Vamana Purana — Nara-Narayana's Tapas, Shloka 35

Nara-Narayana’s Tapas, Indra’s Temptation, and the Burning of Kama: The Origin of Ananga and the Shiva-Linga Episode

Devanagari script

ध्यात्वा क्षणं प्रस्वपिति क्षणं स्वप्नायते हरः स्वप्ने तथेदं गदति तां दृष्ट्वा दक्षकन्यकाम्

Transliteration

dhyātvā kṣaṇaṃ prasvapiti kṣaṇaṃ svapnāyate haraḥ svapne tathedaṃ gadati tāṃ dṛṣṭvā dakṣakanyakām

Translation

略作思惟之后，诃罗短暂入睡；在那梦中，见到达叉之女（萨蒂）时，他如是说道。

Word by Word

• ध्यात्वा: having meditated
• ध्यात्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having done)

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: कालाधिकरण (temporal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; काल-परिमाणार्थे

• प्रस्वपिति: falls asleep
• प्रस्वपिति: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्वप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: कालाधिकरण (temporal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; काल-परिमाणार्थे

• स्वप्नायते: dreams
• स्वप्नायते: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्वप्नाय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (denominative from स्वप्न)

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: कर्ता (Karta/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वप्ने: in a dream
• स्वप्ने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/प्रकार-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• इदम्: this (speech/words)
• इदम्: कर्म (Karma/object of गदति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• गदति: says/utters
• गदति: क्रिया (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ताम्: to/that (her)
• ताम्: कर्म (Karma/object; addressee/that woman)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकाल

• दक्षकन्यकाम्: the maiden, Dakṣa’s daughter
• दक्षकन्यकाम्: कर्म (Karma/object of दृष्ट्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षकन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दक्षस्य कन्यका); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Narrator (frame speaker not explicit in given excerpt; likely within Pulastya–Nārada narrative layer)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Hara)
• Sati (Daksha’s daughter)

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Domestic dharma
• Emotion and reconciliation
• Dream as narrative device

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even exalted beings are portrayed as engaging with human-like emotions; the ethical emphasis is on restraint, reconciliation, and restoring harmony rather than escalating conflict.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is best categorized under Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative material (episodes about divine and semi-divine personages), rather than sarga/pratisarga or manvantara lists.

What is the symbolic significance?

The dream-frame externalizes inner turmoil: Śiva’s brief sleep becomes a literary space where suppressed longing and reproach can be voiced, setting up a movement from separation to possible reunion.