Jabali on the Banyan Tree Shloka 17 - Vamana Purana | English | Vedapath

Vyasa

←Previous VerseNext Verse→

Vamana Purana — Jabali on the Banyan Tree, Shloka 17

Jabali Bound on the Banyan Tree and Nandayanti’s Appeal at Sri-Kantha on the Yamuna

Devanagari script

यस्तरेत् सागरं दोर्भ्या पातयेद् भुवि भास्करम् मेरुमुत्पाटयेद् वापि स जयेच्छूलपाणिनम्

Transliteration

yastaret sāgaraṃ dorbhyā pātayed bhuvi bhāskaram merumutpāṭayed vāpi sa jayecchūlapāṇinam

Translation

He who could cross the ocean by the strength of his arms, who could cast the Sun down upon the earth, or who could uproot Mount Meru—only such a one could conquer the Trident-bearer (Śiva).

Word by Word

यःwho

तरेत्might cross

सागरम्the ocean

दोर्भ्याम्with (his) two arms

पातयेत्might cause to fall / could bring down

भुविon the earth

भास्करम्the sun

मेरुम्Mount Meru

उत्पाटयेत्might uproot / could tear out

वाor

अपिeven/also

सःhe

जयेत्might conquer

शूलपाणिनम्the trident-bearer (Śiva)

Speakers

Narrative speaker uses impossibility-hyperbole to assert Śiva’s unconquerability to the addressed antagonist.

Primary Deities

Shiva (Śūlapāṇin)Surya (Bhāskara)

Key Themes

Śiva’s invincibilityCosmic hyperbole as theological rhetoricLimits of physical power vs divine sovereignty

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the verse list impossible feats like crossing the ocean with one’s arms?

This is a standard Purāṇic rhetorical device (atiśayokti) to mark absolute impossibility: if only someone capable of cosmic impossibilities could win, then in practical terms Śiva is unconquerable.

What is the significance of naming Meru and the Ocean?

Meru and the Sāgara are cosmographic constants—symbols of the world’s structure. Invoking them elevates the claim from mere martial boasting to a statement about cosmic order resisting disruption.

Does ‘śūla’ here mean spear or trident?

In Śaiva usage, ‘śūla’ commonly denotes Śiva’s trident (triśūla), though it can generically mean a spear. ‘Śūlapāṇin’ is a well-established epithet for Śiva as the wielder of the triśūla.