Vamana Purana — Rudra's Wrath & Kalarupa, Shloka 56

Rudra’s Wrath at Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Iconography of Kālarūpa through the Zodiac

Devanagari script

धनुस्तु रङ्गजघनो दीप्यमानो धनुर्धरः वाजिशूरास्त्रविद्वीरः स्थायी गजरथादिषु

Transliteration

dhanustu raṅgajaghano dīpyamāno dhanurdharaḥ vājiśūrāstravidvīraḥ sthāyī gajarathādiṣu

Translation

彼は弓を執る射手となり、燦然と輝く姿で弓を帯びる。武勇に富み、武器に通じ、馬上の勇士として、象隊・戦車隊などの軍列の中に定まって立つ。

Word by Word

• धनुः: a bow
• धनुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• रङ्ग-जघनः: having a colored/bright hind-part
• रङ्ग-जघनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + जघन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (रङ्गं जघनं यस्य/रङ्गवर्ण-जघनः)

• दीप्यमानः: shining
• दीप्यमानः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद-भावः

• धनुः-धरः: bow-bearer/archer
• धनुः-धरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (धनुः धरति इति)

• वाजि-शूर-अस्त्र-विद्-वीरः: a heroic expert in weapons, a brave horseman
• वाजि-शूर-अस्त्र-विद्-वीरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजि (प्रातिपदिक) + शूर (प्रातिपदिक) + अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक) + वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (वाजिनां शूरः, अस्त्राणां विद्, वीरः)

• स्थायी: staying/abiding
• स्थायी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: णिनि/इन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (habitual/possessive: ‘one who stays’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गज-रथ-आदिषु: among elephants, chariots, etc.
• गज-रथ-आदिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (आदि-समूहः), सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; समुच्चयार्थक-समासः

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (inferred narrative frame)

Key Themes

• Karma and rebirth
• Kṣatriya/martial embodiment
• Skill and station as karmic outcome

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Embodiment and social role are portrayed as karmically conditioned: valor and martial skill can arise as a fruit of past tendencies (saṃskāras). The verse can also caution that brilliance and prowess are not inherently liberating unless guided by dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

As with the surrounding karmic descriptions, it functions as dharma/karma-phala instruction within Purāṇic narrative, not directly sarga/pratisarga/vamśa lists; it supports ethical formation by illustrating consequences.

What is the symbolic significance?

The bow-bearing warrior symbolizes focused agency and disciplined skill. Being 'stationed among elephants and chariots' evokes participation in the machinery of power—suggesting that karmic momentum can place one in high-intensity roles requiring restraint, righteousness, and discernment.