Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 44

Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Origin of Kapalin Rudra (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तो धर्मपुत्रस्तु रुद्रं वचनमब्रवीत् सव्यं भुजं ताडयस्व त्रिशूलेन महेश्वर

Transliteration

ityukto dharmaputrastu rudraṃ vacanamabravīt savyaṃ bhujaṃ tāḍayasva triśūlena maheśvara

Translation

असे सांगितल्यावर धर्मपुत्राने रुद्रास म्हटले— “हे महेश्वर! त्रिशूळाने माझ्या डाव्या भुजेला प्रहार कर.”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), इति-शब्दः; वाक्यसमाप्त्यर्थक-निपात (quotative particle)

• उक्तः: having been addressed
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), क्त-प्रत्यय; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘उक्तः’ = spoken/addressed

• धर्मपुत्रः: Dharma’s son (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• धर्मपुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: धर्मस्य पुत्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/then
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वचनम्: words/speech
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सव्यम्: left
• सव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘left’

• भुजम्: arm
• भुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ताडयस्व: strike!
• ताडयस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताडय् (धातु, णिजन्त)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; आज्ञार्थ

• त्रिशूलेन: with the trident
• त्रिशूलेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• महेश्वर: O Maheśvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speakers

• Nārāyaṇa (called Dharmaputra) to Rudra/Maheśvara

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)
• Shiva (Maheśvara/Rudra)

Key Themes

• Sectarian Harmony
• Divine Lila
• Dharma
• Power and Invulnerability Motif

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse presents fearlessness grounded in dharma: the divine willingly accepts (or invites) a test, implying that true spiritual authority is not threatened by displays of power.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Narrative episode (carita) used to communicate theology; it is not sarga/pratisarga but a didactic theistic illustration within the Purāṇic frame.

What is the symbolic significance?

Inviting the trident’s blow signifies the non-opposition of Śiva’s destructive/ascetic force and Viṣṇu’s sustaining order—two functions of one supreme reality in Purāṇic idiom.