Vamana Purana — Sin-Destroying Hymn (Part 2), Shloka 19

The Second Sin-Destroying Hymn (Pāpaśamana Stava) and Syncretic Praise of Hari-Hara

Devanagari script

श्रीकण्ठं वासुदेवं नीलकण्ठं सदण्डिनम् नमस्ये सर्वमनघं गौरीशं नकुलीस्वरम्

Transliteration

śrīkaṇṭhaṃ vāsudevaṃ nīlakaṇṭhaṃ sadaṇḍinam namasye sarvamanaghaṃ gaurīśaṃ nakulīsvaram

Translation

{"scene_description": "A maritime sacred map: Kaṭāha shrine of Gomitra with lotus motifs; Siṃhala-dvīpa temple of Upendra (Viṣṇu) with island palms and ocean; Śakrāhva shrine of Kundamālin with white kunda garlands.", "primary_figures": ["Vishnu (Upendra and local forms)", "devotees offering flowers"], "setting": "Coastal temples, island landscape, and a flower-garlanded sanctum.", "color_palette": ["ocean-blue", "palm-green", "lotus-pink", "kunda-white", "sand-ochre", "gold"], "tanjore_prompt": "Tanjore: Viṣṇu as Upendra in Siṃhala-dvīpa with gold leaf halo, flanked by Gomitra in Kaṭāha with lotus throne and Kundamālin in Śakrāhva draped in white kunda garlands; ornate temple arches, rich reds and gold.", "pahari_prompt": "Pahari miniature: island seascape with a small Upendra shrine, boats on blue water; Kaṭāha lotus garden shrine; Śakrāhva flower market leading to Kundamālin temple; soft pastels and fine detailing.", "kerala_mural_prompt": "Kerala mural: Viṣṇu forms in three compartments with ocean band and palm motifs for Siṃhala; bold outlines, natural pigments, prominent lotus and garland iconography.", "pattachitra_prompt": "Pattachitra scroll: sequential coastal/island panels—Kaṭāha (Gomitra), Siṃhala-dvīpa (Upendra), Śakrāhva (Kundamālin); stylized waves, palm trees, floral borders, caption strips."}

Word by Word

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Speakers

• Unspecified eulogist/narrator within the chapter’s stuti-context (addressing the Supreme through Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava nomenclature)

Primary Deities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Parvati

Key Themes

• Shaiva-Vaishnava unity (Vāsudeva alongside Śiva epithets)
• Pāśupata/ascetic Śaivism (Nakulīśvara; staff-bearing imagery)
• Purity and faultlessness of the divine (anagha)
• Mythic allusion (Nīlakaṇṭha: poison-bearing episode)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the significance of invoking ‘Vāsudeva’ together with Śiva-names like ‘Nīlakaṇṭha’ and ‘Gaurīśa’?

The verse exemplifies Purāṇic inclusivism: the sacred narrative space (especially in a māhātmya) is sanctified by acknowledging both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva manifestations, implying a shared supreme divinity accessible through multiple names.

Who/what is ‘Nakulīśvara’ in Purāṇic usage?

Nakulīśvara (often aligned with Lākulīśa/Nakulīśa) denotes a revered Śaiva authority associated with the Pāśupata tradition. In stuti, it functions as a powerful Śiva-epithet highlighting ascetic lineage and doctrinal authority.

How should ‘sa-daṇḍin’ (staff-bearing) be understood here?

It can indicate Śiva’s ascetic/disciplinary aspect (a renunciant bearing a staff) and, more broadly, the Lord as the upholder of order (daṇḍa as chastisement/justice). The verse does not specify a particular icon, so both resonances are plausible.