Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 110

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

Devanagari script

तं चापि जम्भो विमुखं निरीक्ष्य भूत्वाग्रतः प्राह न युक्तमेतत् तिष्ठस्व राजासि चराचरस्य न राजधर्मे गदितं पलायनम्

Transliteration

taṃ cāpi jambho vimukhaṃ nirīkṣya bhūtvāgrataḥ prāha na yuktametat tiṣṭhasva rājāsi carācarasya na rājadharme gaditaṃ palāyanam

Translation

ఇంద్రుడు విముఖుడై ఉన్నదాన్ని చూసి జంభ ముందుకు వచ్చి అన్నాడు—“ఇది యుక్తం కాదు. నిలబడుము; నీవు చరాచర జగత్తుకు రాజువు. రాజధర్మంలో పారిపోవడం విధేయం కాదు.”

Speakers

• Jambha addressing Indra (implied by prior verse: Indra turned away from battle)

Primary Deities

• Indra

Key Themes

• Rāja-dharma (kingly duty)
• Kṣātra valor vs. cowardice
• Moral critique within war narrative
• Cosmic kingship language (carācara)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is Jambha in this context?

Jambha is a named Dānava/Asura figure in purāṇic-epic traditions. Here he functions as a moralizing voice within the battle scene, confronting Indra’s retreat and invoking rāja-dharma.

What does “king of the moving and unmoving” imply about Indra?

It is a conventional sovereignty formula (carācara) used for universal rulers. Applied to Indra, it emphasizes his role as deva-king whose conduct should model courage and steadiness, especially in crisis.

Is the verse prescribing absolute non-retreat in all cases?

Within the stylized kṣātra ethic of purāṇic battle narrative, retreat is framed as dishonorable. Other dharma texts allow strategic withdrawal under certain conditions, but this verse’s purpose is exhortative—shaming fear and restoring martial resolve.