Vamana Purana — Narada Questions Pulastya, Shloka 13

Narada Questions Pulastya: The Vamana Purana Begins and Satī’s Monsoon Lament

Devanagari script

एवमुक्तो भवान्या तु शङ्करो वाक्यमब्रवीत् निराश्रयो ऽहं सुदती सदारण्यचरः शुभे

Transliteration

evamukto bhavānyā tu śaṅkaro vākyamabravīt nirāśrayo 'haṃ sudatī sadāraṇyacaraḥ śubhe

Translation

被婆伐尼如此问及，商羯罗答道：“齿若珠玉的吉祥女神啊，我无定所；我恒常栖居并行游于林野。”

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• उक्तः: (having been) addressed
• उक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘said/spoken to’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शङ्करः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भवान्या: by Bhavānī (Pārvatī)
• भवान्या: Kartr̥ (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavānī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देशः (agent in passive sense)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वय-अव्यय (particle ‘but/indeed’)

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अब्रवीत् इति क्रियायाः कर्म

• अब्रवीत्: said, spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निराश्रयः: without shelter, homeless
• निराश्रयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (निः + आश्रय); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अहम् इति सर्वनाम्नः विशेषणम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; वक्ता-स्वरूप

• सुदति: O fair-toothed one
• सुदति: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su-datī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सु + दती ‘good-toothed/beautiful-toothed’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb ‘always’)

• अरण्यचरः: forest-dwelling
• अरण्यचरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: araṇya-cara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अरण्ये चरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अहम् इति विशेषणम्

• शुभे: O auspicious one
• शुभे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; प्रियसम्बोधन

Speakers

• Śaṅkara (Śiva) addressing Bhavānī (Pārvatī)

Primary Deities

• Śiva
• Pārvatī

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Renunciation
• Forest-dwelling (āraṇya-vāsa)
• Ascetic ideal

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Śiva’s self-description emphasizes vairāgya (non-attachment) and homelessness as an ascetic virtue—divinity is not tied to possessions or settled life, but to inner steadiness and dharma.

How does this fit the Pañcalakṣaṇa?

This verse functions within ākhyāna/vaṃśānucarita-style narrative movement rather than cosmogenesis; it is best grouped under Vamśānucarita/Carita (narrative of divine personages) rather than Sarga/Pratisarga.

What is the symbolic significance?

“Nirāśraya” and “āraṇyacara” symbolically mark Śiva as the archetypal yogin beyond social anchoring; the forest signifies liminality where worldly order thins and spiritual insight is foregrounded.