राम

Harivaṃśa-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 8

48 versesSaṃjñā and Vivasvān

Synopsis

For the destruction of the asuras and the welfare of all, Vivasvān the Sun is born of Kaśyapa and the Dākṣāyaṇī. His consort is Saṃjñā, daughter of Tvaṣṭṛ. Unable to bear the Sun's burning form, she leaves her shadow-double in her place and withdraws into a long tapas in the form of a mare. When the Sun discovers the deception, Tvaṣṭṛ grinds down his excess radiance. The Sun, now bearable, finds Saṃjñā where she has taken refuge. The chapter closes with a phala-śruti: hearing the birth of the gods here released sets hearers free in adversity and brings great fame.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse 1

सर्वासुरविनाशाय सर्वलोकहिताय च विवस्वान् कश्यपाज् जज्ञे दाक्षायण्याम् अरिंदम तस्य भार्याभवत् संज्ञा त्वाष्ट्री देवी विवस्वतः सुरेणुर् इति विख्याता त्रिषु लोकेषु भामिनी

sarvāsuravināśāya sarvalokahitāya ca vivasvān kaśyapāj jajñe dākṣāyaṇyām ariṃdama tasya bhāryābhavat saṃjñā tvāṣṭrī devī vivasvataḥ sureṇur iti vikhyātā triṣu lokeṣu bhāminī

For the destruction of all asuras and for the good of all worlds, Vivasvān was born of Kaśyapa from the Dākṣāyaṇī. His wife was Saṃjñā, daughter of Tvaṣṭṛ, Vivasvān's goddess, famous in the three worlds as Sureṇu.

Verse 2

सा वै भार्या भगवतो मार्तण्डस्य महात्मनः भर्तृरूपेण नातुष्यद् रूपयौवनशालिनी संज्ञा नाम स्वतपसा दीप्तेनेह समन्विता

sā vai bhāryā bhagavato mārtaṇḍasya mahātmanaḥ bhartṛrūpeṇa nātuṣyad rūpayauvanaśālinī saṃjñā nāma svatapasā dīpteneha samanvitā

Verse 3

आदित्यस्य हि तद्रूपं मार्तण्डस्य स्वतेजसा गात्रेषु परिदग्धं वै नातिकान्तम् इवाभवत्

ādityasya hi tadrūpaṃ mārtaṇḍasya svatejasā gātreṣu paridagdhaṃ vai nātikāntam ivābhavat

Verse 4

न खल्व् अयं मृतो ऽण्डस्थ इति स्नेहाद् अभाषत अजानन् काश्यपस् तस्मान् मार्तण्ड इति चोच्यते

na khalv ayaṃ mṛto 'ṇḍastha iti snehād abhāṣata ajānan kāśyapas tasmān mārtaṇḍa iti cocyate

Verse 5

तेजस् त्व् अभ्यधिकं तात नित्यम् एव विवस्वतः येनातितापयामास त्रींल् लोकान् कश्यपात्मजः

tejas tv abhyadhikaṃ tāta nityam eva vivasvataḥ yenātitāpayāmāsa trīṃl lokān kaśyapātmajaḥ

Verse 6

त्रीण्य् अपत्यानि कौरव्य संज्ञायां तपतां वरः आदित्यो जनयामास कन्यां द्वौ च प्रजापती

trīṇy apatyāni kauravya saṃjñāyāṃ tapatāṃ varaḥ ādityo janayāmāsa kanyāṃ dvau ca prajāpatī

Verse 7

मनुर् वैवस्वतः पूर्वं श्राद्धदेवः प्रजापतिः यमश् च यमुना चैव यमजौ संबभूवतुः

manur vaivasvataḥ pūrvaṃ śrāddhadevaḥ prajāpatiḥ yamaś ca yamunā caiva yamajau saṃbabhūvatuḥ

Verse 8

श्यामवर्णं तु तद्रूपं संज्ञा दृष्ट्वा विवस्वतः असहन्ती तु स्वां छायां सवर्णां निर्ममे ततः मायामयी तु सा संज्ञा तस्याश् छाया समुत्थिता

śyāmavarṇaṃ tu tadrūpaṃ saṃjñā dṛṣṭvā vivasvataḥ asahantī tu svāṃ chāyāṃ savarṇāṃ nirmame tataḥ māyāmayī tu sā saṃjñā tasyāś chāyā samutthitā

Verse 9

प्राञ्जलिः प्रणता भूत्वा छाया संज्ञां नरेश्वर उवाच किं मया कार्यं कथयस्व शुचिस्मिते स्थितास्मि तव निर्देशे शाधि मां वरवर्णिनि

prāñjaliḥ praṇatā bhūtvā chāyā saṃjñāṃ nareśvara uvāca kiṃ mayā kāryaṃ kathayasva śucismite sthitāsmi tava nirdeśe śādhi māṃ varavarṇini

Verse 10

अहं यास्यामि भद्रं ते स्वम् एव भवनं पितुः त्वयेह भवने मह्यं वस्तव्यं निर्विशङ्कया

ahaṃ yāsyāmi bhadraṃ te svam eva bhavanaṃ pituḥ tvayeha bhavane mahyaṃ vastavyaṃ nirviśaṅkayā

Verse 11

इमौ च बालकौ मह्यं कन्या चेयं सुमध्यमा संभाव्यास् ते न चाख्येयम् इदं भगवते त्वया

imau ca bālakau mahyaṃ kanyā ceyaṃ sumadhyamā saṃbhāvyās te na cākhyeyam idaṃ bhagavate tvayā

Verse 12

आ कचग्रहणाद् देवि आ शापान् नैव कर्हिचित् आख्यास्यामि मतं तुभ्यं गच्छ देवि यथासुखम्

ā kacagrahaṇād devi ā śāpān naiva karhicit ākhyāsyāmi mataṃ tubhyaṃ gaccha devi yathāsukham

Verse 13

समाधाय सवर्णां तु तथेत्य् उक्ता तया च सा त्वष्टुः समीपम् अगमद् व्रीडितेव मनस्विनी

samādhāya savarṇāṃ tu tathety uktā tayā ca sā tvaṣṭuḥ samīpam agamad vrīḍiteva manasvinī

Verse 14

पितुः समीपगा सा तु पित्रा निर्भर्त्सिता शुभा भर्तुः समीपं गच्छेति नियुक्ता च पुनः पुनः

pituḥ samīpagā sā tu pitrā nirbhartsitā śubhā bhartuḥ samīpaṃ gaccheti niyuktā ca punaḥ punaḥ

Verse 15

चिन्ताम् अवाप महतीं स्त्रीणां धिक् चेष्टितं त्व् इति निनिन्द बहुधात्मानं स्त्रीत्वं चातिनिनिन्द सा स्थातव्यं न क्वचित् स्त्रीणां धिग् अस्वातन्त्र्यजीवितम् शैशवे यौवने वार्द्धे पितृभर्तृसुताद् भयम् त्यक्तं भर्तृगृहं मौग्ध्याद् बत दुर्वृत्तया मया अविज्ञातापि वेधायाम् अथ पत्युर् निकेतनम् तत्रास्ति सा सवर्णा वै परिपूर्णमनोरथा नष्टं भर्तृगृहं मौग्ध्याच् छ्रेयो ऽत्र न पितुर् गृहे अगच्छद् वडवा भूत्वाच् छाद्य रूपम् अनिन्दिता कुरून् अथोत्तरान् गत्वा तृणान्य् एव चचार सा

cintām avāpa mahatīṃ strīṇāṃ dhik ceṣṭitaṃ tv iti nininda bahudhātmānaṃ strītvaṃ cātinininda sā sthātavyaṃ na kvacit strīṇāṃ dhig asvātantryajīvitam śaiśave yauvane vārddhe pitṛbhartṛsutād bhayam tyaktaṃ bhartṛgṛhaṃ maugdhyād bata durvṛttayā mayā avijñātāpi vedhāyām atha patyur niketanam tatrāsti sā savarṇā vai paripūrṇamanorathā naṣṭaṃ bhartṛgṛhaṃ maugdhyāc chreyo 'tra na pitur gṛhe agacchad vaḍavā bhūtvāc chādya rūpam aninditā kurūn athottarān gatvā tṛṇāny eva cacāra sā

Verse 16

द्वितीयायां तु संज्ञायां संज्ञेयम् इति चिन्तयन् आदित्यो जनयामास पुत्रम् आत्मसमं तदा

dvitīyāyāṃ tu saṃjñāyāṃ saṃjñeyam iti cintayan ādityo janayāmāsa putram ātmasamaṃ tadā

Verse 17

पूर्वजस्य मनोस् तात सदृशो ऽयम् इति प्रभुः मनुर् एवाभवन् नाम्ना सावर्ण इति चोच्यते

pūrvajasya manos tāta sadṛśo 'yam iti prabhuḥ manur evābhavan nāmnā sāvarṇa iti cocyate

Verse 18

संज्ञा तु पार्थिवी तात स्वस्य पुत्रस्य वै तदा चकाराभ्यधिकं स्नेहं न तथा पूर्वजेषु वै

saṃjñā tu pārthivī tāta svasya putrasya vai tadā cakārābhyadhikaṃ snehaṃ na tathā pūrvajeṣu vai

Verse 19

मनुस् तस्याः क्षमत् तत् तु यमस् तस्या न चक्षमे तां वै रोषाच् च बाल्याच् च भाविनो ऽर्थस्य वा बलात् पदा संतर्जयामास संज्ञां वैवस्वतो यमः

manus tasyāḥ kṣamat tat tu yamas tasyā na cakṣame tāṃ vai roṣāc ca bālyāc ca bhāvino 'rthasya vā balāt padā saṃtarjayāmāsa saṃjñāṃ vaivasvato yamaḥ

Verse 20

तं शशाप ततः क्रोधात् सवर्णा जननी तदा चरणः पतताम् एष तवेति भृशदुःखिता

taṃ śaśāpa tataḥ krodhāt savarṇā jananī tadā caraṇaḥ patatām eṣa taveti bhṛśaduḥkhitā

Verse 21

यमस् तु तत् पितुः सर्वं प्राञ्जलिः प्रत्यवेदयत् भृशं शापभयोद्विग्नः संज्ञावाक्यैर् विवेजितः शापो निवर्तेद् इति च प्रोवाच पितरं तदा

yamas tu tat pituḥ sarvaṃ prāñjaliḥ pratyavedayat bhṛśaṃ śāpabhayodvignaḥ saṃjñāvākyair vivejitaḥ śāpo nivarted iti ca provāca pitaraṃ tadā

Verse 22

मात्रा स्नेहेन सर्वेषु वर्तितव्यं सुतेषु वै सेयम् अस्मान् अपाहाय यवीयांसं बुभूषति

mātrā snehena sarveṣu vartitavyaṃ suteṣu vai seyam asmān apāhāya yavīyāṃsaṃ bubhūṣati

Verse 23

तस्या मयोद्यतः पादो न तु देहे निपातितः बाल्याद् वा यदि वा मोहात् तद् भवान् क्षन्तुम् अर्हति

tasyā mayodyataḥ pādo na tu dehe nipātitaḥ bālyād vā yadi vā mohāt tad bhavān kṣantum arhati

Verse 24

यस्मात् ते पूजनीयाहं तर्जितास्मि त्वया सुत तस्मात् तवैष चरणः पतिष्यति न संशयः अपत्यं दुरपत्यं स्यान् नाम्बा कुजननी भवेत् शप्तो ऽहम् अस्मि लोकेश जनन्या तपतां वर तव प्रसादाच् चरणो न पतेन् मम गोपते

yasmāt te pūjanīyāhaṃ tarjitāsmi tvayā suta tasmāt tavaiṣa caraṇaḥ patiṣyati na saṃśayaḥ apatyaṃ durapatyaṃ syān nāmbā kujananī bhavet śapto 'ham asmi lokeśa jananyā tapatāṃ vara tava prasādāc caraṇo na paten mama gopate

Verse 25

असंशयं पुत्र महद् भविष्यत्य् अत्र कारणम् यस् त्वं धर्मपरो नित्यं धर्मं संत्यक्तवान् इमम् येन त्वाम् आविशत् क्रोधो धर्मज्ञं सत्यवादिनम्

asaṃśayaṃ putra mahad bhaviṣyaty atra kāraṇam yas tvaṃ dharmaparo nityaṃ dharmaṃ saṃtyaktavān imam yena tvām āviśat krodho dharmajñaṃ satyavādinam

Verse 26

युक्तम् एव हि ते कर्तुं तव मातृवचो ऽनघ न शक्यम् एतन् मिथ्या तु कर्तुं मातृवचस् तव कृमयो मांसम् आदाय यास्यन्ति तु महीतले

yuktam eva hi te kartuṃ tava mātṛvaco 'nagha na śakyam etan mithyā tu kartuṃ mātṛvacas tava kṛmayo māṃsam ādāya yāsyanti tu mahītale

Verse 27

तव पादान् महाप्राज्ञ ततः संप्राप्स्यसे सुखम् कृतम् एवं वचस् तथ्यं मातुस् तव भविष्यति शापस्य परिहारेण त्वं च त्रातो भविष्यसि

tava pādān mahāprājña tataḥ saṃprāpsyase sukham kṛtam evaṃ vacas tathyaṃ mātus tava bhaviṣyati śāpasya parihāreṇa tvaṃ ca trāto bhaviṣyasi

Verse 28

आदित्यश् चाब्रवीत् संज्ञां किमर्थं तनयेषु वै तुल्येष्व् अभ्यधिकः स्नेहः क्रियते ऽति पुनः पुनः सा तत् परिहरन्ती स्म नाचचक्षे विवस्वतः

ādityaś cābravīt saṃjñāṃ kimarthaṃ tanayeṣu vai tulyeṣv abhyadhikaḥ snehaḥ kriyate 'ti punaḥ punaḥ sā tat pariharantī sma nācacakṣe vivasvataḥ

Verse 29

आत्मानं स समाधाय योगात् तथ्यम् अपश्यत मूर्धजेषु च जग्राह सा चात्मानं शशंस ह आत्मानं गोपयामास संयोगात् तस्य नैव तु तां शप्तुकामो भगवान् नाशाय कुरुनन्दन मूर्धजेषु च जग्राह समये ऽतिगते तु सा ततः सर्वं यथावृत्तम् आचचक्षे विवस्वतः विवस्वान् अथ तच् छ्रुत्वा क्रुद्धस् त्वष्टारम् अभ्यगात्

ātmānaṃ sa samādhāya yogāt tathyam apaśyata mūrdhajeṣu ca jagrāha sā cātmānaṃ śaśaṃsa ha ātmānaṃ gopayāmāsa saṃyogāt tasya naiva tu tāṃ śaptukāmo bhagavān nāśāya kurunandana mūrdhajeṣu ca jagrāha samaye 'tigate tu sā tataḥ sarvaṃ yathāvṛttam ācacakṣe vivasvataḥ vivasvān atha tac chrutvā kruddhas tvaṣṭāram abhyagāt

Verse 30

त्वष्टा तु तं यथान्यायम् अर्चयित्वा विभावसुम् निर्दग्धुकामं रोषेण सान्त्वयामास वै तदा

tvaṣṭā tu taṃ yathānyāyam arcayitvā vibhāvasum nirdagdhukāmaṃ roṣeṇa sāntvayāmāsa vai tadā

Verse 31

तवातितेजसाविष्टम् इदं रूपं न शोभते असहन्ती स्म तत् संज्ञा वने चरति शाड्वलम्

tavātitejasāviṣṭam idaṃ rūpaṃ na śobhate asahantī sma tat saṃjñā vane carati śāḍvalam

Verse 32

द्रष्टा हि तां भवान् अद्य स्वां भार्यां शुभचारिणीम् नित्यं तपस्य् अभिरतां वडवारूपधारिणीम् पर्णाहारां कृशां दीनां जटिलां मलधारिणीम् हस्तिहस्तपरिक्लिष्टां व्याकुलां पद्मिनीम् इव श्लाघ्यां योगबलोपेतां योगम् आस्थाय गोपते

draṣṭā hi tāṃ bhavān adya svāṃ bhāryāṃ śubhacāriṇīm nityaṃ tapasy abhiratāṃ vaḍavārūpadhāriṇīm parṇāhārāṃ kṛśāṃ dīnāṃ jaṭilāṃ maladhāriṇīm hastihastaparikliṣṭāṃ vyākulāṃ padminīm iva ślāghyāṃ yogabalopetāṃ yogam āsthāya gopate

Verse 33

अनुकूलं तु ते देव यदि स्यान् मम तन् मतम् रूपं निर्वर्तयाम्य् अद्य तव कान्तम् अरिंदम

anukūlaṃ tu te deva yadi syān mama tan matam rūpaṃ nirvartayāmy adya tava kāntam ariṃdama

Verse 34

रूपं विवस्वतश् चासीत् तिर्यगूर्ध्वसमं तु वै तेनासौ संभृतो देवो रूपेण तु विभावसुः तस्मात् त्वष्टुः स वै वाक्यं बहु मेने प्रजापतिः समनुज्ञातवांश् चैव त्वष्टारं रूपसिद्धये ततो ऽभ्युपगमात् त्वष्टा मार्तण्डस्य विवस्वतः भ्रमिम् आरोप्य तत् तेजः शातयामास भारत

rūpaṃ vivasvataś cāsīt tiryagūrdhvasamaṃ tu vai tenāsau saṃbhṛto devo rūpeṇa tu vibhāvasuḥ tasmāt tvaṣṭuḥ sa vai vākyaṃ bahu mene prajāpatiḥ samanujñātavāṃś caiva tvaṣṭāraṃ rūpasiddhaye tato 'bhyupagamāt tvaṣṭā mārtaṇḍasya vivasvataḥ bhramim āropya tat tejaḥ śātayāmāsa bhārata

Verse 35

कृतवान् अष्टमं भागं न व्यशातयद् अव्ययम् यत् सूर्याद् वैष्णवं तेजः शातितं विश्वकर्मणा त्वष्टैव तेजसा तेन विष्णोश् चक्रम् अकल्पयत् त्रिशूलं चैव शर्वस्य शिबिकां धनदस्य च शक्तिं गुहस्य देवानाम् अन्येषां च वरायुधम् तत् सर्वं तेजसा तेन विश्वकर्मा ह्य् अकल्पयत् ततो निर्भासितं रूपं तेजसा संहृतेन वै कान्तात् कान्ततरं द्रष्टुम् अधिकं शुशुभे तदा

kṛtavān aṣṭamaṃ bhāgaṃ na vyaśātayad avyayam yat sūryād vaiṣṇavaṃ tejaḥ śātitaṃ viśvakarmaṇā tvaṣṭaiva tejasā tena viṣṇoś cakram akalpayat triśūlaṃ caiva śarvasya śibikāṃ dhanadasya ca śaktiṃ guhasya devānām anyeṣāṃ ca varāyudham tat sarvaṃ tejasā tena viśvakarmā hy akalpayat tato nirbhāsitaṃ rūpaṃ tejasā saṃhṛtena vai kāntāt kāntataraṃ draṣṭum adhikaṃ śuśubhe tadā

Verse 36

मुखे निर्वर्तितं रूपं तस्य देवस्य गोपतेः ततःप्रभृति देवस्य मुखम् आसीत् तु लोहितम् मुखरागं तु यत् पूर्वं मार्तण्डस्य मुखच्युतम् आदित्या द्वादशैवेह संभूता मुखसंभवाः धातार्यमा च मित्रश् च वरुणो ऽंशो भगस् तथा इन्द्रो विवस्वान् पूषा च पर्जन्यो दशमस् तथा ततस् त्वष्टा ततो विष्णुर् अजघन्यो जघन्यजः हर्षं लेभे ततो देवो दृष्ट्वादित्यान् स्वदेहजान् गन्धैः पुष्पैर् अलंकारैर् भास्वता मुकुटेन च एवं संपूजयामास त्वष्टा वाक्यम् उवाच ह गच्छ देवेश स्वां भार्यां कुरूंश् चरति चोत्तरान् वडवारूपम् आस्थाय वने चरति शाड्वले तां तथारूपम् आस्थाय स्वां भार्यां शुभलीलया ददर्श योगम् आस्थाय स्वां भार्यां वडवां ततः अधृष्यां सर्वभूतानां तेजसा नियमेन च

mukhe nirvartitaṃ rūpaṃ tasya devasya gopateḥ tataḥprabhṛti devasya mukham āsīt tu lohitam mukharāgaṃ tu yat pūrvaṃ mārtaṇḍasya mukhacyutam ādityā dvādaśaiveha saṃbhūtā mukhasaṃbhavāḥ dhātāryamā ca mitraś ca varuṇo 'ṃśo bhagas tathā indro vivasvān pūṣā ca parjanyo daśamas tathā tatas tvaṣṭā tato viṣṇur ajaghanyo jaghanyajaḥ harṣaṃ lebhe tato devo dṛṣṭvādityān svadehajān gandhaiḥ puṣpair alaṃkārair bhāsvatā mukuṭena ca evaṃ saṃpūjayāmāsa tvaṣṭā vākyam uvāca ha gaccha deveśa svāṃ bhāryāṃ kurūṃś carati cottarān vaḍavārūpam āsthāya vane carati śāḍvale tāṃ tathārūpam āsthāya svāṃ bhāryāṃ śubhalīlayā dadarśa yogam āsthāya svāṃ bhāryāṃ vaḍavāṃ tataḥ adhṛṣyāṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ tejasā niyamena ca

Verse 37

वडवावपुषा राजंश् चरन्तीम् अकुतोभयाम् सो ऽश्वरूपेण भगवांस् तां मुखे समभावयत् मैथुनाय विवेष्टन्तीं परपुंसो विशङ्कया

vaḍavāvapuṣā rājaṃś carantīm akutobhayām so 'śvarūpeṇa bhagavāṃs tāṃ mukhe samabhāvayat maithunāya viveṣṭantīṃ parapuṃso viśaṅkayā

Verse 38

सा तन् निरवमच् छुक्रं नासिकाया विवस्वतः देवौ तस्याम् अजायेताम् अश्विनौ भिषजां वरौ

sā tan niravamac chukraṃ nāsikāyā vivasvataḥ devau tasyām ajāyetām aśvinau bhiṣajāṃ varau

Verse 39

नासत्यश् चैव दस्रश् च स्मृतौ द्वाव् अश्विनाव् इति मार्तण्डस्यात्मजाव् एताव् अष्टमस्य प्रजापतेः

nāsatyaś caiva dasraś ca smṛtau dvāv aśvināv iti mārtaṇḍasyātmajāv etāv aṣṭamasya prajāpateḥ

Verse 40

संज्ञायां जनयामास वडवायां स भारत तां तु रूपेण क्रान्तेन दर्शयामास भास्करः सा तु दृष्ट्वैव भर्तारं तुतोष जनमेजय

saṃjñāyāṃ janayāmāsa vaḍavāyāṃ sa bhārata tāṃ tu rūpeṇa krāntena darśayāmāsa bhāskaraḥ sā tu dṛṣṭvaiva bhartāraṃ tutoṣa janamejaya

Verse 41

यमस् तु कर्मणा तेन भृशं पीडितमानसः धर्मेण रञ्जयामास धर्मराज इमाः प्रजाः

yamas tu karmaṇā tena bhṛśaṃ pīḍitamānasaḥ dharmeṇa rañjayāmāsa dharmarāja imāḥ prajāḥ

Verse 42

स लेभे कर्मणा तेन शुभेन परमद्युतिः पितॄणाम् आधिपत्यं च लोकपालत्वम् एव च

sa lebhe karmaṇā tena śubhena paramadyutiḥ pitṝṇām ādhipatyaṃ ca lokapālatvam eva ca

Verse 43

मनुः प्रजापतिस् त्व् आसीत् सावर्णः स तपोधनः भाव्यः सो ऽनागते तस्मिन् मनुः सावर्णिके ऽन्तरे

manuḥ prajāpatis tv āsīt sāvarṇaḥ sa tapodhanaḥ bhāvyaḥ so 'nāgate tasmin manuḥ sāvarṇike 'ntare

Verse 44

मेरुपृष्ठे तपो नित्यम् अद्यापि स चरत्य् उत भ्राता शनैश्चरश् चास्य ग्रहत्वं स तु लब्धवान्

merupṛṣṭhe tapo nityam adyāpi sa caraty uta bhrātā śanaiścaraś cāsya grahatvaṃ sa tu labdhavān

Verse 45

नासत्यौ यौ समाख्यातौ स्वर्वैद्यौ तु बभूवतुः रेवन्तो ऽपि तथा राजन्न् अश्वानां शान्तिदो ऽभवत् त्वष्टा तु तेजसा तेन विष्णोश् चक्रम् अकल्पयत् तद् अप्रतिहतं युद्धे दानवान्तचिकीर्षया

nāsatyau yau samākhyātau svarvaidyau tu babhūvatuḥ revanto 'pi tathā rājann aśvānāṃ śāntido 'bhavat tvaṣṭā tu tejasā tena viṣṇoś cakram akalpayat tad apratihataṃ yuddhe dānavāntacikīrṣayā

Verse 46

यवीयसी तयोर् या तु यमी कन्या यशस्विनी अभवत् सा सरिच्छ्रेष्ठा यमुना लोकभावनी

yavīyasī tayor yā tu yamī kanyā yaśasvinī abhavat sā saricchreṣṭhā yamunā lokabhāvanī

Verse 47

मनुर् इत्य् उच्यते लोके सावर्ण इति चोच्यते द्वितीयो यः सुतस् तस्य स विज्ञेयः शनैश्चरः

manur ity ucyate loke sāvarṇa iti cocyate dvitīyo yaḥ sutas tasya sa vijñeyaḥ śanaiścaraḥ

Verse 48

ग्रहत्वं स तु लेभे वै सर्वलोकानुपूजितम् य इदं जन्म देवानां शृणुयाद् धारयेत वा आपदं प्राप्य मुच्येत प्राप्नुयाच् च महद् यशः

grahatvaṃ sa tu lebhe vai sarvalokānupūjitam ya idaṃ janma devānāṃ śṛṇuyād dhārayeta vā āpadaṃ prāpya mucyeta prāpnuyāc ca mahad yaśaḥ

He obtained planet-ship, honored by all the worlds. Whoever hears or holds this birth of the gods is released from calamity and attains great fame.

Verse commentary

Vivasvan and Saṃjñā: The Divine Weapons Forged from the Sun's Excess

विवस्वत्संज्ञा उपाख्यानम् दिव्यायुधनिर्माणं च

Verses 1, 7, 10, 25, 35, 40, 45: Vivasvan born of Kaśyapa for all-demon-destruction, the twin-birth of Manu-Yama-Yamunā from Saṃjñā, Saṃjñā's decision to substitute Savarṇā in her place and flee, the Sun's discovery that his dharma-firm consort was not in fact his consort, Tvaṣṭā's grinding the excess tejas from the Sun into the divine weapons (Viṣṇu's cakra, Śiva's triśūla, Kubera's śibikā, Skanda's śakti), the Sun as stallion finding Saṃjñā as mare, and the birth of the Aśvins and Revanta. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 8 is one of the Harivaṃśa's most compact theological chapters — the story of Vivasvan the Sun, his wife Saṃjñā, and the forging of the divine weapons. Saṃjñā, unable to bear her husband's *atitejasa*, substitutes her own shadow *Savarṇā* in her place and flees to the forest as a mare. Vivasvan fathers Manu Vaivasvata, Yama, and Yamunā through Saṃjñā (before her departure); Savarṇā bears further children to him unknowingly. When Yama curses Savarṇā — thinking her to be his mother — her true identity is revealed. Vivasvan, angry, seeks out Saṃjñā; Tvaṣṭā (Viśvakarmā) places the Sun on a lathe and grinds away one-eighth of his body. The excess *tejas* becomes the divine weapons — Viṣṇu's *cakra*, Śiva's *triśūla*, Kubera's *śibikā*, Skanda's *śakti*, and others. Sūrya, reduced, approaches Saṃjñā as a stallion; the Aśvins, the divine physicians, are born of their reunion. The chapter is the Harivaṃśa's story of how a woman's capacity-limit produced the weapons that the gods wield.

HV 8.1

सर्वासुरविनाशाय सर्वलोकहिताय च । विवस्वान् कश्यपाज् जज्ञे दाक्षायण्याम् अरिंदम ॥

sarvāsura-vināśāya sarva-loka-hitāya ca | vivasvān kaśyapāj jajñe dākṣāyaṇyām ariṃ-dama

For the destruction of all asuras and for the good of all worlds, Vivasvan was born of Kaśyapa, in Dākṣāyaṇī — O foe-subduer.

The Living Words

*Sarvāsura-vināśāya*, 'for the destruction of all asuras'. *Sarva-loka-hitāya*, 'for the good of all worlds'. *Vivasvān kaśyapāj jajñe*, 'Vivasvan was born of Kaśyapa'. *Dākṣāyaṇyām*, 'in Dākṣāyaṇī [= Aditi]'.

The Heart of It

The verse names the Sun's purpose. *Sarvāsura-vināśāya sarva-loka-hitāya ca* — two prepositional phrases together: destruction-of-asuras and good-of-worlds. The Varkari tradition's teaching: the Sun is not just a light; he is born with a *kāraṇa*, a purpose, and that purpose is the double-aim of destruction-and-protection. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's teaching that every saint is born with a double-kāraṇa — to undo certain forces and protect certain beings — has HV 8.1 as its Sanskrit source.

HV 8.7

मनुर् वैवस्वतः पूर्वं श्राद्धदेवः प्रजापतिः । यमश् च यमुना चैव यमजौ संबभूवतुः ॥

manur vaivasvataḥ pūrvaṃ śrāddha-devaḥ prajā-patiḥ | yamaś ca yamunā caiva yamajau saṃbabhūvatuḥ

Manu Vaivasvata, the first, the śrāddha-deity, the prajā-pati; and Yama and Yamunā — twins — came into being.

The Living Words

*Manur vaivasvataḥ*, 'Manu Vaivasvata'. *Śrāddha-devaḥ prajā-patiḥ*, 'śrāddha-deity, prajā-pati'. *Yamaś ca yamunā caiva yamajau*, 'Yama and Yamunā, the twins'.

The Heart of It

The verse gives Sūrya's three children. *Yamaḥ yamunā yamajau* — the delightful Sanskrit play: *Yama* (the god of death) and *Yamunā* (the river) are *yamajau*, twins. The Varkari tradition's love of this: the river the bhakta bathes in is the twin-sister of the god of death. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's sense that Yamunā's water can hold back Yama's reach — sister keeps brother at bay — has HV 8.7 as its Sanskrit source.

HV 8.10

अहं यास्यामि भद्रं ते स्वम् एव भवनं पितुः । त्वयेह भवने मह्यं वस्तव्यं निर्विशङ्कया ॥

ahaṃ yāsyāmi bhadraṃ te svam eva bhavanaṃ pituḥ | tvayeha bhavane mahyaṃ vastavyaṃ nir-viśaṅkayā

'I shall go — blessing to you — to my own father's house; in this my dwelling, by you — without hesitation — must be dwelt.'

The Living Words

*Ahaṃ yāsyāmi bhadraṃ te*, 'I shall go, blessing to you'. *Svam eva bhavanaṃ pituḥ*, 'to my own father's house'. *Tvayeha bhavane mahyaṃ vastavyam*, 'by you, in this my dwelling, must be dwelt'. *Nir-viśaṅkayā*, 'without hesitation'.

The Heart of It

The verse is Saṃjñā's instruction to Savarṇā. *Nir-viśaṅkayā* — 'without hesitation' — is ethically troubling: Saṃjñā is asking her shadow to impersonate her. The Varkari tradition's sharp reading: the asking of *nir-viśaṅkatā* in a deceptive task is the first wrong, even before the deception is enacted. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's clarity: the bhakta cannot ask another to be *nir-viśaṅka* in an act that is itself *sa-viśaṅka*, already-questionable. HV 8.10 is the chapter's ethical pivot.

HV 8.25

असंशयं पुत्र महद् भविष्यत्य् अत्र कारणम् । यस् त्वं धर्मपरो नित्यं धर्मं संत्यक्तवान् इमम् । येन त्वाम् आविशत् क्रोधो धर्मज्ञं सत्यवादिनम् ॥

asaṃśayaṃ putra mahad bhaviṣyaty atra kāraṇam | yas tvaṃ dharma-paro nityaṃ dharmaṃ saṃtyaktavān imam | yena tvām āviśat krodho dharma-jñaṃ satya-vādinam

'Doubtless, son, there must be a great cause here — that you, always dharma-devoted, abandoned this dharma; by which *krodha* entered you, the dharma-knower and truth-speaker.'

The Living Words

*Asaṃśayaṃ mahad kāraṇam*, 'doubtless a great cause'. *Yaḥ tvaṃ dharma-paro*, 'you who are dharma-devoted'. *Dharmaṃ saṃtyaktavān imam*, 'abandoned this dharma'. *Krodho āviśat dharma-jñaṃ satya-vādinam*, 'krodha entered [you], dharma-knowing, truth-speaking'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Sun's diagnostic question — addressed to his son Yama, who has cursed Savarṇā thinking her his mother. *Krodha āviśat dharma-jñaṃ satya-vādinam* — 'anger entered the dharma-knowing, truth-speaking'. The Varkari tradition's deep teaching: when a dharma-centered person suddenly acts out of *krodha*, there is a hidden *kāraṇa* — something has been concealed from him. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's counsel to look for *kāraṇa* before judging a dharma-centered person's anger, has HV 8.25 as its Sanskrit psychological wisdom.

HV 8.35

यत् सूर्याद् वैष्णवं तेजः शातितं विश्वकर्मणा । त्वष्टैव तेजसा तेन विष्णोश् चक्रम् अकल्पयत् । त्रिशूलं चैव शर्वस्य शिबिकां धनदस्य च । शक्तिं गुहस्य देवानाम् अन्येषां च वरायुधम् ॥

yat sūryād vaiṣṇavaṃ tejaḥ śātitaṃ viśva-karmaṇā | tvaṣṭaiva tejasā tena viṣṇoś cakram akalpayat | tri-śūlaṃ caiva śarvasya śibikāṃ dhana-dasya ca | śaktiṃ guhasya devānām anyeṣāṃ ca varāyudham

The Vaiṣṇava tejas that was ground from the Sun by Viśvakarmā — Tvaṣṭā, with that tejas, fashioned Viṣṇu's cakra, Śarva's triśūla, Kubera's śibikā, Skanda's śakti, and the best-weapons of other gods.

The Living Words

*Vaiṣṇavaṃ tejaḥ śātitam*, 'the Vaiṣṇava tejas ground away'. *Viśva-karmaṇā*, 'by Viśvakarmā'. *Viṣṇoḥ cakram*, 'Viṣṇu's cakra'. *Tri-śūlaṃ śarvasya*, 'Śarva's triśūla'. *Śibikāṃ dhana-dasya*, 'Kubera's śibikā'. *Śaktiṃ guhasya*, 'Skanda's śakti'. *Anyeṣāṃ varāyudham*, 'and the best-weapon of others'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's astonishing weapon-origin story. *Vaiṣṇavaṃ tejaḥ śātitaṃ viśvakarmaṇā* — 'the Vaiṣṇava tejas ground from the Sun'. Every great divine weapon — *cakra, triśūla, śibikā, śakti* — was forged from the excess tejas of the Sun that his wife could not bear. The Varkari tradition's profound reading: the gods' weapons come from the limit of a woman's capacity to bear her husband's fire. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's sense that the cosmic instruments of protection are fashioned from the specific *śātana* (grinding-away) of what was too much — that grace works by reducing the excessive — has HV 8.35 as its Sanskrit source. The weapons are the *śāntam tejas*.

HV 8.40

संज्ञायां जनयामास वडवायां स भारत । तां तु रूपेण क्रान्तेन दर्शयामास भास्करः । सा तु दृष्ट्वैव भर्तारं तुतोष जनमेजय ॥

saṃjñāyāṃ janayāmāsa vaḍavāyāṃ sa bhārata | tāṃ tu rūpeṇa krāntena darśayāmāsa bhāskaraḥ | sā tu dṛṣṭvaiva bhartāraṃ tutoṣa janamejaya

He begot [children] in Saṃjñā — the mare — O Bhārata; Bhāskara showed himself to her in attractive form; seeing her husband, she was content, O Janamejaya.

The Living Words

*Saṃjñāyāṃ janayāmāsa*, 'begot [children] in Saṃjñā'. *Vaḍavāyām*, 'in the mare form'. *Rūpeṇa krāntena darśayāmāsa*, 'showed himself in attractive form'. *Dṛṣṭvaiva bhartāraṃ tutoṣa*, 'seeing [her] husband, was content'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the reunion. *Dṛṣṭvaiva bhartāraṃ tutoṣa* — 'seeing her husband, she was content'. The Varkari tradition's tender reading: the reunion is not rhetorical; it is the simple *tuṣṭi* at *darśana*. Nothing is said; *dṛṣṭvaiva*, 'on mere seeing', the contentment comes. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's deepest teaching on darśan — that the sight of the Lord itself contents the long-separated soul — has HV 8.40 as its Sanskrit warrant. *Tuṣṭi* follows *dṛṣṭi*.

HV 8.45

नासत्यौ यौ समाख्यातौ स्वर्वैद्यौ तु बभूवतुः । रेवन्तो ऽपि तथा राजन्न् अश्वानां शान्तिदो ऽभवत् ॥

nāsatyau yau samākhyātau svar-vaidyau tu babhūvatuḥ | revanto 'pi tathā rājann aśvānāṃ śānti-do 'bhavat

The two called Nāsatyas [the Aśvins] became the heaven's physicians; and Revanta, O king, became the peace-giver of horses.

The Living Words

*Nāsatyau svar-vaidyau*, 'the Nāsatyas, heaven-physicians'. *Revantaḥ aśvānāṃ śānti-daḥ*, 'Revanta, the peace-giver of horses'.

The Heart of It

The verse names the fruits of the reunion. *Svar-vaidyau* — 'heaven's physicians' — are the Aśvins, the divine healers. The Varkari tradition's attention: the reunion of the long-separated Sun-and-Saṃjñā produces *healers*. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's teaching that divine reunions — when the long-estranged come together — produce healing capacities for the world, has HV 8.45 as its Sanskrit consequence. The Aśvins came from a particular reconciliation, and their medicine is that reconciliation made form.

Thread

The seven verses trace the chapter's arc: Vivasvan born for the double-aim (8.1), Manu-Yama-Yamunā twin-births (8.7), Saṃjñā's ethically troubled substitution (8.10), the Sun's diagnostic question to his angry son (8.25), the forging of the divine weapons from the Sun's excess tejas (8.35), the reunion-contentment in mere sight (8.40), and the Aśvins as physicians born of the reunion (8.45). The Harivaṃśa's story of how a wife's capacity-limit produced the gods' weapons and the divine healers.

Echo in the saints

HV 8.35 — the forging of *viṣṇoḥ cakram, śarvasya triśūlam, śibikām dhana-dasya, śaktim guhasya* from the ground-away tejas of the Sun — is one of the Harivaṃśa's most remarkable theological scenes. The Warkari tradition reads it as the scripture's teaching that divine instruments are shaped by *limiting the excessive*: the Sun was too bright, his tejas was ground, and the cakra was born. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's image of the saint as one whose excess has been ground into grace's instruments — tapas-reduced becomes weapon-formed — has HV 8.35 as its Sanskrit smithy. And the chapter's reunion verse (8.40) — *dṛṣṭvaiva bhartāraṃ tutoṣa* — is the Warkari's simple model: darśana is enough.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 4.1

The Sun is the seat of the Lord's cosmic tapas.

इमं विवस्वते योगं प्रोक्तवानहमव्ययम् । विवस्वान्मनवे प्राह मनुरिक्ष्वाकवेऽब्रवीत् ॥

imaṃ vivasvate yogaṃ proktavān aham avyayam | vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave'bravīt

I declared this imperishable yoga to Vivasvan; Vivasvan spoke it to Manu; Manu to Ikṣvāku.

HV 8's Vivasvan — born of Kaśyapa for asura-destruction and world-welfare, and father of Manu Vaivasvata — is the same Vivasvan to whom Kṛṣṇa taught the Gītā's yoga in 4.1. The Warkari tradition reads them together as one cosmic biography: HV 8 gives the birth, Gītā 4.1 gives the teaching-lineage.

BORI critical edition, ed. P. L. Vaidya (1969). Digital text from the GRETIL Zurich constituted text. Distributed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.