Vamana Purana — Daksha's Sacrifice & Kapalin Rudra, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

अहङ्कारावृतो रुद्रः प्रत्युवाच पितामहम् को भवानिह संप्राप्तः केन सृष्टो ऽसि मां वद

Transliteration

ahaṅkārāvṛto rudraḥ pratyuvāca pitāmaham ko bhavāniha saṃprāptaḥ kena sṛṣṭo 'si māṃ vada

Translation

被阿汉迦罗所覆的鲁陀罗答复毗多摩诃（梵天）道：“你是谁，竟来到此处？你由谁所造？告诉我。”

Word by Word

• अहङ्कारावृतः: covered by ego
• अहङ्कारावृतः: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (आ-√वृ धातु, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (ego-covered)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रत्युवाच: replied
• प्रत्युवाच: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-उप-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पितामहम्: to the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहम्: सम्प्रदान/प्रति (Addressee/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कः: who?
• कः: प्रश्न-कर्ता (Interrogative subject/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• भवान्: you (sir)
• भवान्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘you’)

• इह: here
• इह: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• संप्राप्तः: arrived
• संप्राप्तः: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-√प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• केन: by whom?
• केन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• सृष्टः: created
• सृष्टः: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असि: are
• असि: क्रिया (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• माम्: to me / me
• माम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वद: tell
• वद: क्रिया (Command/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speakers

• Rudra to Brahmā (Pitāmaha)

Primary Deities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Ahaṅkāra as cause of contention
• Question of origin/authority
• Non-sectarian framing (both deities shown within cosmic conditioning)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

When ego dominates, even divine beings demand pedigree and supremacy; the ethical lesson is that true knowledge begins when the 'I-maker' is transcended, restoring mutual recognition and order.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Sarga (creation narrative) with an embedded didactic episode explaining how created principles (ahaṅkāra) generate conflict among cosmic administrators.

What is the symbolic significance?

Rudra’s challenge symbolizes the fragmentation of unity into competing identities under ahaṅkāra; the text implies that rivalry is not essential to Śiva or Brahmā, but an imposed condition.