Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

ततः प्रगृह्य केशेषु खङ्गं च रविसप्रभम् छेत्तुकामो निजं शीर्षं वह्निना प्रतिषेधितः

Transliteration

tataḥ pragṛhya keśeṣu khaṅgaṃ ca ravisaprabham chettukāmo nijaṃ śīrṣaṃ vahninā pratiṣedhitaḥ

Translation

ಆಮೇಲೆ (ಅಗ್ನಿ) ಅವನನ್ನು ಕೂದಲಿನಿಂದ ಹಿಡಿದು, ಸೂರ್ಯಪ್ರಭೆಯಂತೆ ಕಂಗೊಳಿಸುವ ಖಡ್ಗವನ್ನು ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡು ತನ್ನ ತಲೆಯನ್ನು ಕತ್ತರಿಸಲು ಬಯಸಿದ ಅವನನ್ನು ಅಗ್ನಿಯೇ ತಡೆದನು।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम सूचक

• प्र-गृह्य: having grasped
• प्र-गृह्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having seized/taken’

• केशेषु: in/at the hair (by the hair)
• केशेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• खङ्गम्: a sword
• खङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• रवि-स-प्रभम्: sun-bright
• रवि-स-प्रभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + स (सदृश/सम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः उपमान-तत्पुरुष (रविसदृशी प्रभा यस्य)

• छेत्तु-कामः: desiring to cut
• छेत्तु-कामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √छिद् (धातु) > छेत्तृ (कृदन्त) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (छेत्तुः कामः = desirous to cut)

• निजम्: his own
• निजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शीर्षम्: head
• शीर्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• वह्निना: by the fire
• वह्निना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• प्रतिषेधितः: was prevented
• प्रतिषेधितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति-√सिध्/√षिध् (धातु) > प्रतिषेधित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘निवारितः’

Speakers

• Narratorial verse; Agni/Vahni acts as an intervening agency

Primary Deities

• Agni (Vahni)

Key Themes

• Dharma of non-self-harm
• Agni as moral witness/regulator of sacrifice
• Ritual propriety
• Daitya psychology

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even when a person attempts to sanctify self-harm as ‘offering,’ the cosmic order (here personified by Agni) rejects it. Agni is not merely a consumer of oblations but a guardian of yajña-dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Still within Vaṃśānucarita/Carita: an episodic narrative illustrating dharma through an asura’s extreme reaction and a divine check upon it.

What is the symbolic significance?

The sword ‘sun-bright’ suggests sharpened resolve and violent clarity, but Agni’s prohibition indicates that true sacrificial fire does not accept offerings born of delusion (moha) and rage (krodha).