Vamana Purana — Narada Questions Pulastya, Shloka 1

Narada Questions Pulastya: The Vamana Purana Begins and Satī’s Monsoon Lament

Devanagari script

त्रैलोक्यराज्यमाक्षिप्य बलेरिन्द्राय यो ददौ श्रीधराय नमस्तस्मै छद्मवामनरूपिणे

Transliteration

trailokyarājyamākṣipya balerindrāya yo dadau śrīdharāya namastasmai chadmavāmanarūpiṇe

Translation

Verehrung sei Śrīdhara (Viṣṇu), der Bali die Herrschaft über die drei Welten entriss und sie Indra verlieh, indem er die verhüllte Gestalt Vāmanas annahm.

Word by Word

• त्रैलोक्य-राज्यम्: the sovereignty of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्य-राज्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रैलोक्यस्य राज्यं)

• आक्षिप्य: having seized / having taken away
• आक्षिप्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातु: क्षिप्, उपसर्ग: आ-

• बलेः: of Bali
• बलेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• इन्द्राय: to Indra
• इन्द्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• श्रीधराय: to Śrīdhara (Viṣṇu)
• श्रीधराय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Prayojana (सम्बोधन/प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमः-प्रयोगः (salutation particle)

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन

• छद्म-वामन-रूपिणे: to the one who had the form of Vāmana as a disguise
• छद्म-वामन-रूपिणे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छद्म (प्रातिपदिक) + वामन (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (छद्मेन वामनरूपः यस्य/वामनरूपिणः)

Speakers

• Narrator (invocatory verse; not direct dialogue)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Indra

Key Themes

• Vaishnavism
• Daitya–Deva Conflict
• Bhakti
• Dana (gift/charity) and kingship
• Divine māyā (disguise)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Worldly sovereignty is temporary and ultimately regulated by dharma and divine order; Bali’s fame endures not by conquest but by dāna and truthfulness in keeping his promise even when challenged by the divine.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

Primarily Vamśānucarita/Carita-style narrative material (accounts of devas/asuras and exemplary rulers), serving as a maṅgala that points toward the later avatāra-episode framework.

What is the symbolic significance?

The ‘disguised Vāmana’ signifies God’s approach through humility and concealment, testing the inner integrity of the giver; the restoration to Indra frames the rebalancing of cosmic governance rather than mere victory.