Vamana Purana — Vishnu Slays Kalanemi, Shloka 45
Vishnu Enters the Deva–Asura War and Slays Kalanemi
अयं स दनुपुत्रसैन्यवित्रासकृद्रिषुः परमकोपितः स मधोर्विघातकृत् हिरण्यनयनान्तकः कुसुमपूजारतिः क्व याति मम दृष्टिगोचरे निपतितः खलः वम्प्_47.43 यद्येष संप्रति ममाहवमभ्युषैति नृनं न याति निलयं निजमम्बुजाक्षः मन्मुष्टिपिष्टशिथिलाङ्गमुपात्तभस्म संद्रक्ष्यते सुरजनो भयकातराक्षः // वम्प्_47.44 इत्येवमुक्त्वा मधुसूदनं वै स कालनेमिः स्फुरिताधरोष्ठः गदां खगेन्द्रोपरि जातकोपो मुमोच शैले कुलिशं यथेन्द्रः
ayaṃ sa danuputrasainyavitrāsakṛdriṣuḥ paramakopitaḥ sa madhorvighātakṛt hiraṇyanayanāntakaḥ kusumapūjāratiḥ kva yāti mama dṛṣṭigocare nipatitaḥ khalaḥ VamP_47.43 yadyeṣa saṃprati mamāhavamabhyuṣaiti nṛnaṃ na yāti nilayaṃ nijamambujākṣaḥ manmuṣṭipiṣṭaśithilāṅgamupāttabhasma saṃdrakṣyate surajano bhayakātarākṣaḥ // VamP_47.44 ityevamuktvā madhusūdanaṃ vai sa kālanemiḥ sphuritādharoṣṭhaḥ gadāṃ khagendropari jātakopo mumoca śaile kuliśaṃ yathendraḥ
“This is that foe—the one who terrifies the armies of Danu’s sons; the supremely enraged one; the slayer of Madhu; the destroyer of Hiraṇyanayana; the one who delights in worship with flowers. Where can that wretch go, fallen within the range of my sight? (VamP 47.43) If now this lotus-eyed one dares to approach my battle, he will not return to his own abode. The host of gods will behold him, his limbs loosened and crushed by my fists, smeared with ash, their eyes trembling with fear. (VamP 47.44) Having spoken thus to Madhusūdana, that Kālanemi—his lower lip quivering—became enraged and hurled his mace from atop the king of birds, as Indra hurls the thunderbolt upon a mountain.”
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FAQs
Purāṇic taunts often paradoxically function as ‘involuntary stuti’: even in hostility, the asura must acknowledge Viṣṇu’s established mythic résumé (past slayings and divine marks), which heightens the irony of his impending defeat.
It links the battlefield Viṣṇu to the temple Viṣṇu: the same deity who receives gentle offerings also wields cosmic weapons. This juxtaposition supports a purāṇic theology where bhakti and kṣātra (protective power) are complementary.
It indicates the combat is occurring with Garuḍa present as Viṣṇu’s vāhana. The demon’s act of hurling a mace ‘upon/at’ that elevated position underscores both the aerial scale of the fight and the audacity of challenging Viṣṇu on his own mount.