Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 37

Akhaṇḍa-Ekādaśī Vrata and the Vaiṣṇava Protective Hymn; Prelude to the Kātyāyanī–Mahiṣāsura Narrative

Devanagari script

एतदुक्तं भगवता वैष्णवं पञ्जरं महत् पुरा रक्षार्थमीशेन कात्यायन्या द्विजोत्तम

Transliteration

etaduktaṃ bhagavatā vaiṣṇavaṃ pañjaraṃ mahat purā rakṣārthamīśena kātyāyanyā dvijottama

Translation

ਹੇ ਦ੍ਵਿਜੋਤਮ! ਇਹ ਮਹਾਨ ਵੈਸ਼ਣਵ ਪੰਜਰ (ਰੱਖਿਆ-ਕਵਚ) ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਈਸ਼ਵਰ ਨੇ ਪੁਰਾਤਨ ਸਮੇਂ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਲਈ ਕਾਤ੍ਯਾਯਨੀ ਨੂੰ ਉਪਦੇਸ਼ ਕੀਤਾ ਸੀ।

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘उक्तम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• उक्तम्: was said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया/भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः

• भगवता: by the Lord
• भगवता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश), एकवचन

• वैष्णवम्: Vaiṣṇava
• वैष्णवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पञ्जरम्’ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पञ्जरम्: cage/armor (protective frame)
• पञ्जरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पञ्जरम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• रक्षार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षार्थम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रक्षा+अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्रयोगः; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (purpose): ‘रक्षायै अर्थम्’ = for protection

• ईशेन: by the Lord
• ईशेन: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कात्यायन्या: by Kātyāyanī
• कात्यायन्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कात्यायनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज+उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः)

Speakers

• Narrative voice (implied) within the Pulastya–Nārada dialogue framework; direct speaker not explicitly marked in this verse

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (as source/identity of the Vaiṣṇava pañjara)
• Īśa/Īśvara (likely Śiva as teacher/transmitter)
• Kātyāyanī (Devī)

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Shaivism
• Sectarian Harmony
• Rituals/Mantra (Protection)
• Devi Tradition

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Protection (rakṣā) is framed as dharmic and compassionate: divine power is offered as a safeguard to uphold order. The verse also models non-sectarian piety—Vaiṣṇava power is conveyed through Īśa and bestowed upon Devī, implying cooperation rather than rivalry among divine forms.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily aligns with Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative material (accounts of divine deeds and transmissions) rather than cosmogenesis. It is a didactic insertion about mantra-authorization within an ongoing dialogue frame.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘pañjara’ (cage/armor) symbolizes a boundary of sacred order around the devotee or the righteous cause. Naming it ‘Vaiṣṇava’ while attributing its transmission to Īśa and its use to Kātyāyanī encodes Hari–Hara–Devī complementarity: one power, multiple functional manifestations.