Vamana Purana — Nara-Narayana's Tapas, Shloka 98

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

Devanagari script

यदासीन्मुष्टिबन्धं तु रुक्मपृष्ठं महाप्रभम् स चम्पकतरुर्जातः सुगन्धाढ्यो गुणाकृतिः

Transliteration

yadāsīnmuṣṭibandhaṃ tu rukmapṛṣṭhaṃ mahāprabham sa campakatarurjātaḥ sugandhāḍhyo guṇākṛtiḥ

Translation

ധനുസ്സിന്റെ മുഷ്ടിബന്ധമായിരുന്നതു—സ്വർണ്ണപൃഷ്ഠവും മഹാപ്രഭയും—അതേ സുഗന്ധസമൃദ്ധവും മനോഹരാകൃതിയുമായ ചമ്പകവൃക്ഷമായി മാറി.

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (यद्…तद्-सम्बन्धः)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मुष्टिबन्धम्: fist-binding / grip (of the bow)
• मुष्टिबन्धम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि + बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुष्टेः बन्धः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• रुक्मपृष्ठम्: gold-backed
• रुक्मपृष्ठम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुक्म + पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (रुक्मं पृष्ठं यस्य/रुक्मपृष्ठम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मुष्टिबन्धम्)

• महाप्रभम्: greatly splendid
• महाप्रभम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (महती प्रभा यस्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सः: that (it) / it
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चम्पकतरुः: a campaka tree
• चम्पकतरुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चम्पक + तरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चम्पकस्य तरुः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• जातः: became / was born (as)
• जातः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle used predicatively); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सुगन्धाढ्यः: rich in fragrance
• सुगन्धाढ्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + गन्ध + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (सुगन्धेन आढ्यः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (चम्पकतरुः)

• गुणाकृतिः: embodiment/form of qualities
• गुणाकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (गुणैः आकृतिः/गुणमयी आकृतिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speakers

• Unspecified in the provided excerpt (likely within Pulastya–Nārada narrative frame)

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• Kama (Madana)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Aetiological myth (origin of a tree)
• Transformation
• Sublimation of desire into fragrance/beauty

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even when desire is ‘burned,’ its energy can be transmuted—here into fragrance and beauty—suggesting sublimation rather than mere negation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita/aakhyāna material with an aetiological function (explaining an origin in the world); it is not primarily genealogical or cosmological.

What is the symbolic significance?

The campaka’s perfume stands for refined rasa: the gross form of desire is destroyed, but an elevated aesthetic essence remains, aligned with dharma and auspiciousness.