Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 74

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

Devanagari script

सन्ध्यामुपास्य देवेशः परिनृत्य यथेच्छया युद्धाय दानवैः सर्वैस्त्रिनेत्रभुजपालितैः

Transliteration

sandhyāmupāsya deveśaḥ parinṛtya yathecchayā yuddhāya dānavaiḥ sarvaistrinetrabhujapālitaiḥ

Translation

Having performed the twilight worship, the Lord of the gods, after circling and dancing as he pleased, advanced to battle against all the Dānavas, who were protected by the arms of the Three-eyed one.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice (Purāṇic narrator) describing events; specific interlocutors not named in the given excerpt.

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Sandhyā-vandana (twilight worship) preceding action
• Śiva’s martial/dancing motif (tāṇḍava resonance)
• Daitya/Dānava conflict
• Divine protection and battlefield agency

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the verse mention sandhyā-worship immediately before battle?

Purāṇic narration often frames divine action within dharmic observance. Sandhyā-upāsanā signals ritual propriety and cosmic order even amid warfare, underscoring that the ensuing violence is not chaotic but part of restoring dharma.

Does ‘deveśaḥ’ here mean Indra or Śiva?

The immediate qualifier ‘trinetrabhujapālitaiḥ’ foregrounds the Three-eyed one (Śiva). In such contexts, ‘deveśaḥ’ can function as an honorific for Śiva as lord among gods, especially when the narrative emphasizes his dance and martial leadership.

What is implied by ‘parinṛtya’ (having danced/whirled)?

Beyond literal movement, it evokes Śiva’s characteristic tāṇḍava—dance as a mode of power that precedes or accompanies cosmic and martial acts, marking the battle as an extension of divine sovereignty.