Vamana Purana — Harihara Non-Duality, Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

स चाप्यञ्जनसंकाशः कथं तेनेह युज्यते तेषां वचनमर्थाढ्यं श्रुत्वा जीमूतवाहनः

Transliteration

sa cāpyañjanasaṃkāśaḥ kathaṃ teneha yujyate teṣāṃ vacanamarthāḍhyaṃ śrutvā jīmūtavāhanaḥ

Translation

«Et comment pourrait-il—sombre comme l’añjana (collyre)—être associé à lui ici ?» Entendant leur propos, riche de sens, Jīmūtavāhana (le Véhicule des Nuées) [s’apprêta à répondre].

Speakers

• Narrative voice describing Jīmūtavāhana’s reaction after hearing ‘their’ words (addressed to a group
• clarified in next verse as gaṇas).

Key Themes

• Interpretive doubt and reconciliation of descriptions
• Color symbolism (dark hue likened to añjana)
• Transition to authoritative explanation

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is implied by the comparison ‘añjana-saṃkāśa’ (black like collyrium)?

It signals a striking dark complexion—often used in Purāṇic style to mark a figure’s appearance or to raise a question about identity/association. Here it functions as the crux of a doubt: how such a ‘dark-hued’ figure can be properly ‘connected’ with the subject under discussion.

Who is Jīmūtavāhana in this context?

Within these verses he is the named respondent who, after hearing a meaningful statement, is about to address an assembly (gaṇas). The epithet ‘cloud-vehicle’ suggests a lofty or celestial characterization, but the verse itself does not specify deity-status.

Does this verse contain tīrtha-geography typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

Not directly. This is a narrative hinge-verse setting up an explanation; no place-names or hydrography appear here.