Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12
Virocana–Bali, Aditi’s Tapas, and the Vāmana–Trivikrama Episode
स तस्य पुत्रो मतिमान् बलिर्नाम महासुरः / ब्रह्मण्यो धार्मिको ऽत्यर्थं विजिग्ये ऽथ पुरन्दरम्
sa tasya putro matimān balirnāma mahāsuraḥ / brahmaṇyo dhārmiko 'tyarthaṃ vijigye 'tha purandaram
اس کا بیٹا ‘بلی’ نام کا دانا مہااسور تھا— برہمنوں کا بھکت اور نہایت دھارمک؛ پھر اس نے پورندر (اندَر) کو مغلوب کر لیا۔
Suta (traditional Purana narrator) recounting the Purva-bhaga narrative to the sages
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse is primarily historical and ethical: it highlights dharma (righteous conduct) and reverence for the Vedic order (brahmaṇya) even in an Asura king; it does not directly teach ātman-doctrine, but it frames power as subordinate to dharma—an important Purāṇic precondition for higher spiritual instruction elsewhere (e.g., the Ishvara Gītā).
No explicit yoga practice is taught in this line; the implied discipline is dhārmika living—support of Brāhmaṇas and adherence to righteous conduct—which the Kurma Purana often treats as a foundation for later spiritual paths such as Pāśupata-oriented devotion and inner restraint.
This verse does not directly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; indirectly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis by stressing dharma and brahmaṇya as universal virtues that undergird devotion across sectarian lines, preparing the narrative ground for later Shaiva–Vaishnava harmonization.