Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

स विमृश्य चिरं विप्रः शरणं जातवेदसम् जगाम ज्ञानदानाय संशयं परमं गतः

Transliteration

sa vimṛśya ciraṃ vipraḥ śaraṇaṃ jātavedasam jagāma jñānadānāya saṃśayaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ

Translation

చాలా సేపు ఆలోచించి, పరమ సందేహంలో పడిన ఆ విప్రుడు జ్ఞానదానార్థం జాతవేదసు (అగ్ని) శరణు పొందాడు।

Speakers

• Pulastya narrating the muni’s son’s action (listener not explicit in the provided excerpt).

Primary Deities

• Agni (Jātavedas)

Key Themes

• Śaraṇāgati (seeking refuge)
• Agni as knower and guide
• Resolution of saṃśaya (doubt)
• Dharma under threat
• Tirtha narrative exemplum

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Agni called “Jātavedas,” and what does that imply here?

“Jātavedas” means ‘the knower of all that is born/that exists.’ In Vedic-Purāṇic thought, Agni is a witness (sākṣin), purifier, and mediator who illuminates right discernment. Seeking refuge in Jātavedas signals a turn from fear to clarity and dharmic counsel.

What is meant by “jñānadānāya” (for the gift of knowledge) in a crisis narrative?

It indicates that the immediate need is not merely physical protection but correct understanding—how to act without violating dharma. In many Purāṇic episodes, knowledge (jñāna) is the decisive ‘weapon’ that resolves a moral trap or demonic coercion.

Does this verse suggest a ritual act or a theological posture?

Both are possible: it can imply approaching a sacred fire/Agni-altar (ritual proximity) and also adopting śaraṇāgati (theological surrender). The Purāṇic style often compresses ritual and inner disposition into a single statement of ‘going to refuge.’