Vamana Purana — Shukra's Samjivani, Shloka 117

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

Devanagari script

इत्युच्चार्य स्वशक्त्यास्तु शक्तिं निष्क्राम्य भावतः प्रादादिन्द्राय भगवान् रोचमानो दिवं गतः

Transliteration

ityuccārya svaśaktyāstu śaktiṃ niṣkrāmya bhāvataḥ prādādindrāya bhagavān rocamāno divaṃ gataḥ

Translation

[{"question": "What does ‘vajra’ imply in a Śaiva context—Indra’s weapon or a generic thunderbolt-like mace?", "answer": "While ‘vajra’ is classically Indra’s thunderbolt, Purāṇic battle diction often uses it generically for an irresistibly hard, crushing weapon; here it marks the blow’s overwhelming force rather than specifying Indra’s personal armament."}, {"question": "How should ‘śata-parvaṇā’ be understood?", "answer": "It describes the weapon as ‘hundred-jointed/segmented,’ suggesting a many-knotted, many-linked, or heavily ridged implement—an intensifier that magnifies the weapon’s destructive efficacy."}, {"question": "Why does Nandī hurry onward after felling the opponent?", "answer": "The narrative logic is strategic: Nandī’s primary objective (from v.15) is to reach and seize Śukra; neutralizing the blocker enables him to resume that mission without delay."}]

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic narrator) describing events; the ‘Bhagavān’ bestows Śakti upon Indra.

Primary Deities

• Indra
• Bhagavān (unspecified supreme deity)

Key Themes

• Divine empowerment
• Transfer of Śakti (personified power/weapon)
• Deva–Asura conflict
• Legitimation of Indra’s victory through divine sanction

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is the ‘Bhagavān’ here, and why is he not named?

In many Purāṇic battle cycles, the narrator may use ‘Bhagavān’ as a reverential shorthand for the supreme divine agent who authorizes victory. Identification (Viṣṇu/Śiva) typically becomes clear from the surrounding adhyāya’s framing, epithets, and preceding dialogue; this verse alone keeps it generic while emphasizing sovereignty over Śakti.

What does it mean that Śakti ‘issued forth from his being’ (bhāvataḥ)?

The line presents Śakti as intrinsic, not borrowed: the deity externalizes his own potency and hands it to Indra. This is a common Purāṇic idiom for divine authorization—Indra’s success is grounded in a power that originates in the supreme source.

Is there any sacred-geographical marker in this verse?

Only ‘divaṃ’—Svarga (heaven)—is named. Unlike tīrtha sections, this battle passage is minimally geographic, focusing on the transfer of power and the return to the celestial realm.