Vamana Purana — Chanda & Munda Discover Katyayani, Shloka 11

Chanda and Munda Discover Katyayani; Mahishasura’s Proposal and the Vishnu-Panjara Protection

Devanagari script

वृत्तावरोमौ च मृदू कुमार्याः शोभेत ऊरू समनुत्तमौ हि आवासनार्थं मकरध्वजेन जनस्य देशाविव सन्निविष्टौ

Transliteration

vṛttāvaromau ca mṛdū kumāryāḥ śobheta ūrū samanuttamau hi āvāsanārthaṃ makaradhvajena janasya deśāviva sanniviṣṭau

Translation

कुमारीचे ऊरू गोल, निररोम व मृदू असून अनुपम शोभतात. जणू मकरध्वजाने लोकांच्या निवासासाठी दोन प्रदेशांसारखे ते स्थिर करून ठेवले आहेत.

Word by Word

• वृत्त-अवरोमौ: rounded and hairless
• वृत्त-अवरोमौ: Visheshana (विशेषण of ऊरू)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत्त + अवरोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; कर्मधारय (वृत्तौ अवरोमौ = rounded and hairless)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मृदू: soft
• मृदू: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ऊरू)

• कुमार्याः: of the maiden
• कुमार्याः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शोभेत: would shine / shines (poetic)
• शोभेत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ऊरू: the two thighs
• ऊरू: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• समनुत्तमौ: most excellent
• समनुत्तमौ: Visheshana (विशेषण of ऊरू)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अनु + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वपद-समास (समनु-उत्तम = exceedingly excellent)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• आवासनार्थम्: for residence
• आवासनार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवास + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (आवासस्य अर्थः = for dwelling)

• मकरध्वजेन: by Makara-bannered (Cupid)
• मकरध्वजेन: Karana (करण/Agent-Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (मकरध्वज = ‘whose banner is a makara’, i.e., Kāma)

• जनस्य: of people
• जनस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देशौ: two regions/lands
• देशौ: Upamana (उपमान; in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (simile particle)

• सन्निविष्टौ: placed, set
• सन्निविष्टौ: Kriya-visheshana / Visheshana (विशेषण of ऊरू)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + नि√विश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘seated/placed’

Speakers

• Narrative voice not explicit in excerpt; poetic description

Primary Deities

• Kāma (Makaradhvaja)

Key Themes

• Śṛṅgāra aesthetics
• Embodied metaphor
• Kāma as cosmic force

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

By portraying Kāma as 'seeking residence', the verse hints that desire is not merely personal but a pervasive force that 'inhabits' the mind through sense-perception; ethical discipline involves guarding the inner 'territories' where desire settles.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Like the prior verse, it is ancillary poetic narration (varṇana) rather than a pañcalakṣaṇa core topic.

What is the symbolic significance?

The thighs as 'two regions' suggest a microcosm-macrocosm mapping: the body becomes a landscape, and Kāma becomes a quasi-divinity occupying that landscape—an aesthetic way to express the sovereignty of erotic impulse.