Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 27

Kali’s Complaint to Brahma and the Arrival of Śrī (Jayaśrī) in Bali’s Reign

Devanagari script

स्तुवन्ति ब्रह्मणा सार्धं मखे मन्त्रादिभिः सदा क्षत्रिया रक्तवर्णां तां जयश्रीमिति शंसिरे

Transliteration

stuvanti brahmaṇā sārdhaṃ makhe mantrādibhiḥ sadā kṣatriyā raktavarṇāṃ tāṃ jayaśrīmiti śaṃsire

Translation

ในพิธีมคะยัญ ร่วมกับพราหมณ์ทั้งหลาย พวกเขาสรรเสริญนางอยู่เสมอด้วยมนตร์และสิ่งประกอบพิธีต่าง ๆ เหล่ากษัตริย์เห็นนางมีผิวแดงเรื่อ จึงประกาศนามว่า “ชยศรี” คือศรีแห่งชัยชนะ.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Saromahatmya section (describing varna-wise modes of praising the Goddess)

Primary Deities

• Lakshmi (Śrī/Jayaśrī)

Key Themes

• Stuti (praise)
• Yajña (sacrificial setting)
• Varna typology in devotion
• Śrī as victory and royal fortune

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is “Jayaśrī” here—Lakṣmī or a separate goddess?

“Jayaśrī” functions as an epithet of Śrī/Lakṣmī—Śrī as the power of victory, royal success, and auspicious sovereignty. The next verses explicitly use “Lakṣmīm” as the praised deity, confirming identity rather than a separate figure.

Why is the Goddess described with a red complexion for Kṣatriyas?

The verse presents a symbolic, varna-associated visualization: red aligns with rajas (energy, passion, rulership) and with martial/royal victory. It is a theological typology rather than a literal claim of multiple bodies.

What does “makhe mantrādibhiḥ” imply about the setting?

It situates the praise within formal ritual performance—mantras and allied ritual elements (e.g., stotras, offerings, invocations). The emphasis is that Śrī is invoked as integral to sacrificial success and worldly prosperity.