Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 1), Shloka 37

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

Devanagari script

सर्वसत्त्वानुगमनं कामवर्गफलं च यत् परत्रेह च यच्छ्रेयः पुत्र तत्कर्म आरच

Transliteration

sarvasattvānugamanaṃ kāmavargaphalaṃ ca yat paratreha ca yacchreyaḥ putra tatkarma āraca

Translation

“That action, my son, should be undertaken—(the action) which follows (i.e., benefits and is in harmony with) all living beings, which yields the fruits of the aims of desire (kāma) in due measure, and which brings what is truly auspicious (śreyas) both here (in this world) and hereafter.”

Speakers

• Unspecified in the excerpt; a senior speaker (teacher/father-figure) addressing “putra” (son/disciple).

Key Themes

• Dharma as universal welfare (sarvasattva-hita)
• Integration of worldly aims with higher good (iha–paratra śreyas)
• Ethics of action (karma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does “sarvasattvānugamana” imply ethically?

It frames right action as that which ‘goes along with’ all beings—i.e., does not violate the welfare of others and is consonant with a broader moral order. In Purāṇic dharma discourse, this aligns with ahiṃsā, loka-saṅgraha (holding society together), and compassion as criteria for choosing actions.

How can an action yield “kāma” fruits yet still be “śreyas” here and hereafter?

The verse suggests regulated enjoyment: kāma is not rejected but subordinated to śreyas. Actions are commendable when they bring legitimate satisfaction without harming others and when they also support long-term spiritual/moral welfare (e.g., through restraint, charity, truthfulness).

Is this verse part of a tīrtha section of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

Although the Vāmana Purāṇa is strongly geographic in many portions, this particular verse is purely normative/ethical and contains no place-names. It likely occurs in a didactic passage embedded within a broader narrative or pilgrimage framework.