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

اے ناراینی! ہنسوں سے جُتے ہوئے وِمان پر سوار، برہمانی کے روپ کو دھارن کرنے والی، شالمَلی کے ریشم جیسی دمک سے تَیج بکھیرنے والی دیوی، تجھے نمسکار۔

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.