HomeVamana PuranaAdh. 4Shloka 20
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Shloka 20

Sati's Death & VirabhadraSati’s Death and the Assault on Daksha’s Sacrifice: Virabhadra versus the Devas

ततो गणानामधिपो वीरभद्रो महाबलः दिशि प्रतीच्युत्तरायां तस्थौ शूलधरो मुने

tato gaṇānāmadhipo vīrabhadro mahābalaḥ diśi pratīcyuttarāyāṃ tasthau śūladharo mune

അപ്പോൾ ഗണങ്ങളുടെ അധിപനായ മഹാബലവാൻ വീരഭദ്രൻ, ഹേ മുനേ, വടക്കുപടിഞ്ഞാറ് ദിശയിൽ ത്രിശൂലം ധരിച്ചു നിന്നു।

tataḥthen
tataḥ:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय (Avyaya), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
gaṇānāmof the gaṇas
gaṇānām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootgaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)
adhipaḥlord/leader
adhipaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootadhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
vīrabhadraḥVīrabhadra
vīrabhadraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvīrabhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
mahā-balaḥmighty/very strong
mahā-balaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmahā + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of vīrabhadraḥ
diśiin the direction
diśi:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootdiś (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)
pratīc-uttarāyāmin the western-northern (northwest)
pratīc-uttarāyām:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpratīc + uttarā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); द्वन्द्व-समासः (copulative) used adjectivally with diśi
tasthaustood/took position
tasthau:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsthā (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)
śūla-dharaḥbearing a trident/spear
śūla-dharaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootśūla + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of vīrabhadraḥ
muneO sage
mune:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootmuni (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)
Likely Pulastya → Nārada (typical Vāmana Purāṇa dialogue frame; not explicit in input)
Virabhadra
ShaivismIconography (śūla/trident)Ritual confrontation (Dakṣa-yajña context)Martial guardianship / directional positioning

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

FAQs

Power is depicted as ordered and purposeful: Vīrabhadra does not act as chaos but as a disciplined executor of cosmic justice. The directional stance implies deliberate restraint and strategic action rather than blind fury.

Again this is carita (narrative of divine agents) used to ground later religious understanding—especially Śaiva ritual, iconography, and the theology of yajña.

The trident (śūla) commonly signifies Śiva’s sovereignty over the threefold structure of existence (e.g., three guṇas or triad of functions). Standing in a specific direction reflects protective containment of sacrificial space and the re-ordering of a rite gone astray.