Vamana Purana — Manifestation of Katyayani, Shloka 8

The Manifestation of Katyayani (Durga) and the Humbling of the Vindhya by Agastya

Devanagari script

तेनार्षिसृष्टेन च तेज-सा वृतं ज्वलत्प्रकाशार्कसहस्रतुल्यम् तस्माच्च जाता तरलायताक्षी कात्यायनी योगविशुद्धदेहा

Transliteration

tenārṣisṛṣṭena ca teja-sā vṛtaṃ jvalatprakāśārkasahasratulyam tasmācca jātā taralāyatākṣī kātyāyanī yogaviśuddhadehā

Translation

ऋषींनी निर्माण केलेल्या त्या तेजाने वेढलेले, ज्वलंत प्रकाशाने सहस्र सूर्यांसारखे तेजस्वी; त्यातूनच तरल, विशाल नेत्रांची, योगाने शुद्ध देह असलेली कात्यायनी उत्पन्न झाली।

Word by Word

• तेन: by that / by him
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आर्षिसृष्टेन: by what was created by the sage
• आर्षिसृष्टेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋषि-सृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (ऋषिणा सृष्टम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

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

• तेजसा: by splendor/energy
• तेजसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वृतम्: covered, surrounded
• वृतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Predicative (विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘covered/surrounded’

• ज्वलत्प्रकाशार्कसहस्रतुल्यम्: equal to a thousand shining suns
• ज्वलत्प्रकाशार्कसहस्रतुल्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलत्-प्रकाश-अर्क-सहस्र-तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-समासः (तत्पुरुषप्रधान; ‘ज्वलत्प्रकाशेन अर्कसहस्रतुल्यम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तस्मात्: from that
• तस्मात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

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

• जाता: was born
• जाता: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त (past passive participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘born’

• तरलायताक्षी: she whose eyes are wide and tremulous
• तरलायताक्षी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरल-आयत-अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः बहुव्रीहि (तरलानि आयतानि अक्षी यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कात्यायनी: Kātyāyanī
• कात्यायनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कात्यायनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• योगविशुद्धदेहा: she whose body is purified by yoga
• योगविशुद्धदेहा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग-विशुद्ध-देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः बहुव्रीहि (योगेन विशुद्धः देहः यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Not specified in input (narrative voice continuing the account to the listening sage)

Primary Deities

• Kātyāyanī (Devī/Śakti)

Key Themes

• Shakti Theology
• Yoga and Purity
• Tejas as Creative Principle
• Non-sectarian Integration (Deva tejas leading to Devī)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Purity and power are linked: the Devī’s ‘yoga-purified’ embodiment implies that true śakti is not mere force but disciplined, lucid potency aligned with dharma—capable of restoring balance without being tainted by passion or ego.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Sarga (emanation/appearance of a divine form) is central here; the verse narrates a specific prādurbhāva (manifestation) arising from accumulated tejas, a common Purāṇic cosmogonic micro-pattern.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Thousand-sun’ brilliance marks the Devī as supra-luminous consciousness (cit-śakti) rather than merely anthropomorphic deity. The fact that her form is ‘ṛṣi-fashioned’ indicates synergy of divine grace and ascetic/ritual mediation—Śakti appears where tejas is rightly concentrated and purified.