Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 36

Daksha’s Sacrifice and the Origin of Kapalin Rudra (Pulastya–Narada Dialogue)

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा क्रोधयुक्तेन शङ्करेण महात्मना नखाग्रेण शिरश्छिन्नं ब्राह्मं परुषवादिनम्

Transliteration

tacchrutvā krodhayuktena śaṅkareṇa mahātmanā nakhāgreṇa śiraśchinnaṃ brāhmaṃ paruṣavādinam

Translation

Hearing that, the great-souled Śaṅkara, filled with wrath, cut off (one) head of Brahmā—who had spoken harshly—using the tip of his nail.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of श्रुत्वा: ‘that (speech)’

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive): ‘having heard’

• क्रोध-युक्तेन: with anger-filled
• क्रोध-युक्तेन: करण/हेतु-विशेषण (Instrumental qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘endowed with anger’ qualifying शङ्करेण

• शङ्करेण: by Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करेण: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; agent-instrumental in passive sense with छिन्नम्

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; adjective of शङ्करेण: ‘by the great-souled’

• नख-अग्रेण: with the tip of (his) nail
• नख-अग्रेण: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘with the tip of the nail’ (instrument)

• शिरः: head
• शिरः: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; object of ‘cut off’ (understood)

• छिन्नम्: cut off
• छिन्नम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद् (धातु) → छिन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृत (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agreeing with शिरः: ‘cut off’

• ब्राह्मम्: Brahmā’s / brahminical
• ब्राह्मम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifying (understood) ‘one’/or apposition to परुषवादिनम्: ‘Brahmā-related/Brahminical’

• परुष-वादिनम्: the harsh-speaker
• परुष-वादिनम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष (प्रातिपदिक) + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘harsh-speaking’ (object/person)

Speakers

• Narrator voice describing Śiva’s action; Brahmā is the subject affected

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• Brahma

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Dharma enforcement
• Consequences of harsh speech
• Inter-deity conflict (didactic)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Harsh speech (paruṣa-vāk) and pride invite immediate karmic consequence; the Purāṇic lesson frames restraint, reverence, and right speech as pillars of dharma—even for exalted beings.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Carita/Vamśānucarita: a moralized divine episode used to teach dharma and establish Śiva’s authority within the narrative tradition.

What is the symbolic significance?

Severing the head with a fingernail emphasizes effortless divine power and the swift curbing of ego; the brahma-śiraścheda motif functions as a theological warning against arrogance and as a narrative foundation for later themes (e.g., guilt/purification motifs associated with kapāla traditions in broader lore).