Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

यथा गुरुं न मनसा कर्मणा वचसापि वा अवजानाम्यहं तेन पातु सत्येन पावकः

Transliteration

yathā guruṃ na manasā karmaṇā vacasāpi vā avajānāmyahaṃ tena pātu satyena pāvakaḥ

Translation

ഞാൻ മനസ്സാലും കർമത്താലും വാക്കാലും ഗുരുവിനെ അവമാനിക്കുന്നില്ല; ആ സത്യത്തിന്റെ ബലത്താൽ പാവകനായ അഗ്നി എന്നെ രക്ഷിക്കട്ടെ।

Speakers

• Devotee/supplicant voice; addressed to Agni (Pāvaka).

Primary Deities

• Agni

Key Themes

• Tri-karaṇa-śuddhi (purity of thought, word, deed)
• Satya (truth) as spiritual power
• Non-disrespect of the guru (anavajñā)
• Protective efficacy of dharma

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the significance of listing mind, speech, and action?

It encodes the classical dharmic ideal of integrity: wrongdoing is not only physical but also mental and verbal. The verse asserts complete restraint and reverence toward the guru across all three channels (tri-karaṇa).

How does ‘satyena’ function here—what is ‘the power of truth’?

‘Satyena’ indicates satya as an effective spiritual force (satya-bala). The speaker presents a truth-claim—“I do not disrespect my guru”—and asks Agni to protect them on the strength of that truth, akin to a satya-kriyā (truth-act) motif found across Sanskrit literature.

Why is Agni the deity connected to satya in this prayer?

Agni is a paradigmatic witness (sākṣin) in ritual and moral life, associated with purification and the upholding of order. Invoking Agni ‘by truth’ aligns the ethical claim (satya) with the cosmic-ritual principle that verifies and purifies it.