Vamana Purana — Sin-Destroying Hymn (Part 1), Shloka 33

The Second Sin-Destroying Hymn (Pāpaśamana Stava) and the Syncretic Praise of Hari-Hara

Devanagari script

नमस्ते यज्ञपुरुष यज्ञभागभुजे नमः नमः सहस्रधाराय शतधाराय ते नमः

Transliteration

namaste yajñapuruṣa yajñabhāgabhuje namaḥ namaḥ sahasradhārāya śatadhārāya te namaḥ

Translation

{"has_teaching": true, "teaching_type": "bhakti", "core_concept": "arcā/tīrtha-sānnidhya: the many-formed Lord chooses to dwell in sacred places accessible to devotees", "teaching_summary": "Vāmana promises to disclose the supuṇya places where He abides, emphasizing His bahurūpatva (many forms) and teachability to the guru-sage.", "vedantic_theme": "Saguna Brahman’s gracious accessibility; special manifestation within vyāpti", "practical_application": "Seek and honor sacred sites; practice pilgrimage and worship with the understanding that the One appears in many forms for devotees’ uplift."}

Word by Word

:

Speakers

• A devotee/praiser addressing the Supreme as Yajñapuruṣa within the Saro-māhātmya setting.

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Yajñapuruṣa)

Key Themes

• Ritual theology: offerings and divine reception
• Stuti as a means of merit
• Abundance imagery (streams/flows)
• Tīrtha-hymn style within a māhātmya

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is ‘Yajñapuruṣa’ in Purāṇic usage?

Yajñapuruṣa is the divine ‘Person’ who is both the inner reality of sacrifice and the true recipient of offerings. Even when multiple deities receive shares, the Purāṇic frame often presents the Supreme (commonly Viṣṇu) as the ultimate ground of yajña.

What does ‘yajñabhāgabhuje’ convey?

It states that the Lord ‘partakes of the sacrificial portion’—meaning offerings are not merely symbolic; they are ritually directed to a real divine recipient, and the efficacy of yajña is anchored in that relationship.

How should ‘śata-dhārā’ and ‘sahasra-dhārā’ be understood?

They can denote (a) the many ‘streams’ of oblations (ghee, soma, etc.) in ritual, (b) the many streams of grace/boons, or (c) tīrtha imagery of manifold waters. In a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter, the polyvalence is likely intentional.