Vamana Purana — Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2), Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

समाश्रयामि शौर्यढ्यं न च क्लीबं कथञ्चन न चास्ति भवतस्तुल्यो त्रैलोक्ये ऽपि बलाधिकः

Transliteration

samāśrayāmi śauryaḍhyaṃ na ca klībaṃ kathañcana na cāsti bhavatastulyo trailokye 'pi balādhikaḥ

Translation

میں تمہاری شجاعت سے بھرپور بہادری کی پناہ لیتا ہوں؛ تم میں کسی طرح کی بزدلی نہیں۔ تینوں لوکوں میں بھی تمہارے برابر کوئی نہیں، اور قوت میں تم سے بڑھ کر کوئی بھی نہیں۔

Speakers

• Unspecified in input; a speaker addresses a Dānava/Daitya hero (likely Bali or a leading Asura) in praise.

Primary Deities

• Indra (implied by the following verse’s reference to Devarāja)

Key Themes

• Asura valor and kingship
• Hyperbolic praise (atiśayokti)
• Power hierarchy across the three worlds

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does the speaker say “I take refuge in your valor” (samāśrayāmi śauryaḍhyam)?

In Purāṇic courtly diction, “taking refuge” can function as a rhetorical pledge of allegiance: the speaker declares reliance on the hero’s martial capacity and protection, not necessarily a theological śaraṇāgati.

What is the significance of “three worlds” (trailokya) in such praise?

Trailokya is a conventional cosmic totality. Claiming no one in the three worlds exceeds the addressee’s strength is a standard Purāṇic superlative used to mark a turning point in the Deva–Asura power balance.

Does this verse indicate a devotional stance toward an Asura?

It indicates political/martial admiration rather than bhakti. Purāṇas often portray Asuras as possessing real virtues (valor, generosity, discipline) even when opposed to Devas, to complicate moral and cosmic narratives.