Vamana Purana — Saptasarasvata Tirtha, Shloka 30

Harihara Revelation and the Tirtha-Glorification of Saptasarasvata in Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

चक्रासिहस्तं हलशार्ङ्गपाणिं पिनाकशूलाजगवान्वितं च कपर्दखट्वाङ्गकपालघण्टासशङ्खटङ्काररवं महर्षे

Transliteration

cakrāsihastaṃ halaśārṅgapāṇiṃ pinākaśūlājagavānvitaṃ ca kapardakhaṭvāṅgakapālaghaṇṭāsaśaṅkhaṭaṅkāraravaṃ maharṣe

Translation

大圣者啊，他们见那形相手执轮与剑；又持犁与娑楞伽弓（Śārṅga）；并具毗那迦弓（Pināka）、三叉戟与蛇。其上饰以结髻（jaṭā）、佉吒婆央伽杖（khaṭvāṅga）、骷髅与铃；并发出金铁铿锵之声，和合海螺（śaṅkha）之音而回响。

Word by Word

• चक्र-असि-हस्तम्: having discus and sword in hand
• चक्र-असि-हस्तम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक) + असि (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘चक्रं च असिं च हस्ते यस्य’

• हल-शार्ङ्ग-पाणिम्: having plough and Śārṅga (bow) in hand
• हल-शार्ङ्ग-पाणिम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हल (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्ङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘हलः शार्ङ्गश्च पाणौ यस्य’

• पिनाक-शूल-अजग-वान्वितम्: endowed with Pināka, trident, and (ajaga)
• पिनाक-शूल-अजग-वान्वितम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिनाक (प्रातिपदिक) + शूल (प्रातिपदिक) + अजग (प्रातिपदिक) + वान्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वन्/वृत्? in sense ‘endowed with’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘पिनाकेन शूलेन अजगेन च वान्वितम्/युक्तम्’

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

• कपर्द-खट्वाङ्ग-कपाल-घण्टा-स-शङ्ख-टङ्कार-रवम्: having the sound of clattering with kaparda, khaṭvāṅga, skull, bell, conch, etc.
• कपर्द-खट्वाङ्ग-कपाल-घण्टा-स-शङ्ख-टङ्कार-रवम्: कर्म (Object; epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपर्द (प्रातिपदिक) + खट्वाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + कपाल (प्रातिपदिक) + घण्टा (प्रातिपदिक) + स (अव्यय/समास-अवयव) + शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक) + टङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: ‘कपर्द… (आदि) टङ्कारः (ध्वनिः) रवः यस्य/यत्र’ ; ‘स-’ = ‘सहित’ (with) as compound member

• महर्षे: O great sage
• महर्षे: सम्बोधन (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator addressing a ‘maharṣi’ (great sage) within the dialogue frame.

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (Hari)
• Śiva (Śaṅkara/Hara)
• Balarāma (implied by hala as an emblem)

Key Themes

• Syncretic iconography (weapons and emblems combined)
• Sectarian reconciliation (Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava)
• Auspicious sound (śaṅkha/ṭaṅkāra)
• Martial-protective aspect of the divine

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why are both Śārṅga and Pināka mentioned together?

Śārṅga is paradigmatically Viṣṇu’s bow and Pināka Śiva’s. Their co-presence is a deliberate ‘double-signature’ indicating that the same supreme agency wields both preservative and transformative powers, collapsing sectarian exclusivity.

What does the inclusion of khaṭvāṅga and kapāla communicate?

These are strong Śaiva/Kāpālika markers associated with cremation-ground symbolism and transcendence of conventional purity norms. In a Harihara context, they assert that the supreme encompasses both royal auspiciousness (cakra, śaṅkha) and ascetic/liminal sovereignty (kapāla, khaṭvāṅga).

How should ‘ṭaṅkāra-rava’ be understood here?

It denotes a sharp, ringing reverberation—classically the twang/clang associated with weaponry or bowstring—paired with the conch’s sound. The verse builds an acoustic icon: the deity is recognized not only by form but by the combined sonic emblems of both traditions.