Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 1), Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

भूभ्यां सदा ब्राह्मणभूषितायां क्षत्रान्वितायां दृढवापितायाम् शुश्रुषणासक्तसमुद्भवाया मृद्धिं प्रयान्तीह नराधिपेन्द्राः

Transliteration

bhūbhyāṃ sadā brāhmaṇabhūṣitāyāṃ kṣatrānvitāyāṃ dṛḍhavāpitāyām śuśruṣaṇāsaktasamudbhavāyā mṛddhiṃ prayāntīha narādhipendrāḥ

Translation

In a land ever adorned by brāhmaṇas, furnished with kṣatriyas, firmly settled and well-established, and arising from devoted service (to dharma and to the worthy), the foremost of kings attain prosperity here.

Speakers

• Unspecified in input; instructional voice describing conditions of a flourishing kingdom

Key Themes

• Social order (varṇa-based polity)
• Brāhmaṇa–Kṣatriya cooperation
• Stability and institution-building
• Service (śuśrūṣā) as source of prosperity

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘brāhmaṇa-bhūṣitā’ imply beyond mere presence of brāhmaṇas?

It implies a realm guided by learning, ritual order, ethical counsel, and restraint—brāhmaṇas as a civilizational ‘ornament’ that legitimizes and refines royal power.

How should ‘dṛḍha-vāpitā’ be understood?

In this didactic context it points to a kingdom that is firmly founded—securely organized, well-settled, and institutionally stable (fortifications, administration, agrarian order, and law). The stress is on durability rather than transient conquest.

Why is ‘service/śuśrūṣā’ presented as the origin of prosperity?

Purāṇic political ethics frames prosperity as a consequence of disciplined service—toward dharma, elders, teachers, and the public good. A ruler’s attentive service creates trust and order, which in turn yields mṛddhi (flourishing).