Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 1), Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

सोपविष्टो महेन्द्रस्य सर्वरत्नमये शुभे सिंहहासने दैत्यपतिः शुशुभे मघवानिव

Transliteration

sopaviṣṭo mahendrasya sarvaratnamaye śubhe siṃhahāsane daityapatiḥ śuśubhe maghavāniva

Translation

Seated there upon the auspicious lion-throne of Mahendra, fashioned of every kind of jewel, the lord of the Daityas shone forth—like Maghavan (Indra) himself.

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic narrator) describing Bali; immediate audience not specified in the verse.

Primary Deities

• Indra (Maghavan)

Key Themes

• Royal splendor and legitimacy
• Indra-like sovereignty contrasted with Asura rule
• Courtly imagery (sabha-varnana)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Bali compared to Maghavan (Indra) in a Vaiṣṇava narrative?

The comparison highlights Bali’s effective sovereignty over the three worlds at this point in the story. It also sets up the theological tension: an Asura can possess Indra-like majesty, yet cosmic order (dharma) ultimately requires Viṣṇu’s intervention.

What does the ‘lion-throne’ signify in Purāṇic court descriptions?

Siṃhāsana is a conventional marker of imperial authority, valor, and rightful command. In narrative terms it visually legitimizes the ruler’s status, even when the ruler is an Asura, thereby intensifying the later reversal brought by Vāmana/Trivikrama.

Does ‘Mahendra’ here mean a place (mountain) or Indra?

In this verse it functions as Indra’s epithet (Mahendra) and as a royal benchmark. No geographic Mahendra (mountain) is indicated by the syntax; it is ‘Mahendra’s throne’ as a symbol of Indra-like kingship.