Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Instructions to Bali, Shloka 21

Prahlada’s Instructions to Bali on Vishnu Worship, Monthly Gifts, and Building Hari’s Temple

Devanagari script

हविषा संस्कृता ये तु यवगोधूमशालयः तिलमुद्गादयो माषा व्रीहयश्च प्रिया हरेः

Transliteration

haviṣā saṃskṛtā ye tu yavagodhūmaśālayaḥ tilamudgādayo māṣā vrīhayaśca priyā hareḥ

Translation

Barley, wheat, and śāli-rice that are duly prepared with sacrificial oblation (havis), as well as sesame, mung and other pulses, black gram, and rice—these are dear to Hari (Viṣṇu).

Speakers

• Didactic narration on dāna/offerings (speaker not specified in the provided excerpt; situated in a prescriptive Dharma section).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Hari)

Key Themes

• Dana (Charity) and Naivedya
• Ritual purity and proper preparation (saṃskāra)
• Vaiṣṇava devotional economy (what pleases Hari)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the force of “haviṣā saṃskṛtāḥ” in a list of grains?

It signals that the items are not merely agricultural produce but ritually ‘processed’—fit for offering (naivedya/homa context). The merit is tied to correct preparation and consecration, not only to the substance.

Why are these particular grains and pulses singled out as ‘dear to Hari’?

They represent staple, sattva-associated foods commonly used in Vedic and Purāṇic offerings. The verse frames everyday staples as valid devotional media when offered with proper saṃskāra.

Does this verse imply a specific festival or tīrtha setting?

Not directly. Unlike tīrtha-māhātmya passages that anchor acts to named places, this verse is a general dharma prescription about offerings pleasing to Viṣṇu.