Vamana Purana — Saptasarasvata Tirtha, Shloka 43

Harihara Revelation and the Tirtha-Glorification of Saptasarasvata in Kurukshetra

Devanagari script

हर उवाच तपसा परितुष्टो ऽस्मि सुतप्तेन तपोधन तस्मात् संजीवनींविद्यां भवान् ज्ञास्यति तत्तवत्तः

Transliteration

hara uvāca tapasā parituṣṭo 'smi sutaptena tapodhana tasmāt saṃjīvanīṃvidyāṃ bhavān jñāsyati tattavattaḥ

Translation

Hara nói: “Ta đã hài lòng với khổ hạnh của ngươi, được thực hành viên mãn, hỡi kho tàng của năng lực khổ hạnh. Vì thế, ngươi sẽ biết Saṃjīvanī-vidyā đúng theo chân lý (các nguyên lý chân thực của nó).”

Word by Word

• haraḥ: Hara (Śiva)
• haraḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental), एकवचन

• parituṣṭaḥ: fully pleased/satisfied
• parituṣṭaḥ: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari + tuṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘अहम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• asmi: I am
• asmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• su-taptena: by well-performed (austerity)
• su-taptena: Karaṇa-viśeṣaṇa (करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + tap (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘tapasā’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (well-performed)

• tapodhana: O one whose wealth is austerity
• tapodhana: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: तपः धनं यस्य सः

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘therefore/from that’

• saṃjīvanīm: Saṃjīvanī
• saṃjīvanīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjīvanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vidyām: spell/knowledge
• vidyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘saṃjīvanīm’ इत्यस्य apposition

• bhavān: you (honorific)
• bhavān: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; आदरार्थक-सर्वनाम

• jñāsyati: will know
• jñāsyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tattavattaḥ: truly/in reality
• tattavattaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित) + tas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): -तः; ‘in accordance with reality/truly’

Speakers

• Śiva (Hara) addressing Uśanā (Śukrācārya)

Primary Deities

• Śiva

Key Themes

• Divine grace as culmination of tapas
• Transmission of esoteric vidyā
• Authority of Śiva in mantra-bestowal
• Tattva (principled/true) knowledge

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does “tattvataḥ” add to the promise of learning Saṃjīvanī?

It indicates not merely memorization but correct, principled understanding—knowledge aligned with tattva (the underlying reality/principles). In Purāṇic idiom, this legitimizes the vidyā as properly transmitted and efficacious.

Why is Uśanā called “tapo-dhana”?

The epithet frames ascetic merit as a form of wealth. It also signals eligibility (adhikāra): the right to receive powerful mantra-knowledge is earned through disciplined tapas.

How does this episode function in the broader deva–asura narrative?

By granting Saṃjīvanī to Uśanā, the text explains how Asuras regain strength after defeat, sustaining cyclical conflict. It also underscores Śiva’s independent bestowal of boons, a recurring Purāṇic theme.