Vamana Purana — Harihara Non-Duality, Shloka 33

Harihara Non-Duality and the Revelation of Sadasiva to the Ganas

Devanagari script

विहस्य मेघगम्भीरं गणानिदमुवाच ह श्रूयतां सर्वमाख्यास्ये स्वयशोवर्द्धनं वचः

Transliteration

vihasya meghagambhīraṃ gaṇānidamuvāca ha śrūyatāṃ sarvamākhyāsye svayaśovarddhanaṃ vacaḥ

Translation

{"bhagavata_parallel": null, "vishnu_purana_parallel": null, "ramayana_connection": null, "mahabharata_echo": "Motif of a warrior abandoning upāya/paṇa (stratagem/pledge) when overpowered parallels Mahābhārata scenes of broken vyūha plans under superior force.", "other_puranas": ["Shiva Purana (Rudra’s sons/gaṇas subduing asuras)", "Skanda Purana (Kumāra/Skanda and gaṇa leadership in battles)"], "vedic_reference": null}

Word by Word

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Speakers

• Jīmūtavāhana addressing the gaṇas (an assembled group/attendants).

Key Themes

• Public narration and self-legitimation
• Oral transmission (ākhyāna)
• Assembly discourse (gaṇas)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Does ‘gaṇa’ here necessarily mean Śiva’s gaṇas?

Not necessarily. In Purāṇic diction, gaṇa can mean ‘group/assembly’ broadly. However, because ‘gaṇas’ frequently denotes Śiva’s attendants, the word can carry a Śaiva resonance unless the surrounding chapter clarifies the audience.

Why does the speaker call his narration ‘svayaśovarddhana’ (fame-increasing)?

It frames the forthcoming account as a self-attesting narrative—either a boast, a formal proclamation of merit, or a justification meant to establish authority and credibility before the assembly.

What is the function of ‘megha-gambhīra’ as a stylistic marker?

It elevates the speech-register: a cloud-deep voice implies gravitas and power, signaling that what follows is meant to be received as weighty and definitive.