Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 63

Shukra’s Saṃjīvanī, Shiva’s Containment of the Asuras, and Indra’s Recovery of Power

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा शून्यं गिरिप्रस्थं ग्रस्तांश् च प्रमथामरान् क्रोधादुत्पादयामास रुद्रो जृम्भायिकां वशी

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā śūnyaṃ giriprasthaṃ grastāṃś ca pramathāmarān krodhādutpādayāmāsa rudro jṛmbhāyikāṃ vaśī

Translation

{"has_teaching": true, "teaching_type": "dharma", "core_concept": "yuddha-nīti in service of dharma", "teaching_summary": "Dharma-protection may require skillful means: neutralize the enemy’s capacity to harm (horses, charioteer, chariot) before final defeat.", "vedantic_theme": "Pragmatic dharma (upāya-kauśalya) under divine sanction", "practical_application": "Address root enablers of harm (systems/tools) rather than only symptoms; act methodically."}

Word by Word

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Speakers

• Narrator voice within the Pulastya–Nārada dialogue frame (chapter-level narration)

Primary Deities

• Rudra (Śiva)

Key Themes

• Divine countermeasure
• Personified śakti as weapon
• Rudra’s controlled wrath
• Battle-magic (stambhana/mohana-type effect)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is Jṛmbhāyikā in Purāṇic battle language?

Jṛmbhāyikā is a named, personified śakti that induces jṛmbhā (yawning), heaviness, and loss of alertness—functioning like an enchantment that disarms opponents by draining vigor rather than by direct physical destruction.

How can Rudra be ‘vaśī’ (self-controlled) while acting ‘krodhāt’ (from anger)?

Purāṇic diction often distinguishes emotion from mastery: Rudra’s anger is the motive force, but ‘vaśī’ indicates he remains sovereign over his powers, deploying a precise śakti rather than acting in blind rage.

Does ‘grastān’ mean literally ‘swallowed’?

Not necessarily. While ‘grasta’ can mean ‘swallowed,’ in epic-Purāṇic battle contexts it commonly means ‘seized/overwhelmed/overpowered,’ describing a tactical or magical subjugation.