Vamana Purana — Sarasvata Hymn to Vishnu, Shloka 43

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

Devanagari script

राक्षस उवाच षष्ठे काले त्वमाहारः क्षुधितस्य समागतः निःश्रीकस्यातिपापस्य निर्घृणस्य द्विजद्रुहः

Transliteration

rākṣasa uvāca ṣaṣṭhe kāle tvamāhāraḥ kṣudhitasya samāgataḥ niḥśrīkasyātipāpasya nirghṛṇasya dvijadruhaḥ

Translation

None mentioned in this verse.

Speakers

• Rākṣasa to Brāhmaṇa

Key Themes

• Adharma and self-incrimination
• Sin as loss of Śrī (auspicious fortune)
• Violence against Brāhmaṇas (dvijadroha)
• Fate/recurrence signaled by time-count (ṣaṣṭha-kāla)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What does “niḥśrīka” convey beyond ‘poor’ or ‘unlucky’?

Śrī signifies prosperity, auspiciousness, and divine radiance (often personified as Lakṣmī). Calling himself niḥśrīka implies moral-spiritual deprivation: his cruelty has driven away auspiciousness and merit, not merely material wealth.

How should “ṣaṣṭhe kāle” be understood?

Literally “on the sixth occasion/time.” In Purāṇic storytelling, such time-counts can indicate a recurring pattern (e.g., periodic feeding, a vow, or a destined cycle). Without surrounding verses, it is best read as a narrative cue that this is not the first such event.

Why is “dvijadruhaḥ” emphasized?

Harming the twice-born—especially Brāhmaṇas—is a paradigmatic transgression in dharma literature. The rākṣasa’s identity is defined by this hostility, heightening the ethical stakes and foreshadowing consequences (punishment, curse, or reversal).