Vamana Purana — Gift of Sudarshana, Shloka 19

The Gift of Sudarshana: Shiva’s Boon to Vishnu and the Sanctification of Virupaksha

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे शंभुर्योगमूर्तिधरो ऽप्ययः तस्थौ हिमाचलप्रस्थमाश्रित्य श्लुक्ष्णभूतलम्

Transliteration

etasminnantare śaṃbhuryogamūrtidharo 'pyayaḥ tasthau himācalaprasthamāśritya ślukṣṇabhūtalam

Translation

এই অন্তরে যোগমূর্তি ধারণকারী অব্যয় শম্ভু হিমালয়ের এক পর্বত-প্রস্থ আশ্রয় করে মসৃণ ভূমিতে স্থির হয়ে দাঁড়ালেন।

Speakers

• Narrator voice describing Śiva’s posture/location; explicit interlocutors not stated.

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Shambhu)

Key Themes

• Śiva as Yogin (ascetic sovereignty)
• Cosmic stillness preceding divine action
• Sacred mountain geography

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘yogamūrti’ imply about Śiva’s role here?

It marks Śiva as the archetypal yogin—centered, sovereign, and inwardly established—suggesting that decisive cosmic action arises from yogic steadiness rather than agitation.

Why is the Himālaya emphasized?

The Himālaya functions as a pan-Purāṇic sacred geography of tapas (austerity) and divine presence. Even without a named tīrtha, ‘himācala-prastha’ signals a sanctified setting appropriate for yogic concentration and divine counsel.

What is the narrative function of describing ‘smooth ground’ (ślukṣṇa-bhūtala)?

It concretizes the scene: a stable, even seat/standing-place suitable for yoga. Such physical details often cue ritual-ascetic propriety (a clean, level place) before a major divine encounter.