Vamana Purana — Manifestation of Katyayani, Shloka 9

The Manifestation of Katyayani (Durga) and the Humbling of the Vindhya by Agastya

Devanagari script

माहेश्वराद् वक्त्रमथो बभूव नेत्रत्रयं पावकतेजसा च याम्येन केशा हरितेजसा च भुजास्तथाष्टादश संप्जज्ञिरे

Transliteration

māheśvarād vaktramatho babhūva netratrayaṃ pāvakatejasā ca yāmyena keśā haritejasā ca bhujāstathāṣṭādaśa saṃpjajñire

Translation

ਮਹੇਸ਼ਵਰ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਕਤੀ ਤੋਂ ਮੁਖ ਉਤਪੰਨ ਹੋਇਆ; ਪਾਵਕ (ਅੱਗ) ਦੇ ਤੇਜ ਤੋਂ ਤਿੰਨ ਨੇਤਰ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਹੋਏ। ਯਮ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਕਤੀ ਤੋਂ ਕੇਸ ਬਣੇ; ਅਤੇ ਹਰੀ ਦੇ ਤੇਜ ਤੋਂ ਅਠਾਰਾਂ ਭੁਜਾਵਾਂ ਜਨਮੀਆਂ।

Word by Word

• माहेश्वरात्: from Maheśvara (Śiva)
• माहेश्वरात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• वक्त्रम्: a face, mouth
• वक्त्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अथो: then indeed
• अथो: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अथ + उ; अनन्तरता/particle: then indeed)

• बभूव: came to be, arose
• बभूव: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• नेत्रत्रयम्: a triad of eyes (three eyes)
• नेत्रत्रयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र-त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः द्विगु (त्रयम् नेत्राणि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पावकतेजसा: by the fire’s radiance
• पावकतेजसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक-तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (पावकस्य तेजसा), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• याम्येन: by Yama’s (power) / by the southern (power)
• याम्येन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; यमसम्बन्धि (pertaining to Yama/southern)

• केशाः: hair
• केशाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• हरितेजसा: by Hari’s radiance
• हरितेजसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि-तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः तत्पुरुष (हरेः तेजसा), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• भुजाः: arms
• भुजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण: likewise)

• अष्टादश: eighteen
• अष्टादश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्द, अव्ययवत्/विशेषणरूपेण; ‘eighteen’ (भुजान् विशेषयति)

• सम्प्रजज्ञिरे: were produced, came into being
• सम्प्रजज्ञिरे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speakers

• Not explicitly stated in the provided excerpt (likely within the Purāṇic dialogue frame
• often Pulastya → Nārada
• but unconfirmed here).

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Maheśvara)
• Agni (Pāvaka)
• Yama
• Vishnu (Hari)

Key Themes

• Shaiva–Vaishnava harmony
• Theophany / composite form
• Iconography and divine embodiment
• Tejas as creative principle

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse presents divinity as a coordinated unity of powers (tejas) rather than competing sectarian absolutes: Śiva, Viṣṇu, and other deities contribute to one manifest form, encouraging a non-exclusivist vision of the sacred.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Best fits as part of Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative description (characteristics and manifestation of a divine figure) rather than sarga/pratisarga. It is iconographic-theological material embedded in narrative.

What is the symbolic significance?

The face from Maheśvara implies sovereignty of consciousness; three eyes from fire suggest omnivision/transformative insight; hair from Yama evokes time, mortality, and restraint; eighteen arms from Hari indicate protective, all-capable agency—many arms as capacity to uphold dharma.