Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 79

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मत्वे यस्य वक्त्रेभ्यश्चतुर्वेदमयं वपुः प्रभुः पुरातनो जज्ञे तमस्मि शरणं गतः

Transliteration

brahmatve yasya vaktrebhyaścaturvedamayaṃ vapuḥ prabhuḥ purātano jajñe tamasmi śaraṇaṃ gataḥ

Translation

[{"question": "Why is the epithet “Śaṃbhu” used while praising Nārāyaṇa?", "answer": "Purāṇic stutis often employ cross-sectarian epithets to express the unity of the supreme. Here “Śaṃbhu” functions as “the auspicious benefactor,” affirming Nārāyaṇa’s all-encompassing divinity rather than identifying a separate deity."}, {"question": "What is meant by “vyaktāvyakta”?", "answer": "It indicates that the deity is both immanent (perceptible through forms, avatāras, and cosmic functions) and transcendent (beyond form, name, and sensory grasp)."}, {"question": "How does “brāhmaṇapriya” fit the Vāmana/Trivikrama context?", "answer": "Vāmana appears as a brāhmaṇa mendicant; calling Nārāyaṇa “dear to brāhmaṇas” underscores his guardianship of dharma, Vedic sacrifice, and the sanctity of truthful giving (dāna) central to the Bali episode."}]

Speakers

• Unspecified in the provided excerpt (continuation of a stuti addressed to Viṣṇu/Janārdana).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (as Prabhu/Purātana)
• Brahma (four-mouthed, implied)

Key Themes

• Veda as divine embodiment
• Revelation through Brahmā’s mouths (four faces)
• Primordial lordship (purātana)
• Śaraṇāgati

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does 'from whose mouths' refer to?

It evokes the standard Purāṇic image of four-faced Brahmā. The verse attributes the emergence/manifestation of the four Vedas to the divine source operating through those four mouths, emphasizing that Veda is not merely composed but revealed.

How can a 'body made of the four Vedas' be understood?

As a theological metaphor: the Lord’s form is identical with sacred knowledge—Veda is His embodiment. It also implies that Vedic sound (śabda) is a primary mode of divine presence.

Why call Him 'purātana' (ancient) in a verse about being 'born' (jajñe)?

Purāṇic diction often uses 'birth' for manifestation within time, while 'purātana' asserts timelessness. The point is: the eternal Lord appears in a creator-role without losing His primordial nature.