Vamana Purana — Nara-Narayana's Tapas, Shloka 37

Nara-Narayana’s Tapas, Indra’s Temptation, and the Burning of Kama: The Origin of Ananga and the Shiva-Linga Episode

Devanagari script

सति सत्यं प्रकुपिता मा कोपं कुरु सुन्दरि पादप्रणामावनतमभिभाषितु मर्हसि

Transliteration

sati satyaṃ prakupitā mā kopaṃ kuru sundari pādapraṇāmāvanatamabhibhāṣitu marhasi

Translation

“ഹേ സതി! നീ സത്യമായും കോപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു; ഹേ സുന്ദരി, കോപിക്കരുത്. നിന്റെ പാദങ്ങളിൽ പ്രണാമിച്ച് നമിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്ന എന്നോടു സംസാരിക്കാൻ അനുഗ്രഹിക്കണം।”

Word by Word

• सति: O Satī
• सति: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सती’ (proper/common noun as address)

• सत्यम्: truly
• सत्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: ‘truly’); मूलतः नपुंसक-Subanta द्वितीया-एकवचन

• प्रकुपिता: angered
• प्रकुपिता: कर्तृविशेषण (predicate of ‘you’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- कुप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मा: do not
• मा: निषेध (prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (prohibitive particle used with imperative)

• कोपम्: anger
• कोपम्: कर्म (Karma/object of कुरु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुरु: do/make
• कुरु: क्रिया (command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुन्दरि: O beautiful one
• सुन्दरि: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पादप्रणामावनतम्: (me) bowed down in salutation at (your) feet
• पादप्रणामावनतम्: कर्म (Karma/object; the bowed one)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद-प्रणाम-अवनत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: (पादप्रणाम) तत्पुरुष (पादयोः प्रणामः) + अवनत (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव: ‘pāda-praṇāma-avanata’ = ‘bowed due to salutation at the feet’); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied ‘me’)

• अभिभाषितुम्: to speak/address
• अभिभाषितुम्: प्रयोजन (purpose/complement of मर्हसि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-भाष् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थक (purpose/complement)

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Hara (Śiva) speaking (continuation of dream-dialogue)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Hara)
• Sati

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Kṣamā (forbearance)
• Humility
• Reconciliation
• Bhakti-like submission (pāda-praṇāma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Anger is portrayed as a rupture in dharmic harmony; the remedy shown is humility, respectful speech, and willingness to reconcile—virtues applicable to householders and rulers alike.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita-oriented narrative (conduct and episode of divine figures), serving the purāṇic pedagogical role rather than genealogical (vaṃśa) or cosmic (sarga/pratisarga) enumeration.

What is the symbolic significance?

Śiva’s bowing at Sati’s feet reverses expected hierarchies to teach that pacifying anger may require self-lowering; it sacralizes humility as a spiritual power equal to asceticism.