Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 89

Shukra’s Saṃjīvanī, Shiva’s Containment of the Asuras, and Indra’s Recovery of Power

Devanagari script

अभ्युद्ययौ तदा भक्त्वा मन्यमाना वृषध्वजम् शूलपाणेस्ततः स्थित्वा रूपं चिह्नानि यत्नतः

Transliteration

abhyudyayau tadā bhaktvā manyamānā vṛṣadhvajam śūlapāṇestataḥ sthitvā rūpaṃ cihnāni yatnataḥ

Translation

Then she rose up, having shown devotion, thinking (him to be) Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva). Standing near the trident-bearing Lord, she carefully observed his form and distinguishing marks.

Speakers

• Narrator to the listener (frame not specified in input; verse addresses ‘mune’ later in 91)

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Devi’s discernment and strategy
• Recognition of divine marks (cihna)
• Andhaka-cycle narrative
• Protection through proximity to Śiva

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the verse emphasize ‘rūpa’ and ‘cihnāni’ (form and marks)?

In Andhaka-related narratives, deception and misrecognition recur (often via māyā). The text signals a deliberate verification of identity—knowing Śiva by his characteristic signs (bull-banner, trident, etc.)—as a safeguard against demonic disguise.

Who is ‘she’ in this verse?

The feminine subject is a goddess figure acting within the Andhaka episode (commonly Pārvatī/Devī in Śaiva-Purāṇic cycles). The immediate context suggests she is near Śiva and is assessing identity amid potential illusion.

What is the theological point of calling Śiva both Vṛṣadhvaja and Śūlapāṇi?

These epithets function as iconographic identifiers and also as theological shorthand: Vṛṣa (bull) evokes dharma and Śiva’s emblem, while the trident signifies sovereign power over the threefold cosmos/guṇas—reinforcing that the true Lord is being recognized, not an impostor.