Vamana Purana — Sati's Death & Virabhadra, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

खड्गचर्मगदाप्रासपरश्वधवराङ्कुशैः चापमार्गणभृत्तस्थौ हन्तुकामो गणेश्वरम्

Transliteration

khaḍgacarmagadāprāsaparaśvadhavarāṅkuśaiḥ cāpamārgaṇabhṛttasthau hantukāmo gaṇeśvaram

Translation

ഖഡ്ഗവും ചർമവും, ഗദയും, പ്രാസവും, പരശുവും, ശ്രേഷ്ഠമായ അങ്കുശവും ധരിച്ചു; ധനുസ്സും അമ്പുകളും കൈവശം വെച്ച് സന്നദ്ധനായി നിന്നു, ഗണേശ്വരനെ വധിക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• khaḍga-carma-gadā-prāsa-paraśvadha-vara-aṅkuśaiḥ: with sword, shield, mace, spear, axe, (and) excellent goad
• khaḍga-carma-gadā-prāsa-paraśvadha-vara-aṅkuśaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक) + carma (प्रातिपदिक) + gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + prāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + paraśvadha (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅkuśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (समाहार/इतरेतर; list of weapons); तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; करण (instrumental)

• cāpa-mārgaṇa-bhṛt: bearing bow and arrows
• cāpa-mārgaṇa-bhṛt: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + mārgaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhṛt (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'bearing bow and arrows'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (implicit subject)

• tasthau: stood
• tasthau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• hantukāmaḥ: desiring to kill
• hantukāmaḥ: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hantu (√han धातु, तुमुन्-अन्त) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'desirous to kill'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (implicit subject)

• gaṇeśvaram: Gaṇeśvara
• gaṇeśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Not specified in input (commonly framed as Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa narration)

Primary Deities

• Gaṇeśa (Gaṇeśvara)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Divine warfare
• Dharma vs. aggression

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Aggression toward a dharmic/divine protector (here Gaṇeśvara) is portrayed as adharma; the verse foregrounds intent (hantukāma) as ethically weighty—violent intention itself is a moral fault that precipitates conflict and its consequences.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best classified under Vamśānucarita/Carita-type narrative material (accounts of deeds and events involving divine beings), rather than cosmogenesis (sarga/pratisarga) or manvantara cataloguing.

What is the symbolic significance?

The piling up of weapons symbolizes the escalation of egoic force against divine order; Gaṇeśa, as the lord of gaṇas and remover of obstacles, becomes the ‘obstacle’ to adharmic intent—hence conflict arises where dharma blocks unrighteous aims.