Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 43

The Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu (Vishnu-Pañjara) and the Redemption of a Rakshasa

Devanagari script

राक्षस उवाच षष्ठे काले त्वमाहारः क्षुधितस्य समागतः निःश्रीकस्यातिपापस्य निर्घृणस्य द्विजद्रुहः

Transliteration

rākṣasa uvāca ṣaṣṭhe kāle tvamāhāraḥ kṣudhitasya samāgataḥ niḥśrīkasyātipāpasya nirghṛṇasya dvijadruhaḥ

Translation

{"scene_description": "A brāhmaṇa, calm and resolute, speaks to the rākṣasa: he will return after reporting to his guru; the rākṣasa pauses, surprised by such integrity.", "primary_figures": ["Brāhmaṇa (vow-keeper)", "Rākṣasa (predator, momentarily checked)"], "setting": "Forest path leading toward an āśrama in the distance; a small fruit-basket or staff hints at his errand.", "color_palette": ["saffron", "white", "deep green", "twilight blue", "bronze"], "tanjore_prompt": "Tanjore style, gold-leaf halo around the brāhmaṇa as dharma-hero, rākṣasa rendered fierce but subdued, ornate arch frame, emphasis on the brāhmaṇa’s composed face and raised hand of assurance.", "pahari_prompt": "Pahari miniature, gentle pastel forest, brāhmaṇa pointing toward the hermitage path, rākṣasa listening, delicate architecture of āśrama in background, lyrical moral drama.", "kerala_mural_prompt": "Kerala mural, strong contours, brāhmaṇa in bright white/saffron with serene eyVamana Purana,58,22,VamP 58.22,tṛṣitaḥ pātukāmo 'sau avatīrṇaśca tajjalam salīlaḥ paṅkajavane yūthamadhyagataścaran,तृषितः पातुकामो ऽसौ अवतीर्णश्च तज्जलम् सलीलः पङ्कजवने यूथमध्यगतश्चरन्,Saromahatmya (Saro/Tirtha-Mahatmya Cycle),Tirtha Mahima / Narrative Action (approach to water),Adhyaya 58 (Saro/Tirtha context; elephant enters the water-lotus grove),22,tṛṣitaḥ pātukāmo 'sau avatīrṇaśca tajjalam salīlaḥ paṅkajavane yūthamadhyagataścaran,tṛṣitaḥ pātu-kāmo ’sau avatīrṇaś ca taj-jalam | sa-līlaḥ paṅkaja-vane yūtha-madhya-gataś caran ||,“Thirsty and wishing to drink

Speakers

• Rākṣasa to Brāhmaṇa

Key Themes

• Adharma and self-incrimination
• Sin as loss of Śrī (auspicious fortune)
• Violence against Brāhmaṇas (dvijadroha)
• Fate/recurrence signaled by time-count (ṣaṣṭha-kāla)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does “niḥśrīka” convey beyond ‘poor’ or ‘unlucky’?

Śrī signifies prosperity, auspiciousness, and divine radiance (often personified as Lakṣmī). Calling himself niḥśrīka implies moral-spiritual deprivation: his cruelty has driven away auspiciousness and merit, not merely material wealth.

How should “ṣaṣṭhe kāle” be understood?

Literally “on the sixth occasion/time.” In Purāṇic storytelling, such time-counts can indicate a recurring pattern (e.g., periodic feeding, a vow, or a destined cycle). Without surrounding verses, it is best read as a narrative cue that this is not the first such event.

Why is “dvijadruhaḥ” emphasized?

Harming the twice-born—especially Brāhmaṇas—is a paradigmatic transgression in dharma literature. The rākṣasa’s identity is defined by this hostility, heightening the ethical stakes and foreshadowing consequences (punishment, curse, or reversal).