Purana — Manifestation of Katyayani, Shloka 9

The Manifestation of Katyayani (Durga) and the Humbling of the Vindhya by Agastya

माहेश्वराद् वक्त्रमथो बभूव नेत्रत्रयं पावकतेजसा च याम्येन केशा हरितेजसा च भुजास्तथाष्टादश संप्जज्ञिरे

māheśvarād vaktramatho babhūva netratrayaṃ pāvakatejasā ca yāmyena keśā haritejasā ca bhujāstathāṣṭādaśa saṃpjajñire

મહેશ્વરની શક્તિથી મુખ ઉત્પન્ન થયું; પાવક (અગ્નિ)ના તેજથી ત્રિનેત્ર પ્રગટ થયા. યમની શક્તિથી કેશ થયા; અને હરિના તેજથી અષ્ટાદશ ભુજાઓ ઉત્પન્ન થઈ।

माहेश्वरात्from Maheśvara (Śiva)
माहेश्वरात्:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootमाहेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन
वक्त्रम्a face, mouth
वक्त्रम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
अथोthen indeed
अथो:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (अथ + उ; अनन्तरता/particle: then indeed)
बभूवcame to be, arose
बभूव:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
नेत्रत्रयम्a triad of eyes (three eyes)
नेत्रत्रयम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootनेत्र-त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः द्विगु (त्रयम् नेत्राणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
पावकतेजसाby the fire’s radiance
पावकतेजसा:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootपावक-तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः तत्पुरुष (पावकस्य तेजसा), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (समुच्चय)
याम्येनby Yama’s (power) / by the southern (power)
याम्येन:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootयाम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; यमसम्बन्धि (pertaining to Yama/southern)
केशाःhair
केशाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकेश (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
हरितेजसाby Hari’s radiance
हरितेजसा:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootहरि-तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसमासः तत्पुरुष (हरेः तेजसा), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
and
:
Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (समुच्चय)
भुजाःarms
भुजाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootभुज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
तथाlikewise
तथा:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण: likewise)
अष्टादशeighteen
अष्टादश:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअष्टादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formसंख्याशब्द, अव्ययवत्/विशेषणरूपेण; ‘eighteen’ (भुजान् विशेषयति)
सम्प्रजज्ञिरेwere produced, came into being
सम्प्रजज्ञिरे:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-प्र-जन् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद
Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (likely within the Purāṇic dialogue frameoften Pulastya → Nāradabut unconfirmed here).
Shiva (Maheśvara)Agni (Pāvaka)YamaVishnu (Hari)
Shaiva–Vaishnava harmonyTheophany / composite formIconography and divine embodimentTejas as creative principle

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

FAQs

The verse presents divinity as a coordinated unity of powers (tejas) rather than competing sectarian absolutes: Śiva, Viṣṇu, and other deities contribute to one manifest form, encouraging a non-exclusivist vision of the sacred.

Best fits as part of Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative description (characteristics and manifestation of a divine figure) rather than sarga/pratisarga. It is iconographic-theological material embedded in narrative.

The face from Maheśvara implies sovereignty of consciousness; three eyes from fire suggest omnivision/transformative insight; hair from Yama evokes time, mortality, and restraint; eighteen arms from Hari indicate protective, all-capable agency—many arms as capacity to uphold dharma.