Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12
Virocana–Bali, Aditi’s Tapas, and the Vāmana–Trivikrama Episode
स तस्य पुत्रो मतिमान् बलिर्नाम महासुरः / ब्रह्मण्यो धार्मिको ऽत्यर्थं विजिग्ये ऽथ पुरन्दरम्
sa tasya putro matimān balirnāma mahāsuraḥ / brahmaṇyo dhārmiko 'tyarthaṃ vijigye 'tha purandaram
त्याचा पुत्र ‘बली’ नावाचा बुद्धिमान महासुर होता— ब्राह्मणभक्त व अत्यंत धर्मनिष्ठ; आणि मग त्याने पुरंदर (इंद्र) याला जिंकले।
Suta (traditional Purana narrator) recounting the Purva-bhaga narrative to the sages
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse is primarily historical and ethical: it highlights dharma (righteous conduct) and reverence for the Vedic order (brahmaṇya) even in an Asura king; it does not directly teach ātman-doctrine, but it frames power as subordinate to dharma—an important Purāṇic precondition for higher spiritual instruction elsewhere (e.g., the Ishvara Gītā).
No explicit yoga practice is taught in this line; the implied discipline is dhārmika living—support of Brāhmaṇas and adherence to righteous conduct—which the Kurma Purana often treats as a foundation for later spiritual paths such as Pāśupata-oriented devotion and inner restraint.
This verse does not directly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; indirectly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis by stressing dharma and brahmaṇya as universal virtues that undergird devotion across sectarian lines, preparing the narrative ground for later Shaiva–Vaishnava harmonization.