Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

प्रजापतिभ्यस्तां प्रादात् शुक्राय च विशःसु च नीलवस्त्रालिसदृशी या चुर्थी वृषस्थिता

Transliteration

prajāpatibhyastāṃ prādāt śukrāya ca viśaḥsu ca nīlavastrālisadṛśī yā curthī vṛṣasthitā

Translation

त्याने तिला प्रजापतींना, शुक्राला आणि वैश्यांमध्येही प्रदान केले. जी नील वस्त्रांच्या माळेसारखी भासते, ती चतुर्थी रूपात वृषभावर स्थित आहे।

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Saroma/Sarasvatī-māhātmya section (speaker not explicit in the given excerpt).

Primary Deities

• Prajāpatis
• Śukra (Śukrācārya / Venus)
• Sarasvatī (implied by the passage sequence)

Key Themes

• Tīrtha-mahima and river personification
• Social-cosmic distribution of sacred power (varṇa-linked forms)
• Iconographic coding (color/vehicle symbolism)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the significance of the ‘blue garments’ description?

Color functions as a semiotic marker in Purāṇic iconography. Here, ‘nīla’ (blue/dark hue) distinguishes a particular manifestation of the goddess/river aligned with specific recipients (Prajāpatis, Śukra, and Vaiśyas), indicating differentiated ritual or beneficence rather than a change in the physical river.

Why is the bull (vṛṣa) mentioned—does it imply a Śaiva association?

A bull can evoke multiple registers: dharma (as ‘vṛṣa’), prosperity/agricultural strength (relevant to Vaiśyas), and also Nandin/Śiva in broader Purāṇic symbolism. In a māhātmya context, it primarily signals the ‘support’ or emblem of this manifestation, without requiring an exclusive sectarian reading.

How can Sarasvatī be ‘given’ to Śukra, who is often linked with Asuras?

The passage is mapping the river-goddess’ reach across cosmic and social domains. Śukra’s inclusion underscores that tīrtha-power is not restricted to one camp (deva-only); it can be accessed across lineages, provided the appropriate ritual frame and merit.