Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

ये कूष्माण्डास्तथा यक्षा दैत्या ये च निशाचराः प्रेता विनायकाः क्रूरा मनुष्या जृम्भकाः खगाः

Transliteration

ye kūṣmāṇḍāstathā yakṣā daityā ye ca niśācarāḥ pretā vināyakāḥ krūrā manuṣyā jṛmbhakāḥ khagāḥ

Translation

അവർ കൂഷ്മാണ്ഡരായാലും, യക്ഷരായാലും, ദൈത്യരായാലും, നിശാചരരായാലും; പ്രേതരായാലും, ക്രൂര വിനായകരായാലും; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ക്രൂര മനുഷ്യർ, ജൃംഭകർ, പക്ഷികൾ—(എല്ലാവരും ഉപദ്രവരഹിതരാകട്ടെ).

Speakers

• Narrator/ritual voice listing categories of threats to be pacified for the devotee/pilgrim

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Ritual protection for pilgrims
• Classification of beings (spirit taxonomy)
• Removal of obstacles and fear
• Tīrtha safety and auspiciousness

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who are the Vināyakas here—are they Gaṇeśa?

In many Purāṇic and ancillary traditions, ‘Vināyaka’ can denote obstructing spirits that cause impediments (vighna). This usage is not necessarily the devotional Gaṇeśa; rather it reflects an older/parallel semantic layer where vināyakas are a troublesome class to be appeased or restrained.

Why does the verse include ‘humans’ among supernatural beings?

The list is pragmatic: danger to a pilgrim can come from any source—spirits, animals, or hostile people. Including ‘krūrā manuṣyāḥ’ universalizes the protective scope.

What does ‘Jṛmbhaka’ signify in Purāṇic context?

Jṛmbhakas are typically portrayed as afflicting entities associated with seizure-like troubles, stupor, or epidemic/possession motifs. Their mention signals protection against illness-like or trance-like harms encountered in liminal spaces (forests, cremation grounds, remote tīrthas).