Vamana Purana — Kurukshetra & Prithudaka Tirtha, Shloka 38

Kurukshetra, Pṛthūdaka Tīrtha, and the Marriage of Saṃvaraṇa with Tapatī

Devanagari script

स चाप्यरुह्य तुरगं प्रतिष्ठानं पुरोत्तमम् गतस्तु मेरुशिखरं कामचारी यथामरः

Transliteration

sa cāpyaruhya turagaṃ pratiṣṭhānaṃ purottamam gatastu meruśikharaṃ kāmacārī yathāmaraḥ

Translation

他骑上骏马，自殊胜之城普拉提什塔那出发，前往须弥山之巅；其行止随心，如同天神。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘also’

• आरुह्य: having mounted
• आरुह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having mounted’

• तुरगम्: horse
• तुरगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रतिष्ठानम्: Pratiṣṭhāna (place/city)
• प्रतिष्ठानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिष्ठान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरोत्तमम्: the best of cities
• पुरोत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुर-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रतिष्ठानम्); समास: पुर + उत्तम (तत्पुरुष)

• गतः: having gone
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having gone’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोध-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• मेरुशिखरम्: to the peak of Meru
• मेरुशिखरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु-शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समास: मेरु + शिखर (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कामचारी: moving at will
• कामचारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (सः); समास: काम + चारिन् (तत्पुरुष)

• यथा: like/as
• यथा: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान-अव्यय (comparative indeclinable)

• अमरः: an immortal (god)
• अमरः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Not explicit in the given verses (likely within the Pulastya–Nārada narrative frame of the Purāṇa)

Key Themes

• Vamśānucarita (dynastic/royal narrative)
• Sacred geography (cosmic topography)
• Kāmacāra (divine-like mobility)
• Quest/romance trajectory

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse frames royal agency as disciplined yet expansive: the hero departs a famed capital and moves toward a cosmic summit, suggesting that aspiration (toward higher realms/ideals) is a legitimate axis of dharma when aligned with purpose rather than mere indulgence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita: it advances a dynastic/heroic account (movement of a king/hero between capitals and sacred/cosmic locales), not sarga/pralaya.

What is the symbolic significance?

Meru functions as an axis-mundi symbol: the hero’s ascent/journey toward Meru mirrors an inward ascent toward a ‘center’ of order and destiny; ‘kāmacārī like a god’ elevates the narrative tone, portraying exceptional capacity granted by merit or fate.