Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

तपो ऽहिंसा च सत्यं च शौचमिन्द्रियनिग्रहः दया दानं त्वानृशंस्यं शुश्रुषा यज्ञकर्म च

Transliteration

tapo 'hiṃsā ca satyaṃ ca śaucamindriyanigrahaḥ dayā dānaṃ tvānṛśaṃsyaṃ śuśruṣā yajñakarma ca

Translation

Austerity, non-violence, truth, purity, restraint of the senses; compassion, charity, gentleness (non-cruelty), service (to elders/teachers), and the performance of sacrificial rites—these (prevailed as the constituents of Dharma).

Speakers

• Narrator continuing the instruction to Nārada

Primary Deities

• Agni (implicit in yajña-karma)

Key Themes

• Ethical foundations of Kṛta-yuga
• Inner discipline and social virtue
• Ritual and morality as complementary
• Dharma as a composite of virtues

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Are these virtues meant as a definition of Dharma or as symptoms of Kṛta-yuga?

Both: the verse lists the operative constituents of Dharma when it is ‘four-footed’—i.e., when the moral-ritual ecosystem is intact. In Purāṇic framing, Kṛta-yuga is recognized by the widespread presence of these virtues in society.

How do ‘yajña-karma’ (ritual) and ‘ahiṃsā’ (non-violence) coexist?

Purāṇic Dharma often treats yajña as a regulated sacred act embedded in cosmic reciprocity, while ahiṃsā is a broad ethical ideal. Different traditions reconcile them by emphasizing intention, scriptural regulation, substitutionary offerings, or the progressive interiorization of sacrifice; the verse simply presents both as harmonized pillars of restored order.

What is the practical meaning of ‘śuśruṣā’ here?

Śuśruṣā denotes disciplined, respectful service—listening and attending to teachers, elders, guests, and dependents. It is a social virtue that stabilizes transmission of knowledge and ethical culture, complementing personal disciplines like tapaḥ and indriya-nigraha.