Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 1), Shloka 32

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

Devanagari script

तत्रोपविष्टश्चैवासौ कृताञ्जलिपुटो नतः प्रह्लादं प्राह वचनं मेघगम्भीरया गिरा

Transliteration

tatropaviṣṭaścaivāsau kṛtāñjalipuṭo nataḥ prahlādaṃ prāha vacanaṃ meghagambhīrayā girā

Translation

അവിടെ ഉപവിഷ്ടനായി, കൃതാഞ്ജലിപുടത്തോടെ നമസ്കരിച്ചു, മേഘഗംഭീരമായ സ്വരത്തിൽ പ്രഹ്ലാദനോട് വചനം പറഞ്ഞു।

Speakers

• Bali speaking to Prahlāda.

Primary Deities

• None explicitly named (Prahlāda is a Daitya devotee; Viṣṇu is implicit in his identity but not named here).

Key Themes

• Humility before elders/wise counsel
• Dānavas and dharma-discourse
• Authority of Prahlāda as moral guide

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does Bali show humility (añjali, bowing) to Prahlāda though he is king?

Purāṇic kingship idealizes deference to dharma-knowledge. Prahlāda is portrayed as spiritually superior—an elder and a paradigmatic devotee—so Bali’s gesture signals that political power should submit to moral and spiritual counsel.

What is the narrative function of describing the voice as ‘megha-gambhīra’?

It conveys royal gravitas and emotional weight. The deep voice underscores the seriousness of Bali’s inquiry about protecting the worlds and aligning rule with the four aims of life.

Is this a typical setup for a dharma teaching passage?

Yes. A respectful approach to a wise figure (guru/elder) followed by a direct question is a standard Purāṇic and Dharmaśāstric pattern that legitimizes the instruction that follows.