Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

सरभः शलक्षः पाकः पुरो ऽथ विपृथुःपृथुः वातापि चेल्वलश्चैव नानाशस्त्रास्त्रयोधिनः

Transliteration

sarabhaḥ śalakṣaḥ pākaḥ puro 'tha vipṛthuḥpṛthuḥ vātāpi celvalaścaiva nānāśastrāstrayodhinaḥ

Translation

“Sarabhā, Śalakṣa, Pāka, rồi Puro; lại có Vipṛthu và Pṛthu; cùng Vātāpi và Celvala—tất thảy đều là chiến binh tinh thông nhiều loại vũ khí và phi tiễn.”

Speakers

• Narrator (Sūta/paurāṇika voice) describing the battle to the listening sages (traditional frame)

Primary Deities

• Shiva (Rudra)
• Rudras (collective)
• Devas (collective)

Key Themes

• Asura muster
• Catalogue of warriors (nāma-saṅgraha)
• Martial imagery (śastra–astra)
• Cosmic conflict (deva–asura yuddha)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the Purāṇa list many named asuras in a single verse?

Such catalogues function as a ‘battle roster’ (nāma-saṅgraha), a common epic-purāṇic technique that conveys the scale of the conflict and preserves traditional name-lists associated with particular myth-cycles (here, the Andhaka-related war).

What is the distinction between śastra and astra in Purāṇic warfare?

Śastra typically denotes a hand-held weapon used directly (e.g., sword, mace), while astra denotes a discharged or projected weapon—often empowered by mantra/ritual knowledge—emphasizing both physical and sacralized modes of combat.

Are Vātāpi and Celvala connected to other well-known myths?

Names like Vātāpi are prominent in wider Itihāsa-Purāṇa lore (often paired with Ilvala). Their appearance here signals the Purāṇic habit of reusing renowned asura figures across different battle narratives to intensify the sense of a pan-demonic coalition.