Vamana Purana — Harihara Non-Duality, Shloka 55

Harihara Non-Duality and the Revelation of Sadasiva to the Ganas

Devanagari script

प्रीतात्मा विबभो शंशुः प्रीतीयुक्तो ऽब्रवीद् वचः परितुष्टो ऽस्मि वः सर्वे ज्ञानेनानेन सुव्रताः

Transliteration

prītātmā vibabho śaṃśuḥ prītīyukto 'bravīd vacaḥ parituṣṭo 'smi vaḥ sarve jñānenānena suvratāḥ

Translation

Then Śaṃśu (Śiva), his heart delighted, shone forth; filled with affection he spoke these words: “I am fully pleased with all of you, O well-vowed ones, because of this knowledge.”

Speakers

• Śiva (Śaṃśu) addressing the purified devotees/attendants (pārṣadas)

Primary Deities

• Śiva (Śaṃśu)

Key Themes

• Divine grace (anugraha)
• Primacy of knowledge (jñāna)
• Validation of disciplined observance (suvrata)
• Radiant manifestation of the deity

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What ‘knowledge’ is Śiva praising here?

The immediate context is the abhinna/aikya insight: recognizing Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and Sūrya as non-different in essence, culminating in a unified vision of the divine.

Why does the text emphasize ‘suvratāḥ’ (well-vowed ones) if knowledge is central?

Purāṇic pedagogy often pairs conduct and insight: vows/discipline (vrata) purify and stabilize the practitioner, while knowledge completes the transformation and becomes the direct cause for divine satisfaction.

What is implied by ‘vibabhau’—did Śiva physically appear?

Vibabhau can indicate a theophany (manifest appearance) or a heightened radiance/presence perceived by the devotees. In tīrtha-mahātmya narratives, such language commonly marks a tangible divine manifestation following purification.