Vamana Purana — Portents at Bali's Sacrifice, Shloka 22
Portents at Bali’s Sacrifice and the Kośakāra’s Son: The Power of Past Karma
मुद्गलस्य मुनेः पुत्रो ज्ञानविज्ञानपारगः कोशकार इति ख्यात आसीद् ब्रह्मंस्तपोरतः
mudgalasya muneḥ putro jñānavijñānapāragaḥ kośakāra iti khyāta āsīd brahmaṃstaporataḥ
[{"question": "What is the significance of ‘when the water fell upon the hand’?", "answer": "It marks the completion of the dāna rite (udaka-dāna). The narrative emphasizes that only after the gift becomes ritually irrevocable does Viṣṇu reveal the cosmic form—underscoring dharma’s binding power and Bali’s consent."}, {"question": "How should ‘jaganmayam’ be understood here?", "answer": "It indicates a cosmic body: the deity’s form is described as pervading or constituted by the universe. This aligns with Purāṇic theophany language where the divine form contains worlds, directions, and beings, preparing for the ‘three strides’ across the cosmos."}, {"question": "Does this verse specify the three worlds geographically?", "answer": "It uses the cosmological term ‘trailokya’ (three worlds) rather than naming earthly rivers, tīrthas, or regions. No specific sacred geography is mentioned in this śloka."}]
{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
In Purāṇic idiom, jñāna often denotes doctrinal or essential knowledge, while vijñāna emphasizes realized discernment—knowledge that has become lived insight. Calling him jñāna-vijñāna-pāraga marks him as both learned and spiritually accomplished, setting a high contrast for what follows in the narrative.
Literally ‘maker of a kośa’ (sheath/case/covering). In Purāṇic naming, such epithets can preserve a remembered craft, a symbolic trait (one who ‘fashions coverings’), or a narrative marker. Here it functions primarily as a recognized name while also hinting at themes of ‘sheath’ and ‘inner knowledge’ that Purāṇas sometimes exploit.
No. This line is purely genealogical/character-introductory; the geography-centered material appears elsewhere in the text, but not in the provided śloka.