Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 87

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

Devanagari script

घृतमानय पौराणं बीजिकां लवणं दधि व्रणभङ्गं करिष्यामि स्वयमेव पिनाकिनः

Transliteration

ghṛtamānaya paurāṇaṃ bījikāṃ lavaṇaṃ dadhi vraṇabhaṅgaṃ kariṣyāmi svayameva pinākinaḥ

Translation

“Bring ghee—old (well-prepared) ghee—along with bījikā, salt, and curd. I myself will treat and heal the wound of the bow-bearing Lord (Pinākin).”

Speakers

• Same speaker instructing Jaya to fetch medicinal ingredients; the intended beneficiary is Śiva (Pinākin).

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Care of the deity
• Ayurvedic/folk-medical imagery in Purāṇas
• Devotional service (seva)
• Andhaka-vadha narrative frame

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why specify ‘paurāṇa’ ghee?

Paurāṇa here most naturally means ‘old/aged’ (well-kept) ghee, a common traditional medicinal preference. The term also resonates with ‘traditional/authoritative,’ fitting a Purāṇic register while indicating a specific quality of the remedy.

What is ‘bījikā’ in this context?

Bījikā is a technical ingredient-name; across Sanskrit medical and regional traditions it can denote a seed-based paste or a particular medicinal seed/preparation. The verse’s function is to list standard wound-healing components rather than to botanically identify it with certainty.

What does ‘vraṇa-bhaṅga’ literally convey?

Literally ‘breaking/removing the wound,’ i.e., causing the wound to resolve—cleaning, closing, and restoring the injured part. It is a compact Purāṇic expression for effective healing.