Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

अप्रमेयबलो देवो यो ऽसौ चक्रगदाधरः तेन त्यक्तस्तु मघवा ततो ऽहं त्वामिहागता

Transliteration

aprameyabalo devo yo 'sau cakragadādharaḥ tena tyaktastu maghavā tato 'haṃ tvāmihāgatā

Translation

That god of immeasurable power—he who bears the discus and the mace—abandoned Maghavā (Indra). Therefore I have come here to you.

Speakers

• Śrī (Lakṣmī) explaining to Bali the cause of her relocation—Viṣṇu’s withdrawal from Indra.

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (Cakragadādhara)
• Śrī/Lakṣmī
• Indra (Maghavā)
• Bali

Key Themes

• Viṣṇu’s sovereignty over cosmic fortune
• Dependence of Indra’s rule on divine favor
• Śrī as indicator of divine alignment
• Cosmic politics: Deva-Asura power shifts

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is ‘cakragadādhara’ in this verse?

The epithet ‘bearer of the discus and mace’ is a standard identifier of Viṣṇu (Sudarśana-cakra and Kaumodakī-gadā), marking him as the divine source of protection and kingship.

What does it mean that Viṣṇu ‘abandoned’ Indra?

Purāṇically, Indra’s sovereignty is contingent on dharma and divine support. ‘Abandonment’ indicates withdrawal of protective grace and the consequent migration of Śrī (royal fortune) away from Indra’s domain.

How does this connect to the broader Vāmana–Bali cycle?

The verse sets the theological premise for shifting power from Devas to Asuras and prepares the narrative ground for Viṣṇu’s later intervention (classically as Vāmana/Trivikrama) to re-balance cosmic order, even while acknowledging Bali’s acquired splendor.