Vamana Purana — Indra's Penance & Aditi's Vow, Shloka 3

Indra’s Penance at the Great River and Aditi’s Solar Vow for Vishnu’s Descent

Devanagari script

ततो ननाम शिरसा शक्रः सुरगणैः सह ब्रह्माणं कश्यपं चैव तांश्च सर्वास्तपोधनान्

Transliteration

tato nanāma śirasā śakraḥ suragaṇaiḥ saha brahmāṇaṃ kaśyapaṃ caiva tāṃśca sarvāstapodhanān

Translation

Then Śakra (Indra), together with the hosts of gods, bowed with his head to Brahmā and to Kaśyapa, and also to all those sages who were rich in ascetic power.

Speakers

• Narrator voice (context: Indra’s act of homage)

Primary Deities

• Indra
• Brahmā
• Kaśyapa

Key Themes

• Humility of kingship
• Authority of tapas and ṛṣis
• Seeking refuge through proper protocol
• Deva solidarity (suragaṇa)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘śirasā nanāma’ imply beyond a simple greeting?

It indicates a formal, submissive obeisance—acknowledging superior spiritual and cosmic authority. In Purāṇic etiquette, such reverence is prerequisite for receiving counsel, boons, or remedial rites.

Who are the ‘tapodhanāḥ’ and why are they included alongside Brahmā and Kaśyapa?

They are sages whose ‘wealth’ is tapas—ascetic merit that grants insight and efficacy in rites and counsel. Their inclusion shows that cosmic crises are addressed not only by administrative power (Brahmā) or lineage authority (Kaśyapa) but also by ascetic-spiritual authority.

How does this act of reverence connect to the Vāmana-Bali storyline?

Indra’s loss of sovereignty is framed as requiring a dharmic solution. By approaching Brahmā, Kaśyapa, and the ṛṣis with humility, Indra positions himself to receive the strategy that culminates in Viṣṇu’s Vāmana/Trivikrama intervention against Bali.