Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 7

Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

रथं सारथिना सार्धं साश्वध्वजसकूबम् भस्म कृत्वाथ कुलिशमन्धकं समुपाययौ

Transliteration

rathaṃ sārathinā sārdhaṃ sāśvadhvajasakūbam bhasma kṛtvātha kuliśamandhakaṃ samupāyayau

Translation

സാരഥിയോടുകൂടി, അശ്വങ്ങൾ, ധ്വജം, ദണ്ഡം എന്നിവയുള്ള രഥത്തെ ഭസ്മമാക്കി; തുടർന്ന് കുലിശം (വജ്രസദൃശ ആയുധം) കൈയിൽ എടുത്ത് അന്ധകനെ നേരെ സമീപിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• ratham: chariot
• ratham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• sārathinā: with the charioteer / by the charioteer
• sārathinā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sārathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• sārdham: together with
• sārdham: Saha (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sārdha (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), सहार्थक-अव्यय (comitative particle)

• sa-aśva-dhvaja-sa-kūbam: (the chariot) having horses, a banner, and a pole/yoke
• sa-aśva-dhvaja-sa-kūbam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + aśva (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक) + sa (अव्यय) + kūba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (possessive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter) / द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; रथम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• bhasma: ashes
• bhasma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhasman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as result-object)

• kṛtvā: having made (into)
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/सम्बन्धसूचक (then/now)

• kuliśa-mandhakam: Andhaka (struck) by the thunderbolt / ‘Kuliśa-Andhaka’
• kuliśa-mandhakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuliśa (प्रातिपदिक) + andhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative; ‘kuliśa’ as qualifier), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• samupāyayau: approached / went up to
• samupāyayau: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√i (धातु) with sam- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speakers

• Pulastya to Nārada (inferred continuation)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Astra warfare
• Andhaka episode (daitya antagonism)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The collapse of the chariot retinue (vehicle, driver, horses, insignia) highlights the fragility of external supports and status-symbols in conflict; only inner resolve and dharma-aligned power endure.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita/Vamśānucarita: a combat-focused narrative segment within the broader purāṇic history/legend cycles rather than sarga/pratisarga.

What is the symbolic significance?

Reducing the chariot complex to ash symbolizes the annihilation of ego-structures (ratha as embodied apparatus) before confronting the core adversary (Andhaka). The kuliśa/vajra motif signifies irresistible, dharma-charged potency.