Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 70

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

Devanagari script

नारायणं नरं शौरिं माधवं मधुसूदनम् प्रणतो ऽस्मि धराधारं स मे पापं व्यपोहतु

Transliteration

nārāyaṇaṃ naraṃ śauriṃ mādhavaṃ madhusūdanam praṇato 'smi dharādhāraṃ sa me pāpaṃ vyapohatu

Translation

{"scene_description": "A devotee stands at the edge of a dark ‘mouth of death’ (personified as a shadowy maw), while a radiant Viṣṇu appears as eternal refuge; sound-waves or script motifs symbolize ‘hearing’ that liberates.", "primary_figures": ["Viṣṇu (eternal refuge)", "Devotee", "Personified Mṛtyu (symbolic)"], "setting": "Tīrtha riverbank transitioning into a symbolic underworld-shadow; light from Viṣṇu dispels darkness.", "color_palette": ["deep blue", "gold", "black", "white", "saffron"], "tanjore_prompt": "Tanjore: Viṣṇu in full iconography with gold-leaf aura, right hand in abhaya, devotee rescued from a dark stylized Mṛtyu form at the bottom, script-like motifs for śravaṇa, rich temple arch framing.", "pahari_prompt": "Pahari: gentle scene of Viṣṇu appearing to a frightened devotee near a river at dusk, Mṛtyu as a soft shadow form, pastel glow around the Lord, emphasis on emotional release and refuge.", "kerala_mural_prompt": "Kerala mural: bold Viṣṇu with radiant halo, Mṛtyu depicted as dark demon-like silhouette at margin, devotee in añjali, strong contrast pigments, temple narrative clarity.", "pattachitra_prompt": "Pattachitra: folk narrative panel—Viṣṇu central, devotee escaping the ‘mouth of death’ motif, decorative borders with repeating ‘akṣara’ symbols, earthy dyes and clear storytelling."}

Speakers

• Unspecified devotee/narrator voice addressing Viṣṇu through a litany of names (within the chapter’s tīrtha-mahātmya frame).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa/Kṛṣṇa)
• Lakshmi (implied via Mādhava)

Key Themes

• Stuti (devotional praise)
• Pāpa-nāśana
• Cosmic sustenance (Viṣṇu as dharādhāra)
• Integration of Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa epithets

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is “Nara” in a Viṣṇu hymn—humanity or a specific divine figure?

Both senses are active in Purāṇic diction. “Nara” can denote the cosmic person (Viṣṇu as the archetypal Man), and it can allude to the Nara-Nārāyaṇa pair of divine sages. In stuti style, polyvalence is intentional, expanding the deity’s scope.

What is the theological point of calling Viṣṇu “Dharādhāra” here?

It situates the prayer in Viṣṇu’s sustaining function: he upholds the world-order (dharma and the earth itself). In tīrtha contexts, this reinforces that purification is not merely personal but aligned with cosmic maintenance and stability.

Why combine demon-slaying (Madhusūdana) with refuge-names (Nārāyaṇa, Mādhava)?

The hymn balances protection and grace: Viṣṇu removes inner and outer obstacles (as demon-slayer) while remaining the ultimate refuge and beneficent lord (as Nārāyaṇa/Mādhava). This duality underwrites the request for pāpa-removal.