Vamana Purana — Andhaka's Coronation, Shloka 13

Andhaka’s Coronation, Boons from Shiva, and the Daiva–Asura War (Vahana Catalogues)

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच रुद्रादीनां वदस्वेह वाहनानि च सर्वशः एकैकस्यापि धर्मत्र परं कौतूहलं मम

Transliteration

nārada uvāca rudrādīnāṃ vadasveha vāhanāni ca sarvaśaḥ ekaikasyāpi dharmatra paraṃ kautūhalaṃ mama

Translation

ନାରଦ କହିଲେ—ହେ ଧର୍ମାତ୍ମନ୍, ରୁଦ୍ର ଆଦି ଦେବମାନଙ୍କର ବାହନଗୁଡ଼ିକୁ ଏଠାରେ ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭାବେ କହ। ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ ମୋର ପରମ କୌତୁହଳ ଅଛି।

Word by Word

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रुद्र-आदीनाम्: of Rudra and others
• रुद्र-आदीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = ‘and others’ (आदिशब्द-समास)

• वदस्व: tell (please)
• वदस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• वाहनानि: vehicles/mounts
• वाहनानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• सर्वशः: in every way / completely
• सर्वशः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• एक-एकस्य: of each one
• एक-एकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘each one’s’ (पुनरुक्त-समास)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (particle: also/even)

• धर्म: O Dharma (Yama)
• धर्म: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/Nominative form), एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे (addressing)

• अत्र: here/in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• परम्: great/supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘कौतूहलम्’)

• कौतूहलम्: curiosity
• कौतूहलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

Speakers

• Nārada (questioner) to the narrator/teacher (likely Pulastya in the standard frame
• though not explicit in the provided excerpt)

Primary Deities

• Rudra (and Rudra-class deities)
• Other deities (unspecified)

Key Themes

• Dialogue framework (question–answer pedagogy)
• Iconography and vahana lore
• Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis potential (shared cosmological cataloguing)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Legitimate curiosity (kautūhala) directed toward sacred knowledge is presented as a dharmic impulse; Purāṇic teaching proceeds through respectful inquiry and systematic exposition.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It functions as a framing device within carita-style narration, introducing a catalog (often ancillary to cosmology and deity-description) rather than directly addressing sarga/pratisarga.

What is the symbolic significance?

Vāhanas encode a deity’s sphere of power (e.g., bull for dharma/strength, lion for sovereignty, bird for transcendence). Nārada’s question signals a shift from mere procession narrative to interpretive iconographic theology.