Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 43

Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Origin of Kapalin Rudra (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

तत्र गत्वा च तं दृष्ट्वा नारायणमुवाच ह भिक्षां प्रयच्छ भगवन् महाकापालिको ऽस्मि भोः

Transliteration

tatra gatvā ca taṃ dṛṣṭvā nārāyaṇamuvāca ha bhikṣāṃ prayaccha bhagavan mahākāpāliko 'smi bhoḥ

Translation

そこへ赴き彼を拝して、ナーラーヤナに申し上げた。「施し（乞食の食）をお授けください、福徳具足の主よ。私は大いなるカーパ―リカ（髑髏を携える苦行者）にございます、尊師よ。」

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (गम् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of speaking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• ह: indeed/just
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/expletive particle)

• भिक्षाम्: alms
• भिक्षाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रयच्छ: give
• प्रयच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+यम् (यम् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• महाकापालिकः: a great Kāpālika ascetic
• महाकापालिकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + कापालिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् कापालिकः)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भोः: O! / hey!
• भोः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भोः (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

Speakers

• Rudra (in Kāpālika guise) to Nārāyaṇa (implied by next verses)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)
• Shiva (Rudra/Maheśvara)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Vaishnavism
• Sectarian Harmony
• Divine Lila
• Dana/Alms (Bhiksha)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even the highest divinity is portrayed as honoring the dharma of giving (bhikṣā/dāna) and engaging humbly in exchanges that teach reciprocity and restraint; the scene also normalizes respectful encounter across traditions.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita/Carita-like narrative material (divine episode) rather than cosmogenesis; it functions as an illustrative theistic dialogue embedded in the Purāṇic narration.

What is the symbolic significance?

Śiva as a Kāpālika requesting alms from Nārāyaṇa dramatizes complementarity: the ascetic/terrible aspect seeks ‘bhikṣā’ from the sustaining lord, suggesting mutual dependence and non-contradiction of Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths.