Vamana Purana — Trivikrama Theophany, Shloka 14

Vishnu’s Return to Brahmā and the Vāmana–Trivikrama Theophany

Devanagari script

इत्थं वृते देववरेण प्रादात् प्रभुस्तथास्त्विति तमव्ययात्मा तस्थौ हि रूपेण हि वामनेन संपूज्यमानः सदने स्वयंभोः

Transliteration

itthaṃ vṛte devavareṇa prādāt prabhustathāstviti tamavyayātmā tasthau hi rūpeṇa hi vāmanena saṃpūjyamānaḥ sadane svayaṃbhoḥ

Translation

अशा रीतीने देवश्रेष्ठाने विनंती केल्यावर प्रभूंनी “तथास्तु” असे म्हणत वर दिला. अव्यय आत्मस्वरूप भगवान स्वयंभू (ब्रह्मा) यांच्या सदनी वामनरूपानेच स्थिर राहिले व विधिपूर्वक पूजिले गेले।

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic narrator) describing Viṣṇu’s response to the chief deva and his abiding in Brahmā’s abode

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Indra

Key Themes

• Boons and divine assent (tathāstu)
• Vāmana avatāra continuity (remaining in Vāmana-form)
• Deva worship in Brahmā’s court
• Supremacy/imperishability of Viṣṇu (avyayātmā)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is ‘devavara’ in this verse—Indra or another deity?

The term devavara (“best among the gods”) is context-dependent; in Vāmana-related episodes it commonly points to Indra as the deva-king who benefits from Viṣṇu’s act. The verse itself does not name him, but the courtly setting and subsequent celestial worship align well with Indra’s role.

What is the significance of Viṣṇu ‘remaining’ in Vāmana form?

Purāṇic narration often preserves an avatāra-form beyond the immediate exploit to emphasize ongoing accessibility for worship and the lasting sanctity of the event. Here, Vāmana is not merely a momentary disguise but a stable, worship-worthy manifestation in Brahmā’s sphere.

Is ‘Svayaṃbhu-sadana’ a geographical tīrtha?

In this verse it denotes Brahmā’s celestial abode (a cosmological location). While the Vāmana Purāṇa frequently maps terrestrial sacred geography, this line situates the scene in a divine residence rather than naming an earthly river, forest, or pilgrimage-site.