Vamana Purana — Prahlada's Instructions to Bali, Shloka 35

Prahlada’s Instructions to Bali on Vishnu Worship, Monthly Gifts, and Building Hari’s Temple

Devanagari script

दासीदासमलङ्कारमन्नं षड्रससंयुतम् पुरुषोत्तमस्य तुष्ट्यर्थं प्रदेयं सार्वकालिकम्

Transliteration

dāsīdāsamalaṅkāramannaṃ ṣaḍrasasaṃyutam puruṣottamasya tuṣṭyarthaṃ pradeyaṃ sārvakālikam

Translation

لونڈی غلام، زیورات اور چھ ذائقوں والا کھانا—یہ سب پُروشوتم کی خوشنودی کے لیے ہر زمانے میں دینا چاہیے۔

Speakers

• Likely the narrator/ṛṣi-teacher addressing an inquirer (culminating rule: certain gifts are ‘always’ appropriate).

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Puruṣottama)

Key Themes

• Dāna (Charity)
• Sārvakālika-dāna (perpetually valid gifts)
• Hospitality/feeding (anna-dāna)
• Ritual completeness via ṣaḍ-rasa

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What are the ‘six tastes’ (ṣaḍ-rasa) and why are they mentioned?

Ṣaḍ-rasa refers to sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Mentioning them signals a complete, nourishing meal—an ideal of hospitality and fullness—making anna-dāna ritually and ethically ‘whole’.

How should ‘giving servants (dāsa/dāsī)’ be understood today?

Historically, such prescriptions reflect older socio-economic realities of household service and dependency. In contemporary ethical practice, it is best interpreted as supporting livelihoods—e.g., funding wages, sponsoring employment, or providing long-term maintenance—rather than transferring persons as property.

Why is this dāna called ‘sārvakālika’ (always valid) unlike the month-specific gifts?

The text distinguishes between month-linked observances and universally meritorious acts. Feeding (anna), supporting dependents/attendants, and offering basic prosperity-items (ornaments/resources) are presented as perpetually pleasing to Puruṣottama, independent of calendrical timing.