Vamana Purana — Bali's Sudarshana Worship, Shloka 2

Bali’s Worship of Sudarshana and Prahlada’s Teaching on Vishnu-Bhakti

Devanagari script

तत्र मध्ये सुविस्तीर्मः प्रासादो वज्रवेदिकः मुक्ताजालान्तरद्वारो निर्मितो विश्वकर्मणा

Transliteration

tatra madhye suvistīrmaḥ prāsādo vajravedikaḥ muktājālāntaradvāro nirmito viśvakarmaṇā

Translation

In the midst of that realm stood a very spacious palace with a diamond-like (adamantine) altar-platform; its doorway was set within latticed pearl-work. It had been constructed by Viśvakarman.

Speakers

• Narratorial voice within the Vamana–Bali episode (traditional frame: Pulastya instructing Nārada in many recensions)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu
• Viśvakarman

Key Themes

• Subterranean cosmography (Pātāla-lokas)
• Royal splendor as a result of divine boon
• Divine craftsmanship (Viśvakarman)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why is Viśvakarman named as the builder here?

Purāṇic narrative convention attributes superhuman palaces, aerial cities, and divine residences to Viśvakarman to signal that the structure is not merely royal but cosmically sanctioned—befitting Bali’s post-Trivikrama status in Sutala.

What does “vajra-vedikā” convey beyond luxury?

Vajra denotes indestructibility and celestial substance. A “vajra-vedikā” implies a platform that is both ritually significant (vedikā as a raised base/altar) and materially unassailable—matching Sutala’s portrayal as secure and enduring.

Is this verse part of tīrtha geography?

Indirectly. While the Vāmana Purāṇa is strongly geographic, this passage belongs to cosmographic geography—mapping the lokas (here, Sutala) rather than terrestrial rivers and pilgrimage sites.