Vamana Purana — Vishnu Slays Kalanemi, Shloka 39
Vishnu Enters the Deva–Asura War and Slays Kalanemi
तं दृष्ट्वा वर्द्धमानं रिपमतिबलिनं देवगन्धर्वमुख्याः सिद्धाःसाध्याश्विमुख्या भयतरलदृशः प्राद्रवन् दिक्षु सर्वे पोप्लूयन्तश्च दैत्या हरिममरगणैरर्चितं चारुमौलिं नानाशस्त्रास्त्रपातैर्विगलितयशसंचक्रुरुत्सिक्तदर्पाः
taṃ dṛṣṭvā varddhamānaṃ ripamatibalinaṃ devagandharvamukhyāḥ siddhāḥsādhyāśvimukhyā bhayataraladṛśaḥ prādravan dikṣu sarve poplūyantaśca daityā harimamaragaṇairarcitaṃ cārumauliṃ nānāśastrāstrapātairvigalitayaśasaṃcakrurutsiktadarpāḥ
{"location": "BaVamana Purana,47,40,VamP 47.40,tānitthaṃprekṣya daityān mayabalipuragān kālanemipradhānān bāṇairākṛṣya śārṅga tvanavaratamurobhedibirvajrakalpaiḥ kopādāraktadṛṣṭiḥ sarathagajahayān dṛṣṭinirdhūtavīryān nārācakhyaiḥ supuṅkhairjalad iva girīn chādayāmāsa viṣṇuḥ,तानित्थंप्रेक्ष्य दैत्यान् मयबलिपुरगान् कालनेमिप्रधानान् बाणैराकृष्य शार्ङ्ग त्वनवरतमुरोभेदिबिर्वज्रकल्पैः कोपादारक्तदृष्टिः सरथगजहयान् दृष्टिनिर्धूतवीर्यान् नाराचख्यैः सुपुङ्खैर्जलद् इव गिरीन् छादयामास विष्णुः,Vamana-Bali Narrative,Yuddha (Divine Battle Narrative),Adhyaya 47 — Viṣṇu’s counterattack with Śārṅga; rout of Bali’s allies,40,tānitthaṃprekṣya daityān mayabalipuragān kālanemipradhānān bāṇairākṛṣya śārṅga tvanavaratamurobhedibirvajrakalpaiḥ kopādāraktadṛṣṭiḥ sarathagajahayān dṛṣṭinirdhūtavīryān nārācakhyaiḥ supuṅkhairjalad iva girīn chādayāmāsa viṣṇuḥ,tān itthaṃ prekṣya daityān maya-bali-pura-gān kālanemi-pradhānān | bāṇair ākṛṣya śārṅgaṃ tv anavaratam uro-bhedibhir vajra-kalpaiḥ || kopād ārakta-dṛṣṭiḥ sa-ratha-gaja-hayān dṛṣṭi-nirdhūta-vīryān | nārāca-khyaiḥ su-puṅkhair jalada iva girīn chādayām āsa viṣṇuḥ ||,Seeing those Daityas thus—those who had come from the cities of Maya and Bali
{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "raudra", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
The verse emphasizes the overwhelming, swelling momentum of the opposing force (“varddhamānaṃ ripum ati-balinaṃ”). Even when Viṣṇu is the ultimate protector, Purāṇic battle-narratives often depict initial panic among celestial hosts to heighten dramatic tension and to foreground Viṣṇu’s decisive intervention.
Hari’s ‘beautiful crown’ being worshipped by the immortals signals his sovereign status: even in warfare he remains the object of reverence. The image also contrasts devotional honor (arcana) with the Daityas’ weapon-shower, framing the conflict as dharma versus arrogant force.
It indicates an attempt to diminish Viṣṇu’s manifest splendor and reputation through sheer martial display. In Purāṇic idiom, such attempts are ultimately futile, and the phrase foreshadows the Daityas’ impending humiliation when divine power is revealed.