Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

अहं सा रागिणी नाम जायश्रीस्त्वामुपागता ममास्ति दावनपते प्रतिज्ञा साधुसंमता

Transliteration

ahaṃ sā rāgiṇī nāma jāyaśrīstvāmupāgatā mamāsti dāvanapate pratijñā sādhusaṃmatā

Translation

Akulah dia yang bernama Rāgiṇī, yakni Jāyaśrī, yang telah datang kepadamu. Wahai penguasa para Dānava, aku memiliki suatu ikrar yang disetujui oleh orang-orang saleh.

Speakers

• Rāgiṇī (also identified as Jāyaśrī) speaking to Bali (dānava-pati)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Sri (as Jayaśrī, personified auspiciousness)

Key Themes

• Personified auspiciousness (Śrī/Jayaśrī motifs) approaching a king
• Pratijñā (vow/pledge) and moral authorization (sādhu-sammata)
• Bali’s courtly/narrative setting within the Vāmana cycle

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shringara", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

Who is ‘Rāgiṇī’ and why is she also called ‘Jāyaśrī’?

The verse presents a self-identification: a figure named Rāgiṇī, additionally styled Jāyaśrī (‘victory-splendour’). In Purāṇic narrative technique, such double naming often signals a personified quality (a form of Śrī/auspicious fortune) entering the story to announce a vow, boon, or turning point for the king addressed.

What is the significance of ‘pratijñā sādhu-sammatā’?

It frames the forthcoming pledge as ethically legitimate: not merely a personal desire but a vow aligned with ‘sādhus’ (the righteous). This is a common Purāṇic device to authorize an action within dharma before its consequences unfold in the narrative.

Does this verse contribute to the Vāmana Purāṇa’s sacred geography?

Not directly. It is narrative and ethical in tone, introducing a character and her vow; no tīrtha, river, or region is specified in the śloka itself.