Vamana Purana — Sati's Death & Virabhadra, Shloka 22

Sati’s Death and the Assault on Daksha’s Sacrifice: Virabhadra versus the Devas

Devanagari script

मडगारिवदनं दृष्ट्वा देवाः शक्रपुरोगमाः ऋषयो यक्षगन्धर्वाः किमिदं त्वित्यचिन्तयन्

Transliteration

maḍagārivadanaṃ dṛṣṭvā devāḥ śakrapurogamāḥ ṛṣayo yakṣagandharvāḥ kimidaṃ tvityacintayan

Translation

Thấy một gương mặt như maḍagāri, các chư thiên do Śakra (Indra) dẫn đầu, cùng các ṛṣi, yakṣa và gandharva, đều tự hỏi: “Rốt cuộc đây là gì vậy?”

Word by Word

• maḍagāri-vadanam: the face of Maḍagāri (a terrifying face)
• maḍagāri-vadanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maḍagāri + vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/क्त्वा), ‘having seen’

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• śakra-purogamāḥ: led by Śakra (Indra)
• śakra-purogamāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakra + purogama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण of devāḥ

• ṛṣayaḥ: the sages
• ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• yakṣa-gandharvāḥ: Yakṣas and Gandharvas
• yakṣa-gandharvāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa + gandharva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); द्वन्द्व-समासः

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वय (emphatic/contrast)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• acintayan: they thought/wondered
• acintayan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cint (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya narrating to Nārada; verse is narrative reaction

Primary Deities

• Indra (Śakra)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Portents/Omens
• Cosmic fear and uncertainty
• Inter-community witnessing (Devas, Ṛṣis, Yakṣas, Gandharvas)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even the devas, though powerful, confront the unknown with inquiry rather than rash action; the verse models reflective discernment (vicāra) before response.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Narrative episode (ākhyāna) supporting dharma-teaching within a tīrtha-related section; it functions as contextual storytelling rather than cosmogony or genealogy.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘terrifying face’ motif externalizes adharma’s disturbance—when cosmic order is threatened, even celestial communities experience disorientation; the shared witnessing by devas and other beings underscores a universe-wide ripple of moral imbalance.