Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Instructions to Bali, Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

प्रह्लाद उवाच श्रद्दधानैर्भक्तिपरैर्यान्युद्दिश्य जनार्दनम् बले दानानि दीयन्ते तानूचुर्मुनयो ऽक्षयान्

Transliteration

prahlāda uvāca śraddadhānairbhaktiparairyānyuddiśya janārdanam bale dānāni dīyante tānūcurmunayo 'kṣayān

Translation

Prahlāda said: “O Bali, the gifts that are given by people who are full of faith and devoted—dedicating them to Janārdana—those the sages have declared to be imperishable (yielding inexhaustible fruit).”

Speakers

• Prahlada speaking to Bali

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Janardana)

Key Themes

• Dana (charity)
• Bhakti as qualifier of ritual efficacy
• Akshaya-punya (inexhaustible merit)
• Authority of sages (muni-vacana)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What makes a gift ‘akṣaya’ (inexhaustible) according to this verse?

Not merely the material value of the gift, but the donor’s inner qualifications—śraddhā (faith) and bhakti (devotional intent)—and the act of dedicating the gift to Janārdana. The ‘akṣaya’ quality is thus a function of intention and consecration.

Is ‘uddiśya Janārdanam’ the same as giving directly to Vishnu?

In dharma literature, ‘uddiśya’ indicates dedicatory intention: gifts given to appropriate recipients (e.g., worthy persons, ritual contexts) are spiritually offered to the deity as the ultimate enjoyer (bhoktā). The verse highlights this devotional orientation rather than a literal physical transfer to the deity.

Why are ‘munayaḥ’ (sages) cited here?

Citing sages anchors the teaching in recognized dharma authority (smṛti/ācāra lineage). It signals that the ‘akṣaya’ doctrine is not a private opinion but a received principle within the tradition.