Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 39

Akhaṇḍa-Ekādaśī Vrata and the Vaiṣṇava Protective Hymn; Prelude to the Kātyāyanī–Mahiṣāsura Narrative

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच कासौ कात्यायानी नाम यचा जघ्ने महिषासुरम् नमरं रक्तबीजं च तथान्यान् कुरकण्टकान्

Transliteration

nārada uvāca kāsau kātyāyānī nāma yacā jaghne mahiṣāsuram namaraṃ raktabījaṃ ca tathānyān kurakaṇṭakān

Translation

“那罗陀说道：名为迦底耶耶尼者是谁——她曾诛杀摩醯沙苏罗、那摩罗与罗多毗阇，并且诛除其他诸多‘荆棘’（敌害）？”

Word by Word

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• का: who (fem.)
• का: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• असौ: that (she)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘का असौ’ = who is she

• कात्यायनी: Kātyāyanī
• कात्यायनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कात्यायनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नामनिर्देशक-निपात (particle: by name)

• या: who (she who)
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• जघ्ने: slew
• जघ्ने: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महिषासुरम्: Mahiṣāsura
• महिषासुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष+असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नमरम्: Namara
• नमरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रक्तबीजम्: Raktabīja
• रक्तबीजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त+बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक

• अन्यान्: other
• अन्यान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कुरकण्टकान्: thorns/tormentors of the Kurus (or: of the gods)
• कुरकण्टकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुर+कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुराणां कण्टकाः) / पाठभेदः: ‘सुरकण्टकान्’

Speakers

• Nārada (questioner) within the standard Pulastya–Nārada dialogue framework

Primary Deities

• Nārada
• Kātyāyanī (Devī)

Key Themes

• Devi Tradition
• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Purāṇic Dialogue (Q&A pedagogy)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The Purāṇic method teaches through inquiry: Nārada’s question legitimizes careful identification of divine forms and their functions. Ethically, it encourages discernment—knowing the source and nature of protective power rather than treating it as anonymous force.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is part of the instructional narrative apparatus supporting Carita/Vamśānucarita material—dialogue-driven exposition rather than sarga/pratisarga cosmology.

What is the symbolic significance?

Asking ‘who is Kātyāyanī?’ points to the Purāṇic principle that names denote roles (śakti-functions) in a given context. The same supreme reality may be apprehended as Devī when confronting chaos, as Hari in sustaining order, and as Īśa in empowering and transmitting spiritual means.