Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 93

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

Devanagari script

अपस्कारान्तरं भञ्जन् पादप्लुतिभिराकुलः तमापतन्तं दृष्ट्वैव गिरिजा प्राद्रवद् भयात्

Transliteration

apaskārāntaraṃ bhañjan pādaplutibhirākulaḥ tamāpatantaṃ dṛṣṭvaiva girijā prādravad bhayāt

Translation

Breaking through the intervening spaces without pause, and agitated with bounding strides, he rushed upon her. Seeing him charging in, Girijā fled in fear.

Speakers

• Primary narrator (Purāṇic narration) describing the chase; within the broader frame traditionally Pulastya to Nārada.

Primary Deities

• Pārvatī (Girijā)

Key Themes

• Andhaka episode
• Violation and pursuit motif
• Fear and protection of the Goddess
• Narrative momentum before divine intervention

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘pādaplutibhir ākulaḥ’ convey beyond ‘he ran fast’?

It depicts a violent, bounding advance—long, disruptive strides that ‘stir’ the scene. The phrase intensifies the threat: the pursuer is not merely swift but forceful, closing distance aggressively.

Does ‘apaskārāntaraṃ bhañjan’ imply supernatural movement?

It can. Literally it means ‘breaking through the intervening interval,’ which may be read as relentless pursuit without respecting obstacles or distance—often a poetic way to suggest demonic power and disregard for ordinary constraints.

Why is Girijā shown fleeing—does it diminish her divinity?

Purāṇas often portray the Goddess in human-like narrative situations to set up the dharmic crisis that prompts divine resolution (Śiva’s intervention and the eventual slaying of Andhaka). The flight functions as narrative causality, not theological limitation.