Vamana Purana — Shiva's Kedara Tirtha, Shloka 65

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

Devanagari script

अप्रतर्क्यमनिर्देश्यं शुक्लं शान्तं परं पदम् वासुदेवाख्यमाव्यक्तं स्मृतं द्वादशपत्रकम्

Transliteration

apratarkyamanirdeśyaṃ śuklaṃ śāntaṃ paraṃ padam vāsudevākhyamāvyaktaṃ smṛtaṃ dvādaśapatrakam

Translation

“Keadaan tertinggi itu tidak terjangkau oleh akal dan tidak terungkap dengan kata-kata—suci, tenteram, tempat kediaman yang paling luhur. Yang Tidak Termanifest itu diingati dengan nama ‘Vāsudeva’ dan sebagai ‘berkelopak dua belas’.”

Word by Word

• अप्रतर्क्यम्: inconceivable
• अप्रतर्क्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-प्र-तर्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा (contextually accusative as predicate), एकवचन; नञ्-समासपूर्वक विशेषण

• अनिर्देश्यम्: indescribable
• अनिर्देश्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-निर्देश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक विशेषण

• शुक्लम्: pure / white
• शुक्लम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शान्तम्: peaceful
• शान्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शम् से क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त (past participle)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पदम्: state / abode
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• वासुदेवाख्यम्: called ‘Vāsudeva’
• वासुदेवाख्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासुदेव + आख्य (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वासुदेव-आख्य = ‘named Vāsudeva’)

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is remembered / is known as
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि भावः ‘is remembered/considered’

• द्वादशपत्रकम्: having twelve petals / twelve-petalled
• द्वादशपत्रकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश + पत्रक (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (द्वादश पत्राणि यस्य/द्वादशपत्रकं)

Speakers

• Pulastya continuing instruction to Nārada

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (Vāsudeva)

Key Themes

• Transcendence (beyond thought and speech)
• Sattvic purity and peace
• Supreme abode (mokṣa-oriented theology)
• Lotus/mandala symbolism (dvādaśa-patraka)
• Emanation and naming of the Absolute as Vāsudeva

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is the supreme called ‘apratarkya’ and ‘anirdeśya’?

The verse uses standard apophatic language: the ultimate cannot be fully captured by discursive logic (tarka) or verbal definition (nirdeśa). It is known through realization, scripture, and contemplative insight rather than ordinary categorization.

What does ‘śukla’ signify here—literal whiteness?

Primarily symbolic: ‘śukla’ denotes purity, stainlessness, and sattva (clarity). It contrasts with rajas/tamas (agitation/obscuration), aligning the supreme abode with perfect lucidity and freedom from karmic taint.

What is ‘dvādaśa-patraka’ likely referring to?

A ‘twelve-petaled’ lotus/mandala model used to map divine aspects. In Purāṇic and tantricized Vaiṣṇava idioms, twelve often correlates with the twelve Ādityas/months or twelve principal names/forms of Viṣṇu. The next verse explicitly asks which ‘twelve petals’ are meant, indicating a forthcoming list of twelve named aspects.