Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 54

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

Devanagari script

तेषां पद्मनिधिस्तत्र वसते नान्यचेतनः गजश्च महिषाश्चाश्वा गावो ऽजाविपरिप्लुताः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ padmanidhistatra vasate nānyacetanaḥ gajaśca mahiṣāścāśvā gāvo 'jāvipariplutāḥ

Translation

അവരിൽ പദ്മനിധി അവിടെ തന്നെ വസിച്ചു; അവന്റെ ചിത്തം മറ്റൊന്നിലേക്കു തിരിയാത്തതായിരുന്നു. അവിടെ ആനകൾ, എരുമകൾ, കുതിരകൾ, പശുക്കൾ, ആടുകൾ, ചെമ്മരിയാടുകൾ എന്നിവ ധാരാളമായി ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• teṣām: of them/their
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• padma-nidhiḥ: Padma-treasure (name of a treasure)
• padma-nidhiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: पद्मस्य निधिः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• vasate: dwells/resides
• vasate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• anya-cetanaḥ: not of another mind/intent (single-minded)
• anya-cetanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक) + cetana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (अन्यः चेतनः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; padma-nidhiḥ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• gajaḥ: elephant
• gajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• mahiṣāḥ: buffaloes
• mahiṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• aśvāḥ: horses
• aśvāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• gāvaḥ: cows
• gāvaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ajā-avi-pariplutāḥ: filled/abounding with goats and sheep
• ajā-avi-pariplutāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ajā (प्रातिपदिक) + avi (प्रातिपदिक) + pari-√plu (धातु) (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (अजाश्च अवयश्च) + क्त-कृदन्त 'परिप्लुत' (covered/filled); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; gāvaḥ इत्यादि-समूहस्य विशेषण

Speakers

• Narratorial description

Key Themes

• Wealth symbolism (Nidhi)
• Prosperity imagery (livestock, royal resources)
• Yakṣa-treasure ecology

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Prosperity is depicted as structured and guarded: treasure (nidhi) is not random but ‘dwells’ with its own custodian-nature. The imagery implies that wealth, when rightly situated, supports life (cattle, horses, elephants) and social order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is ancillary narrative description within Vamśānucarita/ākhyāna material—depicting the setting and the signs of prosperity associated with a treasure-guardian.

What is the symbolic significance?

Padma (lotus) as a nidhi evokes Lakṣmī-like auspiciousness: wealth that is ‘rooted’ (vasate) and self-contained (nānyacetanaḥ). The listed animals are classical markers of royal and agrarian plenitude—resources that translate hidden treasure into visible stability.