Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 95

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

Devanagari script

तथापि न शशषैनं तपसो गोपनाय तु तद्भयादाविशद् गौरी श्वेतार्ककुसुमं शुचि

Transliteration

tathāpi na śaśaṣainaṃ tapaso gopanāya tu tadbhayādāviśad gaurī śvetārkakusumaṃ śuci

Translation

Even so, she was not able to conceal him by means of her austerity. Out of fear of him, the pure Gaurī entered into a white arka-flower.

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic speaker) addressing a sage (mune) within the Andhaka-vadha narration

Primary Deities

• Parvatī (Gaurī)
• Śiva (implied in Andhaka cycle)

Key Themes

• Andhaka-vadha cycle
• Devi’s protective concealment
• Fear and refuge (āveśa)
• Ascetic power (tapas) and its limits in narrative tension

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is being ‘concealed’ (gopanāya) and why does Gaurī enter an arka-flower?

Within the Andhaka-vadha narrative complex, the goddess is pursued or threatened (typically by Andhaka’s desire/violence). The verse depicts a concealment motif: Gaurī, unable to hide the targeted person/element through tapas alone, takes refuge by entering a ‘white arka flower,’ a vivid mythic image of hiding in nature.

What is the significance of ‘śvetārka-kusuma’ in Purāṇic symbolism?

Arka (Calotropis) is a well-known ritual plant in Śaiva contexts (often offered to Śiva). Here it functions as a liminal hiding-place: the goddess merges into a pure, white floral form, emphasizing both concealment and sanctity (śuci).

Does this verse contribute to Vāmana Purāṇa’s geographical agenda?

Not directly: it contains no explicit toponyms (rivers, tīrthas, mountains). Its ‘geography’ is micro-symbolic (a plant locus) rather than cartographic sacred geography.