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Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 48

Akhaṇḍa-Ekādaśī Vrata and the Vaiṣṇava Protective Hymn; Prelude to the Kātyāyanī–Mahiṣāsura Narrative

Devanagari script

उक्तश्च मा दैत्यवर नाशयात्मानमात्मना दुस्तरा परवध्यापि स्ववध्याप्यतिदुस्तरा

Transliteration

uktaśca mā daityavara nāśayātmānamātmanā dustarā paravadhyāpi svavadhyāpyatidustarā

Translation

Dan ia dinasihati: ‘Wahai yang terbaik di antara para Daitya, jangan binasakan dirimu oleh tanganmu sendiri. Kematian sukar dilampaui; meski terbunuh oleh orang lain mungkin, membunuh diri sendiri amat sukar dan amat tercela.’

Word by Word
उक्तः(he) was told/said
उक्तः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Root√वच् (धातु) > उक्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘said/addressed’
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय
माdo not
मा:
Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमा (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय (prohibitive particle)
दैत्य-वरO best of Daityas
दैत्य-वर:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootदैत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (vocative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दैत्येषु वरः)
नाशयdestroy
नाशय:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√नश् (धातु)
Formलोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in usage ‘destroy!’
आत्मानम्yourself
आत्मानम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन
आत्मनाby yourself
आत्मना:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootआत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन
दुस्तराhard to overcome
दुस्तरा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘hard to cross/overcome’
पर-वध्याkillable by others
पर-वध्या:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक) + वध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (परैः वध्या = killable by others)
अपिeven if
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अपि = ‘even/also’
स्व-वध्याkillable by oneself
स्व-वध्या:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (स्वेन वध्या = killable by oneself)
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अपि = ‘even/also’
अति-दुस्तराextremely hard to overcome
अति-दुस्तरा:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootअति (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + दुस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अति-पूर्वपदेन अव्ययीभाववत् समास/उपपद-समास; अर्थः ‘अत्यन्तं दुस्तरा’
Speakers
Implied admonisher: Vahni/Agni (from the prior verse’s ‘vahninā pratiṣedhitaḥ’)though not explicitly named here
Primary Deities
Agni (implied speaker)
Key Themes
Ethics of non-suicideDharma and restraintAgni as instructor of ritual-moralityDaitya-Deva Conflict (background)
Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

The passage functions as a direct niṣedha (prohibition): self-destruction is not validated as dharma. The Purāṇic ethic emphasizes endurance, right action, and seeking lawful remedies rather than collapsing into self-harm under emotional turbulence.

Vaṃśānucarita/Carita: moral instruction embedded in narrative. It is not a tirtha-māhātmya, vrata-vidhi, or sectarian synthesis unit in these verses.

‘Slain by another’ versus ‘slain by oneself’ contrasts fate imposed by external karma with the inner rupture of will and dharma. The verse frames suicide as a profound spiritual and psychological ‘ati-dustara’—a perilous crossing that disrupts yajña-order rather than fulfilling it.

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