Vamana Purana — Vishnu Slays Kalanemi, Shloka 6

Vishnu Enters the Deva–Asura War and Slays Kalanemi

Devanagari script

तमागम्य सुरश्रेष्ठो विष्णुः सिंहवपुर्धरः प्रत्यक्षं दानवेन्द्राणां नखैस्तं हि व्यदारयत्

Transliteration

tamāgamya suraśreṣṭho viṣṇuḥ siṃhavapurdharaḥ pratyakṣaṃ dānavendrāṇāṃ nakhaistaṃ hi vyadārayat

Translation

तब देवश्रेष्ठ विष्णु सिंह-रूप धारण करके वहाँ आए और दानव-इन्द्रों के प्रत्यक्ष देखते-देखते अपने नखों से उसे विदीर्ण कर दिया।

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Andhaka-cycle (speaker not specified in the given excerpt)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Divine intervention
• Protection of devas
• Daitya/Dānava subjugation
• Avatar theology (Narasiṃha)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Which form of Viṣṇu is implied by “siṃhavapurdharaḥ”?

The compound literally means “one who bears a lion-form,” pointing to Narasiṃha. The detail “with claws” (nakhaiḥ) reinforces the Narasiṃha identification, since claw-tearing is a hallmark of that manifestation.

Why emphasize “pratyakṣaṃ dānavendrāṇām” (in the presence of the demon-lords)?

It underscores the public, undeniable nature of divine sovereignty: the act is not hidden or symbolic but performed openly, breaking the morale and authority of the Dānava leadership.

Does this verse contain any geographical markers typical of the Vāmana Purāṇa?

No. Despite the Purāṇa’s strong geographical/tīrtha orientation elsewhere, this line is purely narrative and does not name any sacred place or landscape feature.