Vamana Purana — Vishnu Slays Kalanemi, Shloka 29

Vishnu Enters the Deva–Asura War and Slays Kalanemi

Devanagari script

तदासीत् तुमुलं युद्धं न प्राज्ञायत किञ्चन श्रूयते त्वनिशं शब्दः छिन्धि भिन्धीति सर्वतः

Transliteration

tadāsīt tumulaṃ yuddhaṃ na prājñāyata kiñcana śrūyate tvaniśaṃ śabdaḥ chindhi bhindhīti sarvataḥ

Translation

तदा तुमुलं युद्धमासीद् न किञ्चित् प्राज्ञायत; सर्वतः त्वनिशं शब्दः श्रूयते—‘छिन्धि, भिन्धि’ इति।

Speakers

• Narrator continuing the description to the sage-listener

Primary Deities

• Shiva

Key Themes

• Tumult and sensory overload in war
• Loss of discernment (visibility/clarity) amid conflict
• Imperative battle-cries as oral texture

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What does “na prājñāyata kiñcana” imply in a battle narrative?

It indicates total breakdown of perceptual order—dust, motion, and noise make it impossible to distinguish fighters, formations, or outcomes. This is a standard Purāṇic technique to heighten intensity before a decisive turn.

Why are the imperatives “chindhi, bhindhi” important for interpretation?

They preserve the battlefield’s oral soundscape. Rather than reporting strategy, the text foregrounds raw commands, conveying immediacy and the collective frenzy of combat.

Is there any hidden geographical reference in this verse?

No. Unlike tīrtha-focused passages, this śloka is purely phenomenological (sound and confusion). For geographic indexing, it should be marked as ‘no named sacred geography present.’