Vamana Purana — Bali's Sudarshana Worship, Shloka 46

Bali’s Worship of Sudarshana and Prahlada’s Teaching on Vishnu-Bhakti

Devanagari script

सर्वावासं वासुदेवं सूक्ष्ममव्यक्तविग्रहम् प्रविशन्ति महात्मानं तद्भक्ता नान्यचेतसः

Transliteration

sarvāvāsaṃ vāsudevaṃ sūkṣmamavyaktavigraham praviśanti mahātmānaṃ tadbhaktā nānyacetasaḥ

Translation

सर्वावासं वासुदेवं सूक्ष्मम् अव्यक्तविग्रहम् महात्मानं तद्भक्ताः नान्यचेतसः प्रविशन्ति।

Speakers

• Unspecified speaker continuing instruction to a Daitya (likely Bali or a Daitya interlocutor)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Vāsudeva)

Key Themes

• Single-minded devotion (ananya-bhakti)
• Entering/attaining Vāsudeva (sāyujya/parama-gati)
• Transcendence of the Lord’s form (avyakta) alongside immanence (sarvāvāsa)
• Liberation through devotion

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does ‘entering Vāsudeva’ mean in Purāṇic theology?

It denotes the culminating attainment of devotees—variously expressed as reaching the Lord’s supreme abode or a form of union/participation (often termed sāyujya in later taxonomy). The emphasis is on final proximity/identity of state with the Lord rather than a temporary heavenly reward.

How can Vāsudeva be both ‘sarvāvāsa’ (abode of all) and ‘avyakta’ (unmanifest)?

The verse holds together immanence and transcendence: the Lord pervades and supports all beings (sarvāvāsa) while his ultimate nature is subtle and beyond sensory manifestation (sūkṣma, avyakta-vigraha).

Why stress ‘nānyacetasaḥ’ (no other-mindedness)?

It marks ananya-bhakti—exclusive, undistracted devotion—as the qualifying disposition for the highest attainment described here.