Vamana Purana — Bali's Sudarshana Worship, Shloka 15

Bali’s Worship of Sudarshana and Prahlada’s Teaching on Vishnu-Bhakti

Devanagari script

तमायुधवरं वन्दे वासुदेवस्य भक्तितः यन्मे पापं शरीरोत्थं वाग्जं मानसमेव च

Transliteration

tamāyudhavaraṃ vande vāsudevasya bhaktitaḥ yanme pāpaṃ śarīrotthaṃ vāgjaṃ mānasameva ca

Translation

{"has_teaching": true, "teaching_type": "karma", "core_concept": "Sevā through sacred construction (devālaya/maṇḍapa) as dharmic action.", "teaching_summary": "The verse valorizes skilled, ritually-informed craftsmanship in creating durable, ornamented sacred platforms—implying that correct ritual arrangement and careful material excellence are themselves offerings.", "vedantic_theme": "Īśvara-ārādhana through niyata-karma; sanctification of action when aligned with śāstra and devotion.", "practical_application": "Support temples/tīrthas by funding or organizing well-made, ritually appropriate structures; ensure competent officiants and artisans are engaged."}

Speakers

• Unnamed devotee/supplicant voice (stuti) addressing Sudarśana
• the weapon of Vāsudeva

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Vāsudeva)
• Sudarśana-cakra (personified divine weapon)

Key Themes

• Pāpa-kṣaya (removal of sin)
• Tri-karaṇa-śuddhi (purification of body–speech–mind)
• Āyudha-stuti (praise of the Lord’s weapon)
• Bhakti as means of purification

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why are sins classified as bodily, verbal, and mental in this verse?

This is the classical triad of karma—kāyika (body), vācika (speech), and mānasika (mind). The prayer seeks comprehensive purification, implying that dharma is violated not only by actions but also by words and intentions.

Why is Sudarśana addressed rather than Viṣṇu directly?

Purāṇic devotion often treats Viṣṇu’s attributes and weapons as empowered, personified manifestations. Sudarśana functions as a protective and purifying force—an accessible focus for stuti while still being inseparable from Vāsudeva.

Does this verse itself mention a tīrtha or geography?

No. The verse is a portable stotra-verse (mantra-like) embedded in a chapter that elsewhere belongs to a tīrtha-mahātmya setting; the geography is contextual rather than explicit here.