Vamana Purana — Vishnu Slays Kalanemi, Shloka 4

Vishnu Enters the Deva–Asura War and Slays Kalanemi

Devanagari script

तमुचुः सर्व एवैनं शृणुष्व सुरमर्दन यत् ते श्रेयस्करं कर्म यदस्माकं हितं तथा

Transliteration

tamucuḥ sarva evainaṃ śṛṇuṣva suramardana yat te śreyaskaraṃ karma yadasmākaṃ hitaṃ tathā

Translation

They all said to him: “Listen, O crusher of the gods. We shall speak of that action which is beneficial for you—and likewise conducive to our welfare.”

Speakers

• Kinsmen/elders (kulajāḥ) speaking to the Dānava leader (addressed as suramardana)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Indra (Śakra)

Key Themes

• Collective counsel and lineage-interest
• Asura–Deva political-religious tension
• Dharma as ‘benefit’ (śreyas/hita)
• Kingship/leadership decision-making

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is meant by the epithet suramardana in this context?

It is a conventional epithet for a powerful Dānava/Asura who has subdued the Devas in battle—most naturally fitting Bali or a prominent ancestor in his line within the Vāmana narrative cycle.

Why do the elders link ‘your benefit’ (te śreyas) with ‘our welfare’ (asmākaṃ hita)?

Purāṇic polity treats the ruler’s dharmic choice as inseparable from the lineage’s stability and prosperity. The counsel is framed as both personal śreyas and collective hita.

Is the verse endorsing self-interest?

It endorses welfare (hita) under the umbrella of śreyas—i.e., advantage aligned with dharma and long-term auspiciousness, not mere opportunism.