Vamana Purana — Shiva's Kedara Tirtha, Shloka 48

Shiva’s Kedara-Tirtha and the Rise of Mura: From Shaiva Pilgrimage to Vaishnava Theology

Devanagari script

स बली शासनं तुभ्यं न करोति महासुर तस्मिञ्जिते हि विजितं सर्वं मन्यस्व भूतलम्

Transliteration

sa balī śāsanaṃ tubhyaṃ na karoti mahāsura tasmiñjite hi vijitaṃ sarvaṃ manyasva bhūtalam

Translation

«Тот великий асура Бали не подчиняется твоему повелению. Когда он будет побеждён, считай, что вся земля уже покорена».

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• बली: Bali
• बली: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम (Bali)

• शासनम्: command / order
• शासनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• करोति: does / obeys
• करोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महासुर: O great Asura
• महासुर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: in/when that (one)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जिते: (when) conquered
• जिते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जि (धातु) → जित (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी: ‘when (he) is conquered’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/हेतु-निपात (indeed/for)

• विजितम्: conquered
• विजितम्: Vidhaya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-जि (धातु) → विजित (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मन्यस्व: consider / think
• मन्यस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भूतलम्: the earth’s surface / earth
• भूतलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भूतेः/भूमेः तलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speakers

• Vasiṣṭha (implied from next verse) addressing a ruler/leader (contextually an ally of the Devas; exact addressee not explicit in the given verse)

Key Themes

• Royal sovereignty and submission to authority
• Conquest as a metonym for world-rule
• Daitya–Deva political theology

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the verse equate defeating Bali with conquering the whole earth?

Bali is portrayed as the pivotal sovereign among the Asuras; his dominance functions as the keystone of terrestrial power. In epic-Puranic political idiom, the fall of the paramount king implies the collapse of the wider confederation and thus ‘the earth’ is treated as effectively subdued.

Is this a literal claim of universal conquest or a rhetorical device?

Primarily rhetorical and political: ‘earth’ (bhūtala) stands for the network of kingship, tribute, and authority. The verse frames Bali as the central obstacle to restoring cosmic and social order.