Vamana Purana — Saptasarasvata Tirtha, Shloka 42

Harihara Revelation and the Tirtha-Glorification of Saptasarasvata in Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

उशना उवाच तवाराधनकामार्थं तप्यते हि महत्तपः संजीवनीं शुभां विद्यां ज्ञातुमिच्छे त्रिलोचन

Transliteration

uśanā uvāca tavārādhanakāmārthaṃ tapyate hi mahattapaḥ saṃjīvanīṃ śubhāṃ vidyāṃ jñātumicche trilocana

Translation

Uśanā said: “This great austerity is indeed being practiced for the sake of worshipping you. I desire to know the auspicious Saṃjīvanī-vidyā, O Three-Eyed One.”

Word by Word

• uśanā: Uśanā (Śukra)
• uśanā: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: uśanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन; ऋषिनाम

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ārādhana-kāma-artham: for the purpose of desiring to worship (you)
• ārādhana-kāma-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ārādhana (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (purpose accusative): -अर्थम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: आराधनं कामयमानस्य अर्थम् = ‘for the purpose of desiring worship (of you)’

• tapyate: is being practiced
• tapyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/emphasis): ‘indeed/for’

• mahat: great
• mahat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘tapaḥ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saṃjīvanīm: Saṃjīvanī (reviving)
• saṃjīvanīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjīvanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन

• śubhām: auspicious
• śubhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘vidyām’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• vidyām: knowledge/spell
• vidyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• jñātum: to know
• jñātum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive): ‘to know’

• icche: I desire
• icche: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• trilocana: O three-eyed one (Śiva)
• trilocana: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + locana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: यस्य त्रीणि लोचनानि सः

Speakers

• Uśanā (Śukrācārya) replying to Indra; addressing Śiva indirectly by epithet (“Trilocana”) as the intended recipient of worship

Primary Deities

• Śiva

Key Themes

• Śaiva orientation of Saṃjīvanī transmission
• Tapas as means to vidyā
• Guru-knowledge sought through divine propitiation
• Life-restoring mantra lore

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is Saṃjīvanī-vidyā in Purāṇic tradition?

Saṃjīvanī-vidyā is an esoteric mantra/knowledge associated with restoring life or reviving the fallen, famously linked with Uśanā (Śukra) as preceptor of the Asuras. It functions as a narrative marker of Asura resilience and the potency of mantra-śāstra.

Why does Uśanā address “Trilocana” here?

Trilocana is Śiva. The verse frames Saṃjīvanī not as a merely technical spell but as a boon granted through Śiva’s satisfaction with tapas—placing the vidyā within a devotional and theistic economy.

Is Uśanā speaking to Indra or to Śiva in this verse?

The dialogue tag indicates Uśanā is responding to Indra’s question, but the content reveals the object of his austerity is Śiva (Trilocana). This layered address is common: one character answers another while naming the deity being propitiated.