Vamana Purana — Chanda & Munda Discover Katyayani, Shloka 3

Chanda and Munda Discover Katyayani; Mahishasura’s Proposal and the Vishnu-Panjara Protection

Devanagari script

स्वस्थो भवान् किं त्वसुरेन्द्र साम्प्रतमागच्छ पश्याम च तत्र विन्ध्यम् तत्रास्ति देवी सुमहानुभावा कन्या सुरूपा सुरसुन्दरीणाम्

Transliteration

svastho bhavān kiṃ tvasurendra sāmpratamāgaccha paśyāma ca tatra vindhyam tatrāsti devī sumahānubhāvā kanyā surūpā surasundarīṇām

Translation

（他们说：）“阿修罗之主啊，你如今安好么？来吧——让我们去那边观看温提耶山。那里有一位威德极大的女神，一位容貌绝妙的少女，胜过诸天的天女。”

Word by Word

• स्वस्थः: healthy, well
• स्वस्थः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भवान्: you (honored)
• भवान्: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific pronoun)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: सम्बोधन/प्रश्न (प्रश्नार्थक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय/विरोध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थ

• असुरेन्द्र: O lord of the Asuras
• असुरेन्द्र: सम्बोधन (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (असुराणाम् इन्द्रः)

• साम्प्रतम्: now, at present
• साम्प्रतम्: क्रियाविशेषण (अधिकरण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम्प्रतम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• आगच्छ: come
• आगच्छ: क्रिया (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; उपसर्ग: आ-

• पश्याम: let us see
• पश्याम: क्रिया (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/Optative-like injunctive usage), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), द्विवचन; ‘let us see’ अर्थे

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• विन्ध्यम्: the Vindhya (mountain)
• विन्ध्यम्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विन्ध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; पर्वतनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• अस्ति: there is
• अस्ति: क्रिया (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• देवी: a goddess
• देवी: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सु-महानुभावा: of very great majesty
• सु-महानुभावा: कर्तृ-विशेषण (देवी-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महानुभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपसर्गवत् ‘सु-’ (intensifier); विशेषण

• कन्या: a maiden
• कन्या: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; देवी के समानाधिकरण

• सु-रूपा: beautiful in form
• सु-रूपा: कर्तृ-विशेषण (कन्या/देवी-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सुर-सुन्दरीणाम्: of the celestial maidens
• सुर-सुन्दरीणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सुराणां सुन्दर्यः)

Speakers

• Caṇḍa and Muṇḍa addressing the Asura king (within Pulastya’s narration in the Pulastya–Nārada frame)

Primary Deities

• Kātyāyanī (Devī)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Śakti/Devī supremacy
• Divine beauty as irresistible power (śrī/tejas)
• Foreshadowing of confrontation

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse shows how desire and curiosity can become gateways to downfall: the Asuras are lured not only by power but by beauty, illustrating the Purāṇic warning that unchecked attraction (kāma/ahaṅkāra) leads to adharma-driven action.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is episodic narrative (carita) within the Purāṇa, aligned with accounts of conflicts and notable figures rather than the cosmological limbs. It supports the Purāṇic function of teaching dharma through story.

What is the symbolic significance?

Vindhya here functions as a liminal sacred geography—an in-between realm where the Goddess manifests independently. Calling her ‘kanyā’ highlights purity and unassailable autonomy, while ‘sumahānubhāvā’ signals that her beauty is inseparable from tejas (spiritual radiance).