Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 43

Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Origin of Kapalin Rudra (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

तत्र गत्वा च तं दृष्ट्वा नारायणमुवाच ह भिक्षां प्रयच्छ भगवन् महाकापालिको ऽस्मि भोः

Transliteration

tatra gatvā ca taṃ dṛṣṭvā nārāyaṇamuvāca ha bhikṣāṃ prayaccha bhagavan mahākāpāliko 'smi bhoḥ

Translation

ਉੱਥੇ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵੇਖ ਕੇ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਨਾਰਾਇਣ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਹਾ—“ਹੇ ਭਗਵਾਨ, ਮੈਨੂੰ ਭਿੱਖਿਆ ਦਿਓ; ਹੇ ਮਹੋਦਯ, ਮੈਂ ਮਹਾਕਾਪਾਲਿਕ (ਖੋਪੜੀ-ਧਾਰੀ ਤਪਸਵੀ) ਹਾਂ।”

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (गम् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of speaking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed/just
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/expletive particle)

• भिक्षाम्: alms
• भिक्षाम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रयच्छ: give
• प्रयच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+यम् (यम् धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भगवन्: O Lord
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• महाकापालिकः: a great Kāpālika ascetic
• महाकापालिकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + कापालिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् कापालिकः)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भोः: O! / hey!
• भोः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भोः (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

Speakers

• Rudra (in Kāpālika guise) to Nārāyaṇa (implied by next verses)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)
• Shiva (Rudra/Maheśvara)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Vaishnavism
• Sectarian Harmony
• Divine Lila
• Dana/Alms (Bhiksha)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even the highest divinity is portrayed as honoring the dharma of giving (bhikṣā/dāna) and engaging humbly in exchanges that teach reciprocity and restraint; the scene also normalizes respectful encounter across traditions.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita/Carita-like narrative material (divine episode) rather than cosmogenesis; it functions as an illustrative theistic dialogue embedded in the Purāṇic narration.

What is the symbolic significance?

Śiva as a Kāpālika requesting alms from Nārāyaṇa dramatizes complementarity: the ascetic/terrible aspect seeks ‘bhikṣā’ from the sustaining lord, suggesting mutual dependence and non-contradiction of Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths.