Shloka 45

Prahlada's Instructions to Bali — Prahlada’s Instructions to Bali on Vishnu Worship, Monthly Gifts, and Building Hari’s Temple

Devanagari script

विभूतिभिः केशवस्य केशवाराधने रतः नानाधातुविकारैश्च पञ्चवर्णैश्च चित्रकैः

Transliteration

vibhūtibhiḥ keśavasya keśavārādhane rataḥ nānādhātuvikāraiśca pañcavarṇaiśca citrakaiḥ

Translation

केशवाराधने रतः स विभूतिभिः केशवं समर्चयामास; नानाधातुविकारैः पञ्चवर्णैश्च चित्रकैः पूजयामास।

Speakers

• Narrator (Purāṇic voice) describing Bali’s acts of worship (no direct speech indicated in the verse)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Keśava)

Key Themes

• Bhakti (devotional worship)
• Pūjā-upacāra (ritual offerings and decoration)
• Temple culture and material offerings
• Aesthetic devotion (use of colors/pigments)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What are the “vibhūtis” offered to Keśava here—are they Śaiva ashes or general sacred powders?

In Purāṇic usage, vibhūti can denote holy ash, but also broadly any sanctified substance used in worship (including powders/pigments). Since the verse pairs vibhūti with mineral preparations and multicolored designs, the emphasis is on consecrated materials used for ornamentation and ritual honor rather than a sectarian marker.

What is meant by “nānādhātu-vikāra”—why mention minerals in a worship description?

Dhātu-vikāra points to processed mineral products—pigments, metallic powders, or colored earths—used for temple decoration, icon adornment, and ritual designs. The verse highlights the material culture of pūjā: devotion expressed through carefully prepared, visually rich offerings.

Does “pañcavarṇa” have a ritual significance beyond aesthetics?

Yes. Multicolored (often fivefold) ornamentation can signal completeness and auspiciousness in ritual settings. Here it underscores that the worship is not minimal but elaborately performed with full ceremonial embellishment.