Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 81

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

Devanagari script

स्रष्टा भूत्वा स्थितो योगी स्थितावसुरसूदनः तमादिपुरुषं विष्णुं प्रमतो ऽस्मि जनार्दनम्

Transliteration

sraṣṭā bhūtvā sthito yogī sthitāvasurasūdanaḥ tamādipuruṣaṃ viṣṇuṃ pramato 'smi janārdanam

Translation

No explicit river, lake, forest, or tīrtha is named in this verse excerpt.

Speakers

• A devotee/narratorial voice offering stuti to Viṣṇu/Janārdana (within Adhyāya 59’s praise section).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Janardana

Key Themes

• Devotional stuti
• Cosmic functions of the deity (creation–maintenance–destruction)
• Viṣṇu as Ādipuruṣa
• Protection of devas; subjugation of asuras

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the verse call Viṣṇu both ‘Creator’ and ‘slayer of Asuras’?

The stuti compresses multiple divine functions into one Lord: creation (sraṣṭā), sustaining presence (sthitaḥ), and the restoration of cosmic order through the defeat of asuric forces (asurasūdanaḥ). It is a theological synthesis rather than a chronological narrative claim.

What is meant by ‘yogī’ when applied to Viṣṇu?

Here ‘yogī’ indicates the supreme, perfectly self-contained consciousness—one who remains inwardly established while governing the cosmos. It highlights transcendence alongside immanence.

Does this verse point to a specific avatāra like Vāmana or Trivikrama?

No. The verse praises Viṣṇu in a universal, cosmic register (Ādipuruṣa/Janārdana). In the broader Purāṇic setting, such stutis often frame or support avatāra narratives, but this śloka itself is not avatāra-specific.