Vamana Purana — Jabali Bound by the Monkey, Shloka 18

Jabali Bound by the Monkey: Nandayanti’s Ordeal and the Yamuna–Hiranyavati Sacred Corridor

Devanagari script

तत्रासौ तप आस्थाय मोनव्रतधरः शुचिः समास्ते वै महातेजाः संवत्सरगणान् बहून्

Transliteration

tatrāsau tapa āsthāya monavratadharaḥ śuciḥ samāste vai mahātejāḥ saṃvatsaragaṇān bahūn

Translation

在那里，他安住于苦行，清净无染，持守默誓（mauna-vrata）；那位大光辉者在修行中住留了许多岁序。

Word by Word

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of place (देशवाचक)

• asau: that one, he
• asau: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; object of āsthāya

• āsthāya: having undertaken
• āsthāya: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/preceding action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-sthā (धातु)
• Form: Kridanta, Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), indeclinable; from √sthā with prefix ā-

• mona-vrata-dharaḥ: observing the vow of silence
• mona-vrata-dharaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mona (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘vow-of-silence bearer’; dhara = agent-noun from √dhṛ (धृ) with -a; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying asau

• śuciḥ: pure
• śuciḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective

• samāste: remained, stayed
• samāste: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ās (धातु)
• Form: Tinganta, Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada; from √ās with prefix sam-

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic/assurance particle (निश्चयार्थक)

• mahā-tejāḥ: of great radiance
• mahā-tejāḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘great in splendor’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective of asau

• saṃvatsara-gaṇān: for groups of years
• saṃvatsara-gaṇān: Kāla-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/time-extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃvatsara (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘groups of years’; Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• bahūn: many
• bahūn: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; qualifying saṃvatsara-gaṇān

Speakers

• Narratorial voice (continuation of the episode).

Key Themes

• Tapas (ascetic discipline) as transformative power
• Mauna-vrata (silence) as a purificatory vow
• Long-duration penance (saṃvatsara-gaṇa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘mahā-tejas’ imply in ascetic contexts?

Mahā-tejas denotes the radiance/power generated by tapas—both moral authority and a quasi-cosmic potency. In Purāṇic idiom it often foreshadows the capacity to obtain boons, reverse misfortune, or sanctify a locale.

Why is the vow of silence (mauna-vrata) emphasized?

Mauna-vrata is a discipline of restraint (saṃyama) that conserves and concentrates ascetic energy. It also signals withdrawal from social speech-acts (argument, lamentation), converting grief into controlled spiritual effort.

Does ‘many sets of years’ indicate a specific number?

The phrase saṃvatsara-gaṇān bahūn is intentionally non-specific, a common Purāṇic style indicating prolonged, extraordinary endurance rather than a calendrically fixed count.