Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 15

Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

तमापतन्तं बाणैघैर्ववर्षं रविनन्दनम् हिरण्यकशिपोः पुत्रश् चापमानम्य वेगवान्

Transliteration

tamāpatantaṃ bāṇaighairvavarṣaṃ ravinandanam hiraṇyakaśipoḥ putraś cāpamānamya vegavān

Translation

เมื่อบุตรแห่งรวี (ยม) รุดหน้าเข้ามา บุตรผู้ว่องไวของหิรัณยกศิปุได้โก่งคันศร แล้วโปรยปรายลูกศรอันดุเดือดใส่เขาอย่างหนักหน่วง

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• आपतन्तम्: as he was rushing/falling upon (him)
• आपतन्तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-पत् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); ‘falling/charging towards’

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural)

• घैः: in showers/volleys
• घैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural); here as intensifier ‘in masses/volleys’ (rare)

• ववर्ष: rained down (shot)
• ववर्ष: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• रविनन्दनम्: the Sun’s son (Yama)
• रविनन्दनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि-नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ‘son of the Sun’ (Yama)

• हिरण्यकशिपोः: of Hiraṇyakaśipu
• हिरण्यकशिपोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्यकशिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• चापम्: bow
• चापम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• आनम्य: having bent/drawn
• आनम्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभावः; ‘having bent/drawn (the bow)’

• वेगवान्: swift/impetuous
• वेगवान्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying पुत्रः)

Speakers

• Narratorial layer not explicit in the provided verses (commonly framed as Pulastya → Nārada in the Vāmana Purāṇa
• but not verifiable from this excerpt alone)

Primary Deities

• Sūrya (via 'Ravinandana')

Key Themes

• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Heroic combat
• Use of weapons (dhanus/bāṇa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse emphasizes the intensity of adharmic aggression (indiscriminate “arrow-rain”) and sets the stage for the restoration of balance through disciplined counter-force rather than uncontrolled violence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best classified under Vaṃśānucarita/Carita material (narratives of beings in dynastic/lineage contexts and their exploits), specifically a battle episode within the broader mythic history.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Ravinandana’ represents solar order and visibility (prakāśa), while the Daitya’s arrow-shower symbolizes obscuring, chaotic force; the confrontation dramatizes the Purāṇic motif of order meeting disruption.