Vamana Purana — Akhanda Ekadashi Vrata, Shloka 60

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

Devanagari script

ततस्तु वसतस्तस्य श्यामा सा सुषुवे मुने अजीजनत् सुतं शुभ्रं महिषं कामरूपिणम्

Transliteration

tatastu vasatastasya śyāmā sā suṣuve mune ajījanat sutaṃ śubhraṃ mahiṣaṃ kāmarūpiṇam

Translation

圣哲啊，当他住在那里时，夏玛（Śyāmā）生下了一个光辉的儿子——一头能够随意变形的非凡水牛。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/from there
• ततः: सम्बन्ध/काल-देश (सामान्य क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वयार्थक

• वसतः: of (him) dwelling
• वसतः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-सम्भाव्य; अर्थः ‘dwelling/of one who dwells’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• श्यामा: Śyāmā (a woman)
• श्यामा: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्यामा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• सुषुवे: gave birth
• सुषुवे: क्रिया (मुख्य क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• अजीजनत्: (she) produced/bore
• अजीजनत्: क्रिया (अनु-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense possible in context ‘caused to be born/produced’

• सुतम्: a son
• सुतम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• शुभ्रम्: bright/white
• शुभ्रम्: विशेषण (to Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) सुतम्/महिषम् प्रति

• महिषम्: a buffalo (as son)
• महिषम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; सुतम् इति समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• कामरूपिणम्: able to assume forms at will
• कामरूपिणम्: विशेषण (to Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): कामरूपिन् ‘one whose form is as desired’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण महिषम् प्रति

Speakers

• Primary dialogue frame traditionally Pulastya → Nārada (not explicit in provided excerpt)

Key Themes

• Marvelous birth
• Metamorphosis (kāmarūpatva)
• Mythic zoology/therianthropic forms
• Karma and realm-based destiny

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The narrative suggests that consequences of prior conduct unfold across locations and generations: even after exile, life continues, producing new agents whose capacities (kāmarūpatva) can amplify either dharma or adharma depending on their choices.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita: this verse records progeny and distinctive traits, a typical purāṇic method of extending lineages and explaining later conflicts or local myths through births of extraordinary beings.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘mahiṣa kāmarūpin’ combines animal-power symbolism (mahiṣa as strength, tamas, or primal force) with protean form (kāmarūpa), indicating unstable identity—an image often used in Purāṇic storytelling to foreshadow disruptive or liminal beings.