Vamana Purana — Harihara Revelation, Shloka 64

Harihara Revelation and the Kurukshetra Tirtha Cycle: Sthanu in Vishnu and the Sanctification of Saptasarasvata

Devanagari script

वाकारो जनुयुग्मं च कुम्भस्तत्रादिसंस्थितः पत्रकं फाल्गुनं प्रोक्तं तदेकादशमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

vākāro januyugmaṃ ca kumbhastatrādisaṃsthitaḥ patrakaṃ phālgunaṃ proktaṃ tadekādaśamuttamam

Translation

‘వా’ అక్షరం జాను-యుగ్మం (మోకాళ్ల జంట) అని చెప్పబడింది; అక్కడ కుంభం ఆది స్థితిలో స్థాపితమైంది. మాసం ఫాల్గుణమని; అదే ఉత్తమమైన పదకొండవ పత్రకము.

Word by Word

• वाकारः: the syllable/letter ‘vā’
• वाकारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाकार (प्रातिपदिक; वा + कार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जनुयुग्मम्: pair of knees
• जनुयुग्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनु + युग्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• कुम्भः: Kumbha (Aquarius)
• कुम्भः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• आदि: from the beginning/and so on
• आदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘etc./beginning’ used as prefix-like indeclinable in compound-like sequence

• संस्थितः: situated/placed
• संस्थितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agreeing with ‘kumbhaḥ’

• पत्रकम्: leaf (petal)
• पत्रकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• फाल्गुनम्: (month) of Phālguna
• फाल्गुनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फाल्गुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjectival ‘of Phālguna’ qualifying implied ‘māsaḥ’ or ‘patrakam’ per context

• प्रोक्तम्: declared/said
• प्रोक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• एकादशम्: eleventh
• एकादशम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ordinal/number ‘eleventh’

• उत्तमम्: excellent/best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; superlative ‘best/excellent’ qualifying ‘ekādaśam’/neuter referent

Speakers

• Unspecified narrator/teacher voice continuing the enumeration (addressing a sage in context).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Keśava)

Key Themes

• Ritual calendar (Phālguna)
• Symbolic correspondences (syllable–limb–emblem)
• Mnemonic theology centered on Keśava

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Is ‘kumbha’ here the zodiac sign Aquarius or simply a ritual pot?

The verse itself says ‘kumbha’ as an emblem ‘established there’; it can be read primarily as the pot-symbol used in ritual and iconography, while also resonating with broader astrological associations familiar to Purāṇic audiences.

What is the function of assigning syllables like ‘vā’ to body parts?

Such assignments work as a mnemonic and ritual visualization (nyāsa-like) system: the devotee recalls Keśava through a structured map linking sound (bīja-like syllables), the divine body, and time (months).

Does this have a direct pilgrimage instruction?

Not in this śloka. It supports the chapter’s sacralization framework, which elsewhere in Saromāhātmya contexts can underwrite tīrtha practice, but this line is a doctrinal/ritual correspondence statement.