Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 30

Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

तं मर्द्यमानं वीक्ष्याथ शशाङ्कः शिशिराशुमान् अभ्येत्य ताडयामास मार्गणैः कायदारणैः

Transliteration

taṃ mardyamānaṃ vīkṣyātha śaśāṅkaḥ śiśirāśumān abhyetya tāḍayāmāsa mārgaṇaiḥ kāyadāraṇaiḥ

Translation

Melihat dia sedang dihancurkan, Śaśāṅka (Bulan), pantas dengan sinar dingin musim sejuk, mara lalu memukul dengan anak panah yang mengoyak tubuh.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; pronoun ‘him’

• मर्द्यमानम्: being crushed
• मर्द्यमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मर्द् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे शानच्/यमान (present passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘being crushed’

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययभाव) gerund; ‘having seen’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थ (then/now)

• शशाङ्कः: Śaśāṅka (the Moon)
• शशाङ्कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशाङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘Moon’ (name)

• शिशिराशुमान्: cool-rayed
• शिशिराशुमान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिशिर + अंशुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: शिशिराः अंशवः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; adjective qualifying शशाङ्कः

• अभ्येत्य: having approached
• अभ्येत्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययभाव) gerund; ‘having approached’

• ताडयामास: struck/beat
• ताडयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद) परिप्रयोग ‘आमास’ सहित (periphrastic perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘began/indeed struck’

• मार्गणैः: with arrows
• मार्गणैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; instrumental ‘with arrows’

• कायदारणैः: body-tearing
• कायदारणैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काय + दारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: कायस्य दारणाः; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; adjective qualifying मार्गणैः

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (likely within the Purāṇic frame narration
• often Pulastya → Nārada)

Primary Deities

• Śaśāṅka (Candra, the Moon)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Cosmic personifications in battle
• Divine intervention

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even cosmic regulators (like the Moon) are portrayed as upholding ṛta (cosmic order) when it is threatened; aid arrives when disorder escalates, emphasizing solidarity among divine forces to restore balance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / narrative of divine and semi-divine actors in historical-legendary conflict (a dynastic/cosmic episode rather than sarga/pratisarga). It functions as an itihāsa-like combat vignette embedded in the Purāṇic narration.

What is the symbolic significance?

The Moon’s “cool/wintry rays” becoming weaponized suggests that even soothing, nourishing cosmic principles can take a fierce form to restrain adharma—gentleness and severity are complementary modes of maintaining order.