Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 115

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

Devanagari script

शक्र उवाच निघ्ननो मेबलं वज्रं कृशानो शतधा गतम् एष चाहूयते जम्भस्तस्माद्देह्यायुधं मम

Transliteration

śakra uvāca nighnano mebalaṃ vajraṃ kṛśāno śatadhā gatam eṣa cāhūyate jambhastasmāddehyāyudhaṃ mama

Translation

శక్రుడు పలికెను—నా బలమూ వజ్రమూ నిర్వీర్యమయ్యాయి; ఓ కృశానూ, నా (అస్త్రం) శతఖండాలైనట్లుగా అయింది. ఈ శత్రువు ‘జంభ’ అని పిలువబడుతున్నాడు; కనుక నాకు నా ఆయుధాన్ని దయచేయుము।

Speakers

• Śakra (Indra) speaking to Agni (Kṛśānu/Pāvaka)

Primary Deities

• Indra (Shakra)
• Agni (Krishanu)

Key Themes

• Loss of divine weapon potency
• Petition to a higher/alternate power
• Asura threat (Jambha)
• Restoration of cosmic order through cooperation

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does it mean that the vajra became ‘śatadhā’ (a hundredfold broken)?

It is a conventional Purāṇic hyperbole indicating total loss of efficacy—either literally shattered or, more commonly, mystically neutralized by an opponent’s boon, tapas, or protective power. The point is Indra’s helplessness without divine support.

Who is Jambha in Purāṇic tradition?

Jambha appears as an Asura/Daitya name in multiple sources, sometimes paired with other demons (e.g., Jambha and Śumbha). Here he functions as a named adversary whose power is sufficient to blunt Indra’s signature weapon.

Why does Indra ask Agni to ‘give’ his weapon—was it taken away?

The phrasing can imply either (a) the weapon’s power has ‘departed’ and must be re-consecrated/rekindled through Agni, or (b) Agni, as the divine fire-principle, is invoked to restore the vajra’s destructive potency (tejas) rather than to hand over a physical object.