Shloka 21

Vishnu Slays Kalanemi — Vishnu Enters the Deva–Asura War and Slays Kalanemi

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन् विष्णुः सुरश्रेष्ठ अधिरुह्य समभ्यगात्

Transliteration

etasmin viṣṇuḥ suraśreṣṭha adhiruhya samabhyagāt

Translation

Then, mounting that (vehicle/seat), Viṣṇu—the foremost among the gods—came forward/approached.

Speakers

• Narrator voice (Purāṇic narrator) describing events to the listening sage/audience (specific interlocutors not stated in the provided excerpt).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Divine kingship and precedence of Viṣṇu among devas
• Narrative movement (approach/arrival)
• Deva-samāgama (gathering of gods)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘etasmin … adhiruhya’ imply—what is Viṣṇu mounting?

The verse is elliptical: ‘etasmin’ points back to a previously mentioned conveyance or seat (e.g., a divine vehicle, chariot, or elevated position). The Purāṇic style often omits the noun when it is clear from the immediately preceding narrative.

Why is Viṣṇu called ‘suraśreṣṭha’ here?

The epithet asserts hierarchical primacy in the deva assembly: even among immortals, Viṣṇu is presented as the foremost, setting the tone for the subsequent reverence shown by Indra and the other gods.

Does this verse contain any tīrtha/geographical data typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. This is a narrative connector verse focused on divine movement and status; it does not name any sacred geography.