Shloka 165
The Establishment of Vāmana at Kānyakubja and the Sanctification of Setu
दर्भपाणिर्हंसकेतुः कर्ता हर्ता हरो हरिः । जटी मुंडी शिखी दंडी लगुडी च महायशाः
darbhapāṇirhaṃsaketuḥ kartā hartā haro hariḥ | jaṭī muṃḍī śikhī daṃḍī laguḍī ca mahāyaśāḥ
في يده عشب الكوشا، وشعارُه الإوزّةُ المقدّسة (الهَمْسَة)؛ هو الفاعل وهو الساحبُ المُستردّ؛ هو هارا وهو هاري. هو الزاهدُ ذو الشعر المُلبَّد، وهو محلوقُ الرأس، وهو ذو العُقدة العُليا؛ حاملُ العصا وحاملُ الهِراوة—ذو صيتٍ عظيم.
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa 38)
Concept: The Supreme is simultaneously the ritualist and the renunciant, the creator and withdrawer—one reality appearing through many sacred roles.
Application: Honor diverse spiritual paths (yajña, japa, sannyāsa) as offerings to one Lord; reduce sectarian hostility by seeing one divine agency behind varied symbols.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A single radiant deity stands at the center, shifting iconographic attributes as if layered in one form: kuśa-grass in one hand, a staff and club appearing as shadow-forms, with matted locks and also the serene shaven-headed ascetic visage suggested in overlapping halos. Above, a swan-emblem glides through a mandala of Vedic fire and forest silence, implying the Lord as both yajamāna and yogin.","primary_figures":["Vishnu (as all-form, Hari)","Hara-aspect (suggested, not separate)","Hamsa emblem (swan)"],"setting":"A liminal sacred space blending a yajña-śālā (fire altar, kuśa mats) with a forest hermitage edge; symbolic rather than geographic.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","ash white","gold leaf","kusha green","smoke gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a central syncretic Hari-form with layered ascetic attributes (jaṭā and muṇḍa suggested through dual halos), holding kuśa and a daṇḍa, with a subtle gadā silhouette; hamsa emblem above; ornate prabhāmaṇḍala, heavy gold leaf, ruby-green borders, gem-studded ornaments, sacred fire altar at the base, rich reds and greens, traditional South Indian iconography.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical forest-ashram scene merging a small yajña pavilion and pine-like woodland; the deity as serene blue figure with minimal ornaments, kuśa in hand, staff nearby, a white swan motif in the sky; delicate brushwork, cool mountain palette, refined facial features, soft atmospheric perspective.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines, natural pigments; the all-form Lord with prominent expressive eyes, holding kuśa and daṇḍa, gadā hinted; sacred fire and kuśa mats below; hamsa emblem in a circular aureole; red/yellow/green dominant with deep blue body tone, temple-wall aesthetic.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Vishnu-centered composition with lotus and kuśa motifs forming a floral border; a swan medallion above; the Lord holding kuśa with a subtle gadā; intricate vines, peacocks at corners, deep indigo background with gold detailing, Nathdwara-inspired ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch shell","crackling sacrificial fire","forest birds"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दर्भपाणिर्हंसकेतुः = दर्भपाणिः + हंसकेतुः (visarga sandhi).
FAQs
The verse deliberately pairs Hara (Śiva) and Hari (Viṣṇu) to express a theological synthesis: the one divine reality is praised through multiple names and functions (withdrawal/removal and preservation).
They point to renunciant and protective aspects of divinity—matted hair or a topknot, shaved head, and carrying a staff or club—indicating mastery over discipline, detachment, and the power to uphold dharma.
No. This verse is primarily a litany of divine epithets and forms; it focuses on identity and attributes rather than describing sacred places.