Vamana Purana — Shiva's Kedara Tirtha, Shloka 52

Shiva’s Kedara-Tirtha and the Rise of Mura: From Shaiva Pilgrimage to Vaishnava Theology

Devanagari script

स वासुदेववचनं श्रुत्वाभ्यागात् त्वरान्वितः एतस्मिन्नन्तरे दैत्यः संप्राप्तो नगरीं मुरः

Transliteration

sa vāsudevavacanaṃ śrutvābhyāgāt tvarānvitaḥ etasminnantare daityaḥ saṃprāpto nagarīṃ muraḥ

Translation

Having heard the word of Vāsudeva, he hurriedly came (set out/arrived). Meanwhile, the Daitya Mura reached the city.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• वासुदेव-वचनम्: Vāsudeva’s words
• वासुदेव-वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक) + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वासुदेवस्य वचनम्)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावः (gerund)

• अभ्यागात्: came/approached
• अभ्यागात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• त्वरा-अन्वितः: accompanied by haste
• त्वरा-अन्वितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अन्वि/अनु-इ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थ/सहचर्ये (त्वरया अन्वितः = endowed with haste)

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• अन्तरे: in the meantime/interval
• अन्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अधिकरणम् (in the interval)

• दैत्यः: the daitya
• दैत्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• संप्राप्तः: arrived
• संप्राप्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकर्तरि कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; (having arrived)

• नगरīm: to the city
• नगरīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नगरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• मुरः: Mura
• मुरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speakers

• Narrative voice describing the messenger’s response and Mura’s arrival

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Vāsudeva)

Key Themes

• Obedience to divine command
• Convergence of actors before conflict
• Daitya incursion into a city

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the narrative function of “etasmin antare” (meanwhile) here?

It creates simultaneity: as the agent moves swiftly in response to Vāsudeva’s instruction, Mura independently arrives at the city, tightening the plot and setting up an imminent encounter.

Does “nagarī” indicate a known sacred city in the Vāmana Purāṇa?

Not from this verse alone. ‘Nagarī’ is generic (‘the city’). Without adjacent verses naming it, it cannot be securely mapped to a specific sacred geography.

Is Mura portrayed as a Daitya in this passage?

Yes. The verse explicitly labels him ‘daityaḥ … muraḥ,’ classifying Mura among the Daityas and framing the episode within the Purāṇic demon-conflict motif.