Vamana Purana — Shiva's Wedding Procession (Part 2), Shloka 2

Shiva’s Wedding Procession to Kailasa and the Marriage of Girija (Kali)

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मणां शिरसा नत्वा समाभाष्य शतक्रतुम् आलोक्यान्यान् सुरगणान् संभावयत् स शङ्करः

Transliteration

brahmaṇāṃ śirasā natvā samābhāṣya śatakratum ālokyānyān suragaṇān saṃbhāvayat sa śaṅkaraḥ

Translation

ਸ਼ੰਕਰ ਨੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣਾਂ ਅੱਗੇ ਸਿਰ ਨਿਵਾਇਆ, ਸ਼ਤਕ੍ਰਤੁ (ਇੰਦਰ) ਨਾਲ ਗੱਲ ਕੀਤੀ, ਅਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਦੇਵ-ਸਮੂਹਾਂ ਵੱਲ ਤੱਕ ਕੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਆਦਰ ਨਾਲ ਸਵਾਗਤ ਕੀਤਾ।

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मणाम्: of the Brahmās
• ब्रह्मणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; 'of the Brahmās/Brahmins'

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: करण (तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; 'with the head'

• नत्वा: having bowed
• नत्वा: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (Gerund/Absolutive); 'having bowed'

• समाभाष्य: having addressed
• समाभाष्य: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-भाष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund); 'having addressed/spoken to'

• शतक्रतुम्: Śatakratu (Indra)
• शतक्रतुम्: कर्म (द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतक्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास: शतम्+क्रतुः (यस्य सः) = 'he whose rites are a hundred' (इन्द्र)

• आलोक्य: having looked at
• आलोक्य: पूर्वकाल (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund); 'having looked at/seen'

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: कर्म (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण of 'सुरगणान्'

• सुरगणान्: the groups of gods
• सुरगणान्: कर्म (द्वितीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर+गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: सुराणां गणाः = 'groups of gods'

• संभावयत्: honored / showed respect to
• संभावयत्: क्रिया (आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भावय् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; 'he honored/treated respectfully'

• स: he
• स: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करः: कर्ता (प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; proper name (Śiva)

Speakers

• Narratorial layer not specified in input (often framed as Pulastya → Nārada in the Vāmana Purāṇa)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Śaṅkara)
• Indra (Śatakratu)
• Devas (suragaṇa)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Deva etiquette and hierarchy
• Respect to Brahmins
• Courtly protocol

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse foregrounds dharmic decorum: even the supreme deity (Śiva) models respect toward Brahmins (as custodians of Vedic order) and maintains cordiality with the devas. Authority is shown as compatible with humility and social-ritual propriety.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best classified under Vamśānucarita / narrative of divine and royal lineages and their episodes (it is not cosmogony). It functions as an event-sequence within a larger mythic account rather than sarga/pratisarga.

What is the symbolic significance?

Śiva’s bow to Brahmins symbolizes alignment of divine power with Vedic dharma; his honoring of Indra and the devas symbolizes cosmic cooperation—divine roles are differentiated but harmonized in maintaining ṛta (order).