Shloka 12

Adhyaya 91 — The Gods’ Hymn to Kātyāyanī and the Goddess’ Prophecy of Future Manifestations

Sanskrit

हंसयुक्तविमानस्थे ब्रह्माणी रूपधारिणि ।

कौशाम्भः क्षरिके देवि नारायणी नमोऽस्तु ते ॥

Transliteration

haṁsayuktavimānasthe brahmāṇīrūpadhāriṇi / kauśāmbhaḥ kṣarike devi nārāyaṇi namo 'stu te

Translation

హే నారాయణీ! హంసయుక్త విమానంపై ఆరూఢురాలవై, బ్రాహ్మణీ స్వరూపాన్ని ధరించి, శాల్మలీ పట్టు కాంతివలె తేజస్సును ప్రసరింపజేసే దేవీ, నీకు నమస్కారం।

Word by Word

• हंस-युक्त-विमान-स्थे: O (Goddess) seated in a chariot/air-car yoked with swans
• हंस-युक्त-विमान-स्थे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हंस (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त, √युज्) + विमान (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त, √स्था)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (vocative sense) विशेषणम्—“स्थिते” (locative used in address)

• ब्रह्माणी-रूप-धारिणि: O bearer of the form of Brahmāṇī
• ब्रह्माणी-रूप-धारिणि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्माणी (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धारिणी (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक, √धृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे विशेषणम्

• कौशाम्भः: O Kauśāmbhā (epithet/name)
• कौशाम्भः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौशाम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे विशेषणम् (epithet)

• क्षरिके: O Kṣarikā (epithet/name)
• क्षरिके: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षरिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे विशेषणम्

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• नारायणी: O Nārāyaṇī
• नारायणी: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Bhava (भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः—नमः + दत्तिविभक्ति (to)

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थे—“let it be”

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; दत्तिसम्बन्धः (to you)

Speakers

• Devī-stuti within the Devi Mahatmyam narrative frame (praise offered to the Goddess by the gods/hosts in context)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Nārāyaṇī (Devī)
• Brahmāṇī

Shakti Aspects

• Brahmāṇī (Mātr̥kā form); Nārāyaṇī as the supreme Devī

Key Themes

• Shaktism
• Devī-stuti
• Mātr̥kā theology
• Divine manifestations

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse asserts a key Devī Mahātmyam principle: all divine powers (śaktis) are ultimately one Goddess. Ethical devotion here is non-sectarian—honoring the One through many forms.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily falls under Vaṁśānucarita/Carita (narrative of divine deeds and praise) rather than cosmological Sarga/Pratisarga; it is a liturgical-theological passage embedded in the Purāṇic narrative.

What is the esoteric significance?

Brahmāṇī and the swan (haṁsa) symbolize discriminative wisdom and the subtle movement of consciousness; the hymn maps cosmic functions (creation, etc.) onto Devī as the single underlying power.