Vamana Purana — Sati's Death & Virabhadra, Shloka 22

Sati’s Death and the Assault on Daksha’s Sacrifice: Virabhadra versus the Devas

Devanagari script

मडगारिवदनं दृष्ट्वा देवाः शक्रपुरोगमाः ऋषयो यक्षगन्धर्वाः किमिदं त्वित्यचिन्तयन्

Transliteration

maḍagārivadanaṃ dṛṣṭvā devāḥ śakrapurogamāḥ ṛṣayo yakṣagandharvāḥ kimidaṃ tvityacintayan

Translation

见到一张如同“摩陀伽利”般的面容，诸天以释迦（因陀罗）为首，连同诸仙（ṛṣi）、夜叉与乾闼婆，皆惊疑思忖：“这究竟是什么？”

Word by Word

• maḍagāri-vadanam: the face of Maḍagāri (a terrifying face)
• maḍagāri-vadanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maḍagāri + vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/क्त्वा), ‘having seen’

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• śakra-purogamāḥ: led by Śakra (Indra)
• śakra-purogamāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakra + purogama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण of devāḥ

• ṛṣayaḥ: the sages
• ṛṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• yakṣa-gandharvāḥ: Yakṣas and Gandharvas
• yakṣa-gandharvāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yakṣa + gandharva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); द्वन्द्व-समासः

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Interrogative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), निपात (particle), विरोध/अन्वय (emphatic/contrast)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• acintayan: they thought/wondered
• acintayan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cint (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya narrating to Nārada; verse is narrative reaction

Primary Deities

• Indra (Śakra)

Key Themes

• Daitya-Deva Conflict
• Portents/Omens
• Cosmic fear and uncertainty
• Inter-community witnessing (Devas, Ṛṣis, Yakṣas, Gandharvas)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even the devas, though powerful, confront the unknown with inquiry rather than rash action; the verse models reflective discernment (vicāra) before response.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Narrative episode (ākhyāna) supporting dharma-teaching within a tīrtha-related section; it functions as contextual storytelling rather than cosmogony or genealogy.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘terrifying face’ motif externalizes adharma’s disturbance—when cosmic order is threatened, even celestial communities experience disorientation; the shared witnessing by devas and other beings underscores a universe-wide ripple of moral imbalance.