Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

ततः प्रगृह्य केशेषु खङ्गं च रविसप्रभम् छेत्तुकामो निजं शीर्षं वह्निना प्रतिषेधितः

Transliteration

tataḥ pragṛhya keśeṣu khaṅgaṃ ca ravisaprabham chettukāmo nijaṃ śīrṣaṃ vahninā pratiṣedhitaḥ

Translation

அப்போது (அக்னி) அவனை முடியில் பிடித்தான்; சூரிய ஒளிபோல் பிரகாசிக்கும் வாளை எடுத்துக் கொண்டு தன் தலையை வெட்ட விரும்பிய அவனை அக்னி தடுத்தான்।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम सूचक

• प्र-गृह्य: having grasped
• प्र-गृह्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘having seized/taken’

• केशेषु: in/at the hair (by the hair)
• केशेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• खङ्गम्: a sword
• खङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• रवि-स-प्रभम्: sun-bright
• रवि-स-प्रभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + स (सदृश/सम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः उपमान-तत्पुरुष (रविसदृशी प्रभा यस्य)

• छेत्तु-कामः: desiring to cut
• छेत्तु-कामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √छिद् (धातु) > छेत्तृ (कृदन्त) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (छेत्तुः कामः = desirous to cut)

• निजम्: his own
• निजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शीर्षम्: head
• शीर्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• वह्निना: by the fire
• वह्निना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• प्रतिषेधितः: was prevented
• प्रतिषेधितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति-√सिध्/√षिध् (धातु) > प्रतिषेधित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘निवारितः’

Speakers

• Narratorial verse; Agni/Vahni acts as an intervening agency

Primary Deities

• Agni (Vahni)

Key Themes

• Dharma of non-self-harm
• Agni as moral witness/regulator of sacrifice
• Ritual propriety
• Daitya psychology

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even when a person attempts to sanctify self-harm as ‘offering,’ the cosmic order (here personified by Agni) rejects it. Agni is not merely a consumer of oblations but a guardian of yajña-dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Still within Vaṃśānucarita/Carita: an episodic narrative illustrating dharma through an asura’s extreme reaction and a divine check upon it.

What is the symbolic significance?

The sword ‘sun-bright’ suggests sharpened resolve and violent clarity, but Agni’s prohibition indicates that true sacrificial fire does not accept offerings born of delusion (moha) and rage (krodha).