Vamana Purana — Gift of Sudarshana, Shloka 24

The Gift of Sudarshana: Shiva’s Boon to Vishnu and the Sanctification of Virupaksha

Devanagari script

वरायुधो ऽयं देवेश सर्वायुधनिबर्हणः सुदर्शनो द्वादशारः षण्णाभिर्द्वियुगो जवी

Transliteration

varāyudho 'yaṃ deveśa sarvāyudhanibarhaṇaḥ sudarśano dvādaśāraḥ ṣaṇṇābhirdviyugo javī

Translation

[{"question": "What does “nānādhātu-aṅkita” convey in Purāṇic geography?", "answer": "It indicates mountains veined with ores and colored strata—an idiom for natural grandeur and abundance. In tīrtha contexts, such features also imply a ‘self-manifest’ (svābhāvika) sanctity: the land itself bears auspicious marks."}, {"question": "Why mention streams flowing on all sides?", "answer": "Water is central to tīrtha identity. Even when a specific river is not named, “prasravat samantataḥ” signals a landscape suited for bathing rites (snāna), offerings (tarpana), and continuous purity through moving waters."}, {"question": "What might “three expansive ridges” refer to?", "answer": "Without a proper name in the verse, it functions as a descriptive landmark—three prominent slopes/ridges that define the kṣetra’s boundaries or its scenic fame. Such triadic landmarks often help pilgrims recognize the site in traditional itineraries."}]

Speakers

• Likely a ṛṣi/narrator addressing Viṣṇu (Deveśa) in praise; exact interlocutors not explicit in the given excerpt.

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Stuti (praise of Viṣṇu’s discus)
• Cosmic order encoded in divine weaponry
• Protection of dharma through divine power

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why are ‘twelve spokes’ and ‘six hubs’ highlighted in Sudarśana’s description?

Purāṇic stutis often read the discus as a cosmogram: twelve spokes commonly signify the twelve months (or twelve Ādityas), while six hubs suggest the six seasons (ṛtus). The weapon thus symbolizes time (kāla) and order (ṛta) under Viṣṇu’s sovereignty.

What does ‘destroyer of all weapons’ imply theologically?

It asserts Sudarśana’s supremacy: not merely a physical weapon, but the principle of divine, dharma-protecting power that overrides all hostile forces and their instruments.

How should ‘yoked in pairs’ (dvi-yuga) be understood here?

It can indicate paired structuring within time—such as the two pakṣas (bright/dark fortnights) or the pairing of months into seasons—reinforcing the idea that Sudarśana embodies regulated cyclical time.