Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

ततो द्विजनियुक्तायां रक्षायां रजनीचरः निर्धूतवेगः सहसा तस्थौ मासचतुष्टयम्

Transliteration

tato dvijaniyuktāyāṃ rakṣāyāṃ rajanīcaraḥ nirdhūtavegaḥ sahasā tasthau māsacatuṣṭayam

Translation

Then, when a protective rite appointed by the brahmin had been set in place, the night-roaming being (niśācara) suddenly had his force checked and stood restrained for four months.

Speakers

• Narrator voice within Pulastya’s discourse to Nārada (contextual frame typical of Saro-māhātmya sections)

Key Themes

• Tīrtha-mahima via ritual protection
• Power of mantra/rite (rakṣā) to restrain harmful beings
• Auspicious time-cycle (four-month period)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does “dvijaniyuktāyāṃ rakṣāyām” imply in practice?

It indicates a formally prescribed protective observance—typically a mantra-ward, vow, or consecrated protection—established under brahminical authority, functioning as a binding restraint on hostile entities.

Why is the restraint specifically “four months” (māsacatuṣṭayam)?

Four months often marks a ritually significant cycle (a cāturmāsya-like span) in Purāṇic narrative logic, used to denote a complete, bounded period of enforced stillness, penance, or ritual efficacy.

Does this verse itself identify a tīrtha location?

No. The verse is narrative-functional (describing the effect of a protective rite). The tīrtha identification belongs to the surrounding Saro-māhātmya context, not to this line’s explicit toponyms.