Vamana Purana — Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva, Shloka 31

The Saptarishis Seek Uma for Shiva: Himavan Grants the Marriage

Devanagari script

देवो ऽप्याश्रित्य तद्रौद्रं व्रतं नाम्ना निराश्रयम् विचचार महाशैलान् सेरुप्राग्र्यान् महामतिः

Transliteration

devo 'pyāśritya tadraudraṃ vrataṃ nāmnā nirāśrayam vicacāra mahāśailān seruprāgryān mahāmatiḥ

Translation

स देवोऽपि तद्रौद्रं ‘निराश्रय’नाम व्रतमाश्रित्य महामतिः महाशैलान् सेरुप्राग्र्यान् विचचार।

Word by Word

• devaḥ: the god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Anvaya (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): ‘also’

• āśritya: having undertaken/resorted to
• āśritya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√śri (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having resorted to/taken up’

• tat-raudram: that fierce
• tat-raudram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + raudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying vratam): ‘that fierce’

• vratam: vow/observance
• vratam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘by name/as called’

• nir-āśrayam: without refuge/support
• nir-āśrayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying vratam): ‘without support/refuge’

• vicacāra: wandered/roamed
• vicacāra: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√car (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• mahā-śailān: great mountains
• mahā-śailān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + śaila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘great mountains’

• seru-prāgryān: the foremost (mountains) of Seru
• seru-prāgryān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: seru (प्रातिपदिक/स्थाननाम) + prāgrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying mahāśailān): ‘foremost/excellent of Seru’ (पाठानुसार स्थानविशेष)

• mahā-matiḥ: the great-minded one
• mahā-matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणवत् संज्ञा: ‘great-minded’

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicit in the provided excerpt (commonly Pulastya → Nārada).

Primary Deities

• Śiva (implied by raudra-vrata/Rudra-mode)

Key Themes

• Śaivism
• Vrata/Rituals
• Ascetic wandering
• Tapas

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ‘nirāśraya’ stance models radical spiritual independence: the practitioner relies on inner discipline rather than external shelter or status. Ethically, it valorizes steadfastness and self-sufficiency in dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / Carita: a theologically charged episode describing divine conduct (ācāra) and vow-practice rather than cosmic creation or genealogical cataloging.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Raudra’ indicates transformative, boundary-breaking energy; wandering among mountains externalizes the inner austerity—mountains mirror immovability (sthāiratā) and height (uttamatva) sought in tapas.