Vamana Purana — Sin-Destroying Hymn (Part 2), Shloka 19

The Second Sin-Destroying Hymn (Pāpaśamana Stava) and Syncretic Praise of Hari-Hara

Devanagari script

श्रीकण्ठं वासुदेवं नीलकण्ठं सदण्डिनम् नमस्ये सर्वमनघं गौरीशं नकुलीस्वरम्

Transliteration

śrīkaṇṭhaṃ vāsudevaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaṃ sadaṇḍinam namasye sarvamanaghaṃ gaurīśaṃ nakulīsvaram

Translation

{"syncretic_content": false, "primary_deity": "Vishnu", "secondary_deities": ["Indra (implied by Upendra/Śakrāhva)"], "hari_hara_unity": null, "shakti_presence": null, "theological_tradition": "vaishnava"}

Word by Word

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Speakers

• Unspecified eulogist/narrator within the chapter’s stuti-context (addressing the Supreme through Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava nomenclature)

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Parvati

Key Themes

• Shaiva-Vaishnava unity (Vāsudeva alongside Śiva epithets)
• Pāśupata/ascetic Śaivism (Nakulīśvara; staff-bearing imagery)
• Purity and faultlessness of the divine (anagha)
• Mythic allusion (Nīlakaṇṭha: poison-bearing episode)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the significance of invoking ‘Vāsudeva’ together with Śiva-names like ‘Nīlakaṇṭha’ and ‘Gaurīśa’?

The verse exemplifies Purāṇic inclusivism: the sacred narrative space (especially in a māhātmya) is sanctified by acknowledging both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva manifestations, implying a shared supreme divinity accessible through multiple names.

Who/what is ‘Nakulīśvara’ in Purāṇic usage?

Nakulīśvara (often aligned with Lākulīśa/Nakulīśa) denotes a revered Śaiva authority associated with the Pāśupata tradition. In stuti, it functions as a powerful Śiva-epithet highlighting ascetic lineage and doctrinal authority.

How should ‘sa-daṇḍin’ (staff-bearing) be understood here?

It can indicate Śiva’s ascetic/disciplinary aspect (a renunciant bearing a staff) and, more broadly, the Lord as the upholder of order (daṇḍa as chastisement/justice). The verse does not specify a particular icon, so both resonances are plausible.