Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

म भूमिं च तथा नाकं राज्यं लक्ष्मीं यसो ऽव्ययः समाहरिष्यति बलेः कर्तुः सद्धर्मगोचरम्

Transliteration

ma bhūmiṃ ca tathā nākaṃ rājyaṃ lakṣmīṃ yaso 'vyayaḥ samāhariṣyati baleḥ kartuḥ saddharmagocaram

Translation

Dia Yang Tak Binasa akan menghimpun kembali bumi dan juga surga, kerajaan, Lakṣmī, serta kemasyhuran—semuanya yang telah menjadi wilayah Bali, sang pelaku agung, dalam lingkup dharma sejati.

Speakers

• Narrator/teacher continuing the discourse to Tiṣya (or the listener) about the impending divine reclamation

Primary Deities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Bali
• Lakshmi (as fortune/personified prosperity)

Key Themes

• Restoration of cosmic sovereignty
• Lakṣmī as royal fortune shifting with dharma
• Dharma as the rightful ‘domain’ (gocara) of rule
• Vāmana/Trivikrama as corrective reallocation

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘samāhariṣyati’ imply—destruction or lawful repossession?

The verb suggests ‘gathering back/withdrawing’ rather than annihilating. In the Vāmana narrative, Viṣṇu reclaims the cosmic jurisdictions (earth/heaven/sovereignty) to restore balance, not to negate Bali’s virtues or gifts.

How can Bali’s domain be called ‘saddharma-gocara’ if he is opposed by the Devas?

Purāṇic nuance allows Bali to be both powerful and, in certain respects, dharmic (notably generosity and truthfulness). ‘Saddharma-gocara’ can indicate that the transfer of realms occurs through a dharmic mechanism (boon, gift, vow) rather than mere violence—hence Viṣṇu’s approach as a supplicant.

Why list Lakṣmī and Yaśas along with earth and heaven?

Kingship is not only territory; it includes legitimacy, prosperity, and renown. The verse frames sovereignty as a composite of realms (bhūmi/nāka) and royal attributes (rājya/lakṣmī/yaśas), all ultimately contingent on Viṣṇu’s sustaining order.