Vamana Purana — Sukeshi's Inquiry into Dharma, Shloka 37
Sukeshi’s Inquiry into Dharma: The Seven Dvipas and the Twenty-One Hells
अहो महात्मा बलवाञ्जलेशः संचूर्णयन् दैत्यभटं सवाहम् पाशेन बद्ध्वा गदया निहन्ति यथा पशुं वाजिमखे महेन्द्रः
aho mahātmā balavāñjaleśaḥ saṃcūrṇayan daityabhaṭaṃ savāham pāśena baddhvā gadayā nihanti yathā paśuṃ vājimakhe mahendraḥ
“Sungguh agung dan perkasa Penguasa Air, Jaleśa! Ia menghancurkan para prajurit Daitya beserta tunggangan mereka, mengikat dengan jeratnya dan memukul mati dengan gadanya—seperti Mahendra menumpas hewan dalam upacara Aśvamedha.”
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FAQs
The verse emphasizes that divine sovereignty is not merely physical might but the capacity to bind (pāśa: restraint, law) and to punish (gadā: corrective force). It also warns that adharma-driven armies are ultimately subdued.
Vamśānucarita / Manvantara-style narrative texture: heroic episodes involving devas and daityas used to illustrate dharma’s protection across eras, though not a full manvantara account by itself.
Varuṇa’s pāśa is a classic symbol of moral-cosmic constraint (ṛta/dharma binding wrongdoing). The Aśvamedha comparison evokes the sacrificial paradigm: forces opposed to cosmic order are treated as ‘offerings’ to restore balance.