Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 4

Kali’s Complaint to Brahma and the Arrival of Śrī (Jayaśrī) in Bali’s Reign

Devanagari script

प्रणिपत्य तमाहाथ तिष्यो ब्रह्माणमीश्वरम् मम स्वभावो बलिना नाशितो देवसत्तम

Transliteration

praṇipatya tamāhātha tiṣyo brahmāṇamīśvaram mama svabhāvo balinā nāśito devasattama

Translation

Setelah bersujud, Tiṣya berkata kepada Brahmā, Sang Penguasa: “Wahai yang terbaik di antara para dewa, kodrat/keadaanku telah dihancurkan oleh Bali.”

Speakers

• Tiṣya speaking to Brahmā.

Primary Deities

• Brahmā

Key Themes

• Supplication (praṇipāta)
• Disruption of svabhāva (natural order)
• Bali’s overpowering influence
• Appeal to cosmic authority (Brahmā)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘svabhāva’ mean in this context—personal temperament or cosmic function?

Both senses are possible, but the narrative logic favors ‘natural condition/appointed function.’ Tiṣya claims that Bali’s action has disrupted his proper state—suggesting a disturbance in the ordained order rather than merely an emotional change.

Why is Bali portrayed as capable of ‘destroying’ someone’s svabhāva?

In Purāṇic idiom, powerful kings/asuras can ‘overwhelm’ (abhibhava) the gods and their functions through tapas, conquest, or boons. The statement frames Bali’s ascendancy as a cosmic imbalance requiring higher adjudication.

Is Tiṣya here the nakṣatra Tiṣya (Puṣya) or a distinct character?

The verse treats Tiṣya as a speaking agent who approaches Brahmā, which fits a personified or narrative character. Purāṇas often personify astral entities, but without additional chapter context we should identify him neutrally as ‘Tiṣya (a personage)’ rather than assert a purely astronomical identity.