Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 114

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

Devanagari script

जनार्दनवचः श्रुत्वा शक्रस्त्वरितविक्रमः शरणं पावकमगादिदं चोवाच नारद

Transliteration

janārdanavacaḥ śrutvā śakrastvaritavikramaḥ śaraṇaṃ pāvakamagādidaṃ covāca nārada

Translation

जनार्दनाचे वचन ऐकून शीघ्र पराक्रमी शक्र पावक (अग्नी) याच्या शरणास गेला; आणि हे नारद, तो असे बोलला।

Speakers

• Narrator addressing Nārada (contextual vocative); action attributed to Śakra after hearing Janārdana’s instruction

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Janardana)
• Indra (Shakra)
• Agni (Pavaka)
• Narada

Key Themes

• Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge)
• Deva dependence on divine counsel
• Inter-deity alliance (Indra and Agni)
• Humility as prerequisite for protection

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does Indra seek refuge specifically in Agni (Pāvaka) after hearing Janārdana?

In Purāṇic battle-episodes, Indra’s sovereignty is often shown as contingent: when his own force (including the vajra) is checked, he turns to another cosmic power. Agni is both a deity and a purifying, consuming principle—an apt refuge when weapons fail and when a ‘reset’ through humility and purification is required.

Does ‘Janārdana’ here imply the Vāmana/Trivikrama avatāra?

Not necessarily. ‘Janārdana’ is a general epithet of Viṣṇu used across narratives. Unless the surrounding chapter explicitly frames the Vāmana-Bali cycle, this verse only indicates Viṣṇu’s authoritative counsel, not a specific avatāra-form.

What is the function of the vocative ‘O Nārada’ at the end of the verse?

It signals the narrative frame typical of Purāṇas: a sage-to-sage transmission. Even when the immediate speaker is not Nārada, the text often addresses him to maintain continuity of the recitation context.