Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 1), Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

तस्माद् वर्णाः स्वधर्मस्थास्त्वया कार्याः सदा बले तद्वृद्धौ भवतो वृद्धिस्तद्वानौ हानिरुच्यते

Transliteration

tasmād varṇāḥ svadharmasthāstvayā kāryāḥ sadā bale tadvṛddhau bhavato vṛddhistadvānau hānirucyate

Translation

“Therefore, O Bali, you must always ensure that the social orders remain established in their own duties. With the increase of that (dharma), your own increase (prosperity) occurs; but when that declines, your decline is said to follow.”

Speakers

• (Didactic voice) Instructor addressing Bali directly.

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (Vāmana/Trivikrama) — contextual
• Bali — addressee

Key Themes

• King as enforcer/guardian of dharma
• Prosperity tied to dharma
• Consequences of social disorder
• Varṇadharma as statecraft

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does “tvayā kāryāḥ” imply about the king’s responsibility?

It implies active governance: the ruler must not merely praise dharma but operationalize it—through policy, adjudication, patronage, and discipline—so that each group can and does perform its svadharma.

Is the verse advocating coercion or protection?

The phrasing supports both readings typical of rājadharma: protection of conditions for svadharma (security, justice, economic order) and corrective enforcement when duties are neglected. The emphasis is on outcomes: dharma’s growth yields royal prosperity.

Why is the king’s fate tied to dharma’s fate?

Purāṇic political theology treats kingship as dharma-dependent legitimacy. When dharma declines, the king loses merit, public order, and divine support—hence “your decline is said to follow.”