Vamana Purana — Bali's Sudarshana Worship, Shloka 4

Bali’s Worship of Sudarshana and Prahlada’s Teaching on Vishnu-Bhakti

Devanagari script

तत्रास्ते विविधान् भोगान् भुञ्जन् दिव्यान् स मानुषान् नाम्ना विन्ध्यावलीत्येवं भार्यास्य दयिताभवत् 67.3 युवतीनां सहस्रस्य प्रधाना शीलमण्डिता तया सह महातेजा रेमे वैरोचनिर्मुने

Transliteration

tatrāste vividhān bhogān bhuñjan divyān sa mānuṣān nāmnā vindhyāvalītyevaṃ bhāryāsya dayitābhavat 67.3 yuvatīnāṃ sahasrasya pradhānā śīlamaṇḍitā tayā saha mahātejā reme vairocanirmune

Translation

There he remained, enjoying various pleasures—both divine and human. His beloved wife was known by the name Vindhyāvalī. She, adorned with good conduct, was foremost among a thousand young women; together with her, the radiant son of Virocana (Bali) sported there, O sage.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Vamana–Bali episode (addressing a sage: “mune”)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu

Key Themes

• Bali’s post-defeat prosperity
• Ideal queenship and śīla (virtue)
• Purāṇic courtly imagery in a cosmographic setting

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

How can Bali enjoy “divine and human” pleasures in Sutala?

After Trivikrama’s intervention, Sutala is portrayed as a privileged underworld realm. “Divine” indicates celestial-grade luxuries and longevity; “human” indicates familiar royal enjoyments—music, companionship, and courtly life—retained in recognizable form.

Why is Vindhyāvalī highlighted as ‘foremost among a thousand’?

The phrase functions as a royal-epic trope: abundance of attendants/consorts signifies sovereignty, while Vindhyāvalī’s primacy and ‘śīla’ emphasize legitimate queenship and moral excellence rather than mere sensuality.

Does this passage connect to the Vindhya mountains because of the name Vindhyāvalī?

Not necessarily. In this verse the term is a personal name (Bali’s wife). Without explicit markers (e.g., ‘Vindhya-parvata’), it should not be indexed as sacred geography.