Vamana Purana — Shiva's Wedding Procession (Part 1), Shloka 60

Shiva’s Wedding Procession to Kailasa and the Marriage of Girija (Kali)

Devanagari script

ऋषीनुवाच कालीयं मम पुत्री तपोधनाः प्रणामं संकरवधूर्भक्तिनम्रा करोति व

Transliteration

ṛṣīnuvāca kālīyaṃ mama putrī tapodhanāḥ praṇāmaṃ saṃkaravadhūrbhaktinamrā karoti va

Translation

उन्होंने ऋषियों से कहा—‘हे तपोधन! यह कालीया मेरी पुत्री, शंकर की वधू, भक्ति से नम्र होकर आपको प्रणाम करती है।’

Word by Word

• ऋषीन्: the sages
• ऋषीन्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कालीयम्: Kālī (this Kālī)
• कालीयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘काली’ नाम

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• पुत्री: daughter
• पुत्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• तपोधनाः: O rich-in-austerity ones (ascetics)
• तपोधनाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक: तपस् + धन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तपसः धनं यस्य) ‘rich in austerity’—ऋषिसम्बोधन

• प्रणामम्: salutation
• प्रणामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• शंकरवधूः: Śaṅkara’s bride
• शंकरवधूः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकरवधू (प्रातिपदिक: शंकर + वधू)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शंकरस्य वधूः)

• भक्तिनम्रा: humbled by devotion
• भक्तिनम्रा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्तिनम्र (प्रातिपदिक: भक्ति + नम्र)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘भक्त्या नम्रा’ (humble with devotion)

• करोति: does / offers
• करोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• व: indeed/and (particle)
• व: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विकल्प/समुच्चयार्थक; पदपूरण

Speakers

• Himavat (implied) addressing the ṛṣis; Kālikā/Śiva’s bride is the subject

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Bhakti
• Respect for sages (ṛṣi-vandana)
• Austerity (tapas)
• Dharma / social-sacral etiquette

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

True spiritual stature is shown through humility: even the divine bride honors sages. The verse promotes bhakti expressed as reverence toward realized persons and custodians of tapas.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita within Vamśānucarita: a situational episode that illustrates the conduct (ācāra) of divine figures within lineage narrative.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Tapodhana’ elevates tapas as the sages’ true wealth, while the bride’s devotional bow indicates that power (śakti) is rightly guided by humility and alignment with wisdom—an ideal of harmonizing energy with restraint.