Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

एतदुक्तं भगवता वैष्णवं पञ्जरं महत् पुरा रक्षार्थमीशेन कात्यायन्या द्विजोत्तम

Transliteration

etaduktaṃ bhagavatā vaiṣṇavaṃ pañjaraṃ mahat purā rakṣārthamīśena kātyāyanyā dvijottama

Translation

「この大いなるヴァイシュナヴァの『パンジャラ』（護りの籠、甲冑の真言）は、護身のために、かつて主によって説かれたものである。おお二度生まれの最勝者よ、カーティヤーヤニーに授けられた。」

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘उक्तम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• उक्तम्: was said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः

• भगवता: by the Lord
• भगवता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश), एकवचन

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पञ्जरम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पञ्जरम्: cage/armor (protective frame)
• पञ्जरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पञ्जरम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्षा+अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोगः; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (purpose): ‘रक्षायै अर्थम्’ = for protection

• ईशेन: by the Lord
• ईशेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कात्यायन्या: by Kātyāyanī
• कात्यायन्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कात्यायनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज+उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (implied) within the Pulastya–Nārada dialogue framework; direct speaker not explicitly marked in this verse

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (as source/identity of the Vaiṣṇava pañjara)
• Īśa/Īśvara (likely Śiva as teacher/transmitter)
• Kātyāyanī (Devī)

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Shaivism
• Sectarian Harmony
• Rituals/Mantra (Protection)
• Devi Tradition

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Protection (rakṣā) is framed as dharmic and compassionate: divine power is offered as a safeguard to uphold order. The verse also models non-sectarian piety—Vaiṣṇava power is conveyed through Īśa and bestowed upon Devī, implying cooperation rather than rivalry among divine forms.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily aligns with Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative material (accounts of divine deeds and transmissions) rather than cosmogenesis. It is a didactic insertion about mantra-authorization within an ongoing dialogue frame.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘pañjara’ (cage/armor) symbolizes a boundary of sacred order around the devotee or the righteous cause. Naming it ‘Vaiṣṇava’ while attributing its transmission to Īśa and its use to Kātyāyanī encodes Hari–Hara–Devī complementarity: one power, multiple functional manifestations.