Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 17

Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

स वायुपथमास्थाय धर्मराजकरे स्थितः जज्वाल कालग्निनिभो यद्वद् दग्धुं जगत्त्रयम्

Transliteration

sa vāyupathamāsthāya dharmarājakare sthitaḥ jajvāla kālagninibho yadvad dagdhuṃ jagattrayam

Translation

它循风之道而行，复安止于法王（达摩王）之手；其光焰如时劫之火（迦罗之火）般炽盛，仿佛要焚尽三界。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• वायुपथम्: the path of the wind (sky)
• वायुपथम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु-पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ‘path of the wind/sky-path’

• आस्थाय: having taken to
• आस्थाय: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभावः; ‘having mounted/taken to’

• धर्मराजकरे: in Dharmarāja’s hand
• धर्मराजकरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मराज-कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ‘in the hand of Dharmarāja (Yama)’

• स्थितः: standing/placed
• स्थितः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); ‘standing/being placed’

• जज्वाल: blazed
• जज्वाल: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्वल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• कालग्निनिभः: like the fire of Time
• कालग्निनिभः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल-अग्नि-निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः ‘like the fire of Time/doom-fire’ (qualifying सः)

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: उपमान (Upamāna/Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्ययम् (comparative particle: ‘as/just as’)

• दग्धुम्: to burn
• दग्धुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्यय (Infinitive/तुमुन्), ‘to burn’

• जगत्त्रयम्: the three worlds
• जगत्त्रयम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्-त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); द्विगु-समासः ‘three worlds’

Speakers

• Narratorial layer not explicit in the provided verses

Primary Deities

• Dharmarāja (Yama)

Key Themes

• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Cosmic order and punishment
• Apocalyptic imagery (kālāgni)
• Trailokya (three worlds)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma ultimately ‘contains’ and directs overwhelming force: even what seems world-burning is placed under the governance of Dharmarāja, implying that punishment and restraint are subordinated to cosmic law.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

The verse uses pralaya-like imagery (kālāgni) but functions within character-narrative (Vaṃśānucarita/Carita). It is not a formal Pralaya description; rather, it borrows dissolution symbolism to heighten the battle’s intensity.

What is the symbolic significance?

Kālāgni imagery signals the boundary between controlled power and annihilation. The object’s resting in Dharmarāja’s hand suggests that ultimate coercive power (daṇḍa) belongs to dharma, not to personal rage—an important Purāṇic ethic of regulated force.