Vamana Purana — Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva, Shloka 31

The Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva: Himavan Grants the Marriage

Devanagari script

देवो ऽप्याश्रित्य तद्रौद्रं व्रतं नाम्ना निराश्रयम् विचचार महाशैलान् सेरुप्राग्र्यान् महामतिः

Transliteration

devo 'pyāśritya tadraudraṃ vrataṃ nāmnā nirāśrayam vicacāra mahāśailān seruprāgryān mahāmatiḥ

Translation

Dewa itu pun, dengan menempuh laku tapa yang keras bernama ‘Nirāśraya’ (tanpa sandaran), berjiwa agung, mengembara di pegunungan besar dan puncak-puncak utama.

Word by Word

• devaḥ: the god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Anvaya (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): ‘also’

• āśritya: having undertaken/resorted to
• āśritya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√śri (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having resorted to/taken up’

• tat-raudram: that fierce
• tat-raudram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + raudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying vratam): ‘that fierce’

• vratam: vow/observance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by name/as called’

• nir-āśrayam: without refuge/support
• nir-āśrayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying vratam): ‘without support/refuge’

• vicacāra: wandered/roamed
• vicacāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√car (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• mahā-śailān: great mountains
• mahā-śailān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + śaila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘great mountains’

• seru-prāgryān: the foremost (mountains) of Seru
• seru-prāgryān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: seru (प्रातिपदिक/स्थाननाम) + prāgrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying mahāśailān): ‘foremost/excellent of Seru’ (पाठानुसार स्थानविशेष)

• mahā-matiḥ: the great-minded one
• mahā-matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणवत् संज्ञा: ‘great-minded’

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicit in the provided excerpt (commonly Pulastya → Nārada).

Primary Deities

• Śiva (implied by raudra-vrata/Rudra-mode)

Key Themes

• Śaivism
• Vrata/Rituals
• Ascetic wandering
• Tapas

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ‘nirāśraya’ stance models radical spiritual independence: the practitioner relies on inner discipline rather than external shelter or status. Ethically, it valorizes steadfastness and self-sufficiency in dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / Carita: a theologically charged episode describing divine conduct (ācāra) and vow-practice rather than cosmic creation or genealogical cataloging.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Raudra’ indicates transformative, boundary-breaking energy; wandering among mountains externalizes the inner austerity—mountains mirror immovability (sthāiratā) and height (uttamatva) sought in tapas.