Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Instructions to Bali, Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

दीपप्रदानं स्वयमायताक्षी विन्ध्यावली विष्णुगृहे चकार गेयं स धर्म्यश्रवणं च धीमान् पौराणिकैर्विप्रवरैरकारयत्

Transliteration

dīpapradānaṃ svayamāyatākṣī vindhyāvalī viṣṇugṛhe cakāra geyaṃ sa dharmyaśravaṇaṃ ca dhīmān paurāṇikairvipravarairakārayat

Translation

Vindhyāvalī, the large-eyed one, herself performed the offering of lamps in the house/temple of Viṣṇu. And that wise one arranged for sacred singing and for the hearing of righteous narratives, through eminent brāhmaṇas skilled in Purāṇic lore.

Speakers

• Narrator describing the devotional practices of Bali and Vindhyāvalī.

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Vindhyāvalī
• Bali

Key Themes

• Dīpa-dāna (lamp offering)
• Female devotion and ritual agency (Vindhyāvalī)
• Śravaṇa (hearing sacred lore)
• Kīrtana/Geya (devotional singing)
• Brāhmaṇa-led Purāṇic recitation
• Temple-centered dharma

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the ritual and symbolic value of dīpa-pradāna in a Viṣṇu shrine?

Lamp-offering signifies the offering of light (knowledge, auspiciousness, and presence) to the deity. In Purāṇic devotion it is a high-merit act, marking both reverence and the dispelling of inner and outer darkness.

Why mention ‘dharmya-śravaṇa’ and Purāṇic brāhmaṇas?

The verse frames devotion as both ritual and pedagogy: hearing dharma through Purāṇic recitation is a sanctioned means of cultivating right understanding and conduct. Employing ‘vipra-varas’ underscores orthopraxy and authoritative transmission.

Does ‘Viṣṇu-gṛha’ mean a private house or a temple?

In Purāṇic usage, ‘gṛha’ can denote a sanctified abode of the deity—functionally a temple—especially when paired with acts like dīpa-dāna and organized recitation. Here it indicates a consecrated space where public-style worship and śravaṇa occur.