Vamana Purana — Vishnu Slays Kalanemi, Shloka 24

Vishnu Enters the Deva–Asura War and Slays Kalanemi

Devanagari script

वामं पार्श्वंमवष्भ्य जन्तो व्रजते मुने दक्षिणं वरुणः पार्श्वमवष्टभ्याव्रजद् बली

Transliteration

vāmaṃ pārśvaṃmavaṣbhya janto vrajate mune dakṣiṇaṃ varuṇaḥ pārśvamavaṣṭabhyāvrajad balī

Translation

“O sage, the leader of beings advanced, bracing (his force) on the left flank; and Bali advanced, bracing (his force) on the right flank of Varuṇa.”

Speakers

• Narrator (likely Pulastya) addressing a sage-listener (likely Nārada)
• as typical of Purāṇic dialogue; exact speakers not stated in the input.

Primary Deities

• Varuṇa

Key Themes

• Deva–Asura warfare
• Battle formations and flanks
• Royal/heroic advance

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Varuṇa mentioned with a ‘right flank’ in relation to Bali?

The verse frames the battle in terms of military positioning: Varuṇa is a principal deva on one side of the field, and Bali advances to engage/press that side, described as the ‘right flank’ relative to Varuṇa’s position.

Does ‘jantu’ here mean an ordinary ‘creature’?

In epic–purāṇic battle diction, such terms can function collectively or honorifically for a host/leader of beings; the immediate context is troop movement and flanks, not zoological ‘creatures’.

Is Vāmana/Trivikrama present in this verse?

No explicit avatar reference occurs in this śloka; it is a tactical snapshot within the broader Vāmana–Bali narrative arc.