Shloka 53

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

Devanagari script

हृषीकेशेन मुक्तस्तु वीरभद्रो जटाधरम् गत्वा निवेदयामास वासुदेवात्पराजयम्

Transliteration

hṛṣīkeśena muktastu vīrabhadro jaṭādharam gatvā nivedayāmāsa vāsudevātparājayam

Translation

ഹൃഷീകേശൻ വിട്ടയച്ചതോടെ വീരഭദ്രൻ ജടാധരനായ (ശിവൻ) അടുക്കൽ ചെന്നു, വാസുദേവന്റെ കൈകളാൽ തനിക്കുണ്ടായ പരാജയം അറിയിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• hṛṣīkeśena: by Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu)
• hṛṣīkeśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛṣīkeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• muktaḥ: released/freed
• muktaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √muc (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with 'vīrabhadraḥ'

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• vīrabhadraḥ: Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrabhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• jaṭādharam: the matted-hair bearer (Śiva)
• jaṭādharam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jaṭā (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √gam (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त अव्यय), 'having gone'

• nivedayāmāsa: reported/informed
• nivedayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√vid (धातु; causative)
• Form: Causative stem (णिजन्त) 'nivedayati'; Periphrastic perfect (लिट्-परस्मैपद, आमास-योग), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāsudevāt: from Vāsudeva
• vāsudevāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• parājayam: defeat
• parājayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parājaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Narratorial layer (within the Purana’s dialogue framework
• typically Pulastya → Nārada)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Vāsudeva)
• Shiva (Jaṭādhara)
• Vīrabhadra

Key Themes

• Shaiva-Vaishnava Synthesis
• Devotional hierarchy without sectarian denial
• Divine retinue (gaṇas)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse models truthful accountability: even a mighty agent like Vīrabhadra acknowledges setback and reports it. Ethically, dharma includes transparent reporting and humility before one’s lord.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita/Vamśānucarita mode: a narrated incident in divine history emphasizing relationships among deities and their attendants, rather than cosmogenesis.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Reporting defeat to Jaṭādhara’ dramatizes the Purana’s non-sectarian texture: Vishnu’s superiority in a particular encounter does not negate Shiva’s sovereignty; it sets up Shiva’s response as part of a coordinated cosmic drama.