Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

श्वेतवृन्दारकारूढा सत्त्वाढ्या श्वेतविग्रहा रक्ताम्बरधरा चान्या रक्तस्रगनुलेपना

Transliteration

śvetavṛndārakārūḍhā sattvāḍhyā śvetavigrahā raktāmbaradharā cānyā raktasraganulepanā

Translation

One (maiden) mounted upon a white celestial elephant, rich in sattva and of a white-bodied form; another wore red garments and was adorned with red garlands and unguents.

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (continuation of descriptive narration).

Key Themes

• Mounts (vāhana) and iconography
• Guṇa symbolism (sattva)
• Color-coded manifestations (white/red)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

How should śveta-vṛndāraka be understood here?

In Purāṇic descriptive passages, mounts are often specified by color and type. Given the verb ārūḍhā (‘mounted’) and the later explicit horse-mount in the next verse, śveta-vṛndāraka is best read as a white divine elephant serving as a vāhana.

What does sattvāḍhyā convey beyond ‘goodness’?

It signals a constitution dominated by sattva-guṇa: lucidity, purity, auspiciousness, and benefic intent. In iconographic descriptions, it helps distinguish a pacific/auspicious manifestation from more rājasic or tāmasic ones.

Why introduce a red-clad figure immediately after the white one?

The passage is arranging a set of differentiated manifestations through color, dress, and adornment—often correlating with guṇas, functions, or directional/ritual roles. The red figure typically suggests rajas (activity, power, passion) in later verses.