Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 1), Shloka 34

Kali’s Complaint to Brahma and the Arrival of Śrī (Jayaśrī) in Bali’s Court

Devanagari script

तद्वाक्यसम कालं च शुक्रः प्रह्लादमब्रवीत् यद्युक्तं तन्महाबाहो वदस्वाद्योत्तरं वचः

Transliteration

tadvākyasama kālaṃ ca śukraḥ prahlādamabravīt yadyuktaṃ tanmahābāho vadasvādyottaraṃ vacaḥ

Translation

At that very moment, after those words were spoken, Śukra addressed Prahlāda: “O mighty-armed one, if it is proper, speak now in reply—utter your answering statement.”

Speakers

• Narrator voice describing: Śukra addressing Prahlāda (in the presence of Bali and the Asura assembly).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Counsel and deliberation
• Dharma-guided speech
• Court/assembly dialogue
• Ethics of decision-making

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does Śukra ask Prahlāda to speak at this point in the narrative?

Śukra functions as the formal counselor of the Asuras; by inviting Prahlāda’s ‘uttara’ (reply), he frames the decision as a deliberative process where competing viewpoints—policy, prudence, and dharma—are weighed before action.

What is implied by the term ‘yukta’ here?

‘Yukta’ signals not merely logical correctness but propriety—speech aligned with dharma, context, and the welfare of the polity. It anticipates Prahlāda’s reputation for dharmic clarity even within an Asura court.

Does this verse contain any tīrtha or geographic reference typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. This is a dialogue verse within the Bali cycle; the geography-focused material appears elsewhere, while here the emphasis is ethical counsel and narrative progression.