Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

स निर्ममे युवतयश्चास्रो रूपसंयुताः श्वेताम्बरधरा चैव श्वेतस्रगनुलेपना

Transliteration

sa nirmame yuvatayaścāsro rūpasaṃyutāḥ śvetāmbaradharā caiva śvetasraganulepanā

Translation

He then created four youthful maidens, endowed with beauty; they wore white garments and were adorned with white garlands and unguents.

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (narrative voice continues the chapter’s account).

Key Themes

• Divine manifestation/emanation
• Iconographic color symbolism (white)
• Attendant deities or personified powers

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is the ‘he’ (saḥ) that creates the four maidens?

Within this isolated excerpt, the antecedent of saḥ is not stated. In Vāmana Purāṇa narrative style, such lines typically continue from a prior verse naming the deity/agent (often a god, sage, or personified power) who manifests attendants or śaktis.

Why is the repeated emphasis on ‘white’ (śveta) significant?

White commonly signals sattva—purity, auspiciousness, clarity—and is used in Purāṇic iconography to mark benefic, pacific, or ritually pure manifestations. The verse frames the maidens as auspicious attendants through dress (ambara), garlands (srag), and unguents (anulepana).

Are these maidens identifiable goddesses?

The verse itself does not name them. Identification (e.g., as personified directions, śaktis, or attendants) requires the surrounding chapter context, where their functions, mounts, or roles are usually specified.