HomeVamana PuranaAdh. 20Shloka 22
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Vamana Purana — Chanda & Munda Discover Katyayani, Shloka 22

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

अभ्येत्य देवीं गगनस्थितो ऽपि स दुन्दुभिर्वाक्यमुवाच विप्र कुमारि दूतो ऽस्मि महासुरस्य रम्भात्मजस्याप्रतिमस्य युद्धे

abhyetya devīṃ gaganasthito 'pi sa dundubhirvākyamuvāca vipra kumāri dūto 'smi mahāsurasya rambhātmajasyāpratimasya yuddhe

Mendekati Dewi—walaupun tetap berada di angkasa—Dundubhi berkata demikian, wahai Brāhmaṇa: “Wahai gadis, aku ialah utusan Asura agung, putera Rambhā yang tiada bandingan, dalam urusan peperangan ini.”

abhyetyahaving approached
abhyetya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootabhi-√i (इ, धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), avyaya-kṛdanta; 'having approached'
devīmthe goddess
devīm:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdevī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular
gagana-sthitaḥstanding in the sky
gagana-sthitaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootgagana (प्रातिपदिक) + sthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (सप्तमी) 'gagane sthitaḥ'; PPP sthita (क्त from √sthā); Masculine, Nominative, Singular
apieven, although
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya, concessive particle (निपात)
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun; Masculine, Nominative, Singular
dundubhiḥDundubhi
dundubhiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता) (apposition to saḥ)
TypeNoun
Rootdundubhi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular (proper name)
vākyamspeech, words
vākyam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvākya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (वच्, धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular
vipraO sage / O brāhmaṇa
vipra:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootvipra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular
kumāriO maiden
kumāri:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootkumārī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Vocative, Singular
dūtaḥmessenger
dūtaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता) (predicate nominal)
TypeNoun
Rootdūta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
asmiI am
asmi:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√as (अस्, धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular
mahā-asurasyaof the great Asura
mahā-asurasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
TypeNoun
Rootmahā (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
FormKarmadhāraya 'great asura'; Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular
rambhā-ātmajasyaof Rambhā's son
rambhā-ātmajasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootrambhā (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (षष्ठी) 'rambhāyāḥ ātmajaḥ'; Masculine, Genitive, Singular
apratimasyaof the incomparable
apratimasya:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootapratima (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Genitive, Singular; qualifying mahāsura/rambhātmaja
yuddhein battle
yuddhe:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootyuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Locative (7th), Singular
Dundubhi (envoy) speaking; addressed to Devī; ‘vipra’ indicates an audience in the narrative frame (likely Pulastya → Nārada)
Devī
Daitya-Deva ConflictDūta-vākya (envoy speech)Challenge/boast (asuric proclamation)Devī as central authority in conflict

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

FAQs

The envoy’s posture—‘approaching’ yet staying in the sky—signals aggression mixed with fear, a hallmark of pride lacking inner steadiness. Dharma-teaching here is implicit: true strength does not require intimidation or boastful titles.

This remains within Carita/Vamśānucarita-style narrative: a dramatic speech-act within the historical-legendary account of conflicts involving Daityas and the Devī, not within sarga/pratisarga proper.

‘Gagana-sthita’ suggests distance and attempted superiority (speaking from above), while addressing the Devī as ‘kumārī’ can be read as rhetorical minimization—an asuric strategy—contrasted with the Devī’s transcendent power that is not diminished by such labeling.