Vamana Purana — Sati's Death & Virabhadra, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

वीरभद्रमथादिश्य भद्रकालीं च शङ्करः विवेश क्रोधताम्राक्षो यज्ञवाटं त्रिशूलभृत्

Transliteration

vīrabhadramathādiśya bhadrakālīṃ ca śaṅkaraḥ viveśa krodhatāmrākṣo yajñavāṭaṃ triśūlabhṛt

Translation

湿婆以命令吩咐毗罗跋陀罗与跋陀罗迦梨之后，商羯罗怒目赤红，执三叉戟进入祭祀之坛场。

Word by Word

• vīrabhadram: Vīrabhadra
• vīrabhadram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīrabhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction/particle

• ādiśya: having commanded
• ādiśya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + diś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), 'having instructed/commanded'

• bhadrakālīm: Bhadrakālī
• bhadrakālīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadrakālī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; karmadhāraya: bhadrā kālī (name)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction (समुच्चय)

• śaṅkaraḥ: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• śaṅkaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular

• viveśa: entered
• viveśa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: viś (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada

• krodha-tāmra-akṣaḥ: having eyes reddened by anger
• krodha-tāmra-akṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: krodha + tāmra + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; bahuvrīhi: yasya akṣe tāmre krodhāt (whose eyes are copper-red from anger)

• yajña-vāṭam: the sacrificial enclosure
• yajña-vāṭam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña + vāṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; tatpuruṣa: yajñasya vāṭaḥ (sacrificial enclosure)

• triśūla-bhṛt: the trident-bearer
• triśūla-bhṛt: Apposition to Karta (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: triśūla + bhṛt (प्रातिपदिक); bhṛt from √bhṛ (भृ धातु)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular; tatpuruṣa: triśūlaṃ bibhrat (trident-bearer)

Speakers

• Narrative layer not explicit in given excerpt (commonly Pulastya to Nārada frame)

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• Virabhadra
• Bhadrakali

Key Themes

• Shaivism
• Śakti
• Ritual propriety
• Cosmic justice
• Yajna critique

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse underscores that sacred power (Śiva-Śakti) is inseparable: correction of adharma is not only punitive but also restorative, requiring both command (īśvara) and dynamic force (śakti).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Vamśānucarita / carita: an instructive mythic event embedded in purāṇic narration, illustrating norms of worship and consequences of transgression.

What is the symbolic significance?

Śiva’s trident and reddened eyes symbolize the threefold power to pierce impurity (mala) and the urgency of dharma’s defense when ritual becomes an instrument of ego.