Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Instructions to Bali, Shloka 34

Prahlada’s Instructions to Bali on Vishnu Worship, Monthly Gifts, and Building Hari’s Temple

Devanagari script

प्रासादनगरादीनि गृहप्रावरणादिकम् नारायणस्य तुष्ट्यर्थं पौषे देयानि भक्तितः

Transliteration

prāsādanagarādīni gṛhaprāvaraṇādikam nārāyaṇasya tuṣṭyarthaṃ pauṣe deyāni bhaktitaḥ

Translation

In the month of Pauṣa, with devotion one should give (in charity) mansions, towns and the like, as well as coverings and furnishings for a house, for the satisfaction of Nārāyaṇa.

Speakers

• Likely the narrator/ṛṣi-teacher addressing an inquirer (continuation of month-wise dāna injunctions).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Nārāyaṇa)

Key Themes

• Dāna (Charity)
• Endowment of dwellings/settlements
• Bhakti through large-scale gifts
• Social welfare and patronage as religious merit

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

How can one ‘give a town (nagara)’—is this literal?

In Purāṇic dāna discourse, such terms often indicate endowment or donation of property rights, revenue, land, or maintenance—e.g., gifting a settlement’s income, establishing a habitation, or funding civic/temple infrastructure—rather than physically handing over a ‘town’.

What is implied by ‘gṛha-prāvaraṇa’ in a dāna context?

It points to household necessities—coverings, enclosures, drapes, bedding, blankets, and protective furnishings—items that provide warmth and shelter, especially seasonally appropriate for Pauṣa (winter).

Why is devotion (bhakti) explicitly mentioned here?

The verse frames dāna not as mere transaction but as an offering-intention (saṅkalpa) directed to Nārāyaṇa; the devotional motive is treated as integral to the act’s religious efficacy.