Vamana Purana — Vamana's Birth, Shloka 29

Vamana’s Birth during Bali’s Horse-Sacrifice and the Mapping of Vishnu’s Sacred Presences

Devanagari script

श्वेताम्बरधरो दैत्यः श्वेतमाल्यानुलेपनः मृगाजिनावृतः पृष्ठे बर्हिपत्रविचित्रितः

Transliteration

śvetāmbaradharo daityaḥ śvetamālyānulepanaḥ mṛgājināvṛtaḥ pṛṣṭhe barhipatravicitritaḥ

Translation

அந்த தைத்யன் (பலி) வெண்வஸ்திரம் அணிந்து, வெண்மாலையும் சந்தனலேபனமும் பூண்டு; முதுகில் மான் தோலைத் தரித்து, மயிலிறகுகளால் வண்ணமயமாக அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தான்।

Speakers

• Narrator describing Bali’s dīkṣā-appearance within the sacrificial setting.

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (implicit, as Vāmana narrative context)

Key Themes

• Ritual purity and symbolism (white garments, consecration)
• Dīkṣā marks of a yajamāna (sacrificial patron)
• Asura kingship aligned with Vedic ritual forms

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Bali described in ascetic/ritual attire (deer-skin, peacock-feathers) despite being a king?

During dīkṣā, the yajamāna adopts regulated marks of consecration that resemble ascetic restraint—signaling temporary withdrawal from ordinary royal luxury and submission to ritual discipline.

What is the significance of white garments and white adornments?

White commonly signifies śauca (purity) and sattva-like restraint in ritual contexts. The description underscores that Bali is ritually qualified and observant of prescribed norms.

What does “barhipatra” imply here?

Barhi refers to sacred grass and, in many contexts, to peacock-feather/leaf-like ritual adornment. Here it indicates decorative peacock-feathers used as part of the consecration regalia, emphasizing the formal, Vedic-styled sacrificial setting.