Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 79

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मत्वे यस्य वक्त्रेभ्यश्चतुर्वेदमयं वपुः प्रभुः पुरातनो जज्ञे तमस्मि शरणं गतः

Transliteration

brahmatve yasya vaktrebhyaścaturvedamayaṃ vapuḥ prabhuḥ purātano jajñe tamasmi śaraṇaṃ gataḥ

Translation

and dear to the brāhmaṇas."

Speakers

• Unspecified in the provided excerpt (continuation of a stuti addressed to Viṣṇu/Janārdana).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (as Prabhu/Purātana)
• Brahma (four-mouthed, implied)

Key Themes

• Veda as divine embodiment
• Revelation through Brahmā’s mouths (four faces)
• Primordial lordship (purātana)
• Śaraṇāgati

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does 'from whose mouths' refer to?

It evokes the standard Purāṇic image of four-faced Brahmā. The verse attributes the emergence/manifestation of the four Vedas to the divine source operating through those four mouths, emphasizing that Veda is not merely composed but revealed.

How can a 'body made of the four Vedas' be understood?

As a theological metaphor: the Lord’s form is identical with sacred knowledge—Veda is His embodiment. It also implies that Vedic sound (śabda) is a primary mode of divine presence.

Why call Him 'purātana' (ancient) in a verse about being 'born' (jajñe)?

Purāṇic diction often uses 'birth' for manifestation within time, while 'purātana' asserts timelessness. The point is: the eternal Lord appears in a creator-role without losing His primordial nature.