Vamana Purana — Sati's Death & Virabhadra, Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

ततः क्रोधाभिभूतेन वीरभद्रो ऽथ शंभुना पूर्वोद्दिष्टे तदा स्थाने सायुधस्तु निवेशितः

Transliteration

tataḥ krodhābhibhūtena vīrabhadro 'tha śaṃbhunā pūrvoddiṣṭe tadā sthāne sāyudhastu niveśitaḥ

Translation

随后，因忿怒所制，商布（湿婆）将持械的毗罗跋陀罗安置在先前所指示之处。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) 'then'

• krodha-abhibhūtena: by (one) overcome with anger
• krodha-abhibhūtena: Hetu/Kāraṇa (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krodha + abhibhūta (प्रातिपदिक); abhibhūta from √bhū (भू धातु) with abhi-
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (contextual), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (क्त), tatpuruṣa: krodhena abhibhūtaḥ (overcome by anger)

• vīrabhadraḥ: Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra + bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; karmadhāraya: vīraś ca sa bhadraś ca (name)

• atha: then/and now
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, discourse particle/conjunction (समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थ)

• śaṃbhunā: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• śaṃbhunā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular

• pūrva-uddiṣṭe: in the previously indicated (place)
• pūrva-uddiṣṭe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrva + uddiṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक); uddiṣṭa from √diś (दिश् धातु) with ud-
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular; past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally; tatpuruṣa: pūrvaṃ uddiṣṭe (previously indicated)

• tadā: at that time
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, time adverb

• sthāne: in the place
• sthāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular

• sa-āyudhaḥ: armed
• sa-āyudhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; tatpuruṣa (saha-): āyudhena saha (armed)

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

• niveśitaḥ: was stationed/placed
• niveśitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + veśita (प्रातिपदिक); from √viś (विश् धातु) causative/ppp sense
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; passive sense 'was placed/installed'

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicit in given excerpt (commonly framed as Pulastya to Nārada in the Vāmana Purāṇa)

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• Virabhadra

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Ritual conflict
• Dharma vs. pride
• Consequences of insult to divinity
• Yajna (sacrifice)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ritual (yajña) without reverence and right relation (especially toward Śiva/Satī) becomes hollow; anger here functions as a cosmic corrective to arrogance and exclusion in sacred acts.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / carita within a larger mythic history: a traditional episode describing divine-human (and deva) conduct and its consequences, used to teach dharma through narrative exempla.

What is the symbolic significance?

Vīrabhadra being ‘stationed’ signifies that divine power is not random fury but ordered agency—wrath is given a locus and task, indicating dharma-restoration rather than mere destruction.