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

Hommage à Śrīdhara (Viṣṇu) : après avoir ravi à Bali la souveraineté des trois mondes, il la remit à Indra, prenant la forme déguisée de Vāmana.

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.