Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

श्रुतिः स्मृतिर्धृतिः कीर्तिर्मूर्तिः शान्ति क्रियान्विताः पुष्टिस्तुष्टी रुचिस्त्वन्या तथा सत्त्वाश्रिता गुणाः ताः सर्वा बलिमाश्रित्य व्यश्राम्यन्त यथासुखम्

Transliteration

śrutiḥ smṛtirdhṛtiḥ kīrtirmūrtiḥ śānti kriyānvitāḥ puṣṭistuṣṭī rucistvanyā tathā sattvāśritā guṇāḥ tāḥ sarvā balimāśritya vyaśrāmyanta yathāsukham

Translation

guṇabhṛt: ‘bearer of virtues’; danupuṅgava: ‘bull/foremost among the Danus (Daityas/Dānavas)’; mahātmā: great-souled, noble; śubhabuddhi: auspicious/right understanding; ātmavān: self-possessed, disciplined; yajvā: one who has performed sacrifices (yajña); tapasvī: practitioner of austerity; mṛdu: gentle, mild; satyavāk: truthful-speaking; dātā: giver, patron of gifts; vibhartā: sustainer/supporter; svajana-abhigoptā: protector/guardian of one’s own people.

Speakers

• Narrative voice continuing the praise of Bali’s court and character.

Primary Deities

• Bali (as the locus of virtues)

Key Themes

• Authority of Śruti–Smṛti in ideal kingship
• Sattva-guṇa as the basis of righteous rule
• Peace and prosperity as fruits of dharma
• Personification of ethical and spiritual qualities

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why do ‘Śruti’ and ‘Smṛti’ ‘take refuge’ in a king—what does that imply?

It implies that Bali’s rule aligns with Vedic revelation and dharma-tradition: he protects sacred order, honors ritual and ethical norms, and thus becomes a stable seat where scriptural authority is effectively ‘at home’ in society.

What are ‘sattvāśritā guṇāḥ’ doing in a narrative about an Asura king?

The text deliberately complicates simplistic Deva/Asura binaries. By attributing sattvic qualities to Bali, it presents him as morally luminous and spiritually disciplined—making his later submission to Viṣṇu an exemplar of dharma (especially dāna and satya) rather than a defeat of mere wickedness.

How should ‘mūrtiḥ’ be understood among abstract virtues?

‘Mūrti’ can mean ‘embodiment’—the idea that Bali’s virtues are not theoretical but concretely manifest in his person and court. It can also suggest a dignified, well-ordered royal presence that gives ‘form’ to prosperity, peace, and right action.