Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 115

The Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu (Vishnu-Pañjara) and the Redemption of a Rakshasa

Devanagari script

अहर्निशं हृषीकेशं स्तवेनानेन राक्षस स्तुहि भक्तिं दृढां कृत्वा ततः पापाद् विमोक्ष्यसे

Transliteration

aharniśaṃ hṛṣīkeśaṃ stavenānena rākṣasa stuhi bhaktiṃ dṛḍhāṃ kṛtvā tataḥ pāpād vimokṣyase

Translation

No explicit river, lake, forest, kṣetra, or tīrtha is named in this verse.

Speakers

• Unspecified in provided excerpt; a teacher/authority figure instructing a rākṣasa addressee

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Hṛṣīkeśa)

Key Themes

• Continuous remembrance (smaraṇa) and praise
• Bhakti as transformative discipline
• Moral purification (pāpa-vimokṣa)
• Inclusivity of devotion (even a rākṣasa is eligible)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is the addressee called ‘rākṣasa’—what is the doctrinal point?

The address underscores that bhakti and stuti are not restricted by birth or species; even one marked as ‘rākṣasa’ can attain purification through steadfast devotion to Hṛṣīkeśa.

What does ‘aharniśam’ imply as a practice?

It indicates regular, sustained engagement—constant recitation or continual devotional orientation—rather than a one-time ritual act, aligning with Purāṇic ideals of nāma/stuti as ongoing sādhana.

How does ‘Hṛṣīkeśa’ connect to the verse’s promise of liberation from sin?

As ‘Lord of the senses’, Hṛṣīkeśa signifies mastery and purification of sensory life; firm bhakti reorients the senses toward the divine, which the text presents as a direct means to pāpa-vimokṣa.