Vamana Purana — Narada Questions Pulastya, Shloka 3

Narada Questions Pulastya: The Vamana Purana Begins and Satī’s Monsoon Lament

Devanagari script

कथं भगवता ब्रह्मन् विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना वामनत्वं धृतं पूर्वं तन्ममाचक्ष्व पृच्छतः

Transliteration

kathaṃ bhagavatā brahman viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā vāmanatvaṃ dhṛtaṃ pūrvaṃ tanmamācakṣva pṛcchataḥ

Translation

Bạch bậc Brāhmaṇa (hiền triết), vì sao và bằng cách nào Đức Thế Tôn—Viṣṇu, Đấng đầy quyền năng—thuở trước đã thọ nhận hình thái Vāmana? Xin hãy nói cho con, kẻ đang thưa hỏi.

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (प्रश्न/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• भगवता: by the Blessed Lord
• भगवता: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मन्: O Brahman (sage)
• ब्रह्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• विष्णुना: by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रभ-विष्णुना: by the mighty Viṣṇu
• प्रभ-विष्णुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (प्रभविष्णुः = mighty/all-powerful Viṣṇu)

• वामनत्वम्: the state of being Vāmana (dwarfhood)
• वामनत्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वामनत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धितान्त (abstract noun)

• धृतम्: assumed / borne
• धृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘धृ’—assumed/borne

• पूर्वम्: formerly / earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• मम: to me / of me
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आचक्ष्व: tell / explain
• आचक्ष्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्ग: आ-

• पृच्छतः: of (me) who am asking
• पृच्छतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of (me) asking’

Speakers

• Nārada to Pulastya

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Avatar doctrine
• Bhakti
• Daitya–Deva Conflict (anticipated context)
• Narrative causality (why the descent occurs)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Divine ‘descent’ (avatāra) is framed as purposeful intervention for restoring balance; inquiry into ‘how and why’ emphasizes that līlā is meaningful, not arbitrary.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It cues Vamśānucarita and manvantara-linked narratives (deva–asura episodes typically situated within manvantaras), preparing the text to situate the avatāra within cosmic-historical cycles.

What is the symbolic significance?

Calling Viṣṇu ‘prabhaviṣṇu’ while asking about a ‘dwarf’ form highlights the paradox of omnipotence expressed through smallness—power perfected through restraint and strategic humility.