This chapter describes how Lord Vāmanadeva appeared and how He went to the sacrificial arena of Mahārāja Bali, who received Him well and fulfilled His desire by offering Him benedictions.
Lord Vāmanadeva appeared in this world from the womb of Aditi completely equipped with conchshell, disc, club and lotus. His bodily hue was blackish, and He was dressed in yellow garments. Lord
Viṣṇu appeared at an auspicious moment on Śravaṇa-
dvādaśī when the
Abhijit star had arisen. At that time, in all the three worlds (including the higher planetary system, outer space and this earth), all the demigods, the cows, the
brāhmaṇas and even the seasons were happy because of God’s appearance. Therefore this auspicious day is called
Vijayā. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has a
sac-cid-ānanda body, appeared as the son of
Kaśyapa and Aditi, both of His parents were very astonished. After His appearance, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf (
Vāmana). All the great sages expressed their jubilation, and with
Kaśyapa Muni before them they performed the birthday ceremony of Lord
Vāmana.
At the time of Lord Vāmanadeva’s sacred thread ceremony, He was honored by the sun-god,
Bṛhaspati, the goddess presiding over the planet earth, the deity of the heavenly planets, His mother, Lord
Brahmā,
Kuvera, the seven
ṛṣis and others. Lord Vāmanadeva then visited the sacrificial arena on the northern side of the
Narmadā River, at the field known as
Bhṛgukaccha, where
brāhmaṇas of the
Bhṛgu dynasty were performing
yajñas. Wearing a belt made of
muñja straw, an upper garment of deerskin and a sacred thread and carrying in His hands a
daṇḍa, an umbrella and a waterpot (
kamaṇḍalu), Lord Vāmanadeva appeared in the sacrificial arena of
Mahārāja Bali. Because of His transcendentally effulgent presence, all the priests were diminished in their prowess, and thus they all stood from their seats and offered prayers to Lord Vāmanadeva. Even Lord Śiva accepts on his head the Ganges water generated from the toe of Lord Vāmanadeva. Therefore, after washing the Lord’s feet,
Bali Mahārāja immediately accepted the water from the Lord’s feet on his head and felt that he and his predecessors had certainly been glorified. Then
Bali Mahārāja inquired of Lord Vāmanadeva’s welfare and requested the Lord to ask him for money, jewels or anything He might desire.
TEXT 1
śrī-śuka uvāca
itthaṁ viriñca-stuta-karma-vīryaḥ
prādurbabhūvāmṛta-bhūr adityām
catur-bhujaḥ śaṅkha-gadābja-cakraḥ
piśaṅga-vāsā nalināyatekṣaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After Lord
Brahmā had thus spoken, glorifying the Supreme Lord’s activities and prowess, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never subject to death like an ordinary living being, appeared from the womb of Aditi. His four hands were decorated with a conchshell, club, lotus and disc, He was dressed in yellow garments, and His eyes appeared like the petals of a blooming lotus.
PURPORT
The word
amṛta–bhūḥ is significant in this verse. The Lord sometimes appears like an ordinary child taking birth, but this does not mean that He is subject to birth, death or old age. One must be very intelligent to understand the appearance and activities of the Supreme Lord in His incarnations. This is confirmed in
Bhagavad-gītā (
4.9):
janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ. One should try to understand that the Lord’s appearance and disappearance and His activities are all
divyam, or transcendental. The Lord has nothing to do with material activities. One who understands the appearance, disappearance and activities of the Lord is immediately liberated. After giving up his body, he never again has to accept a material body, but is transferred to the spiritual world (
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna [Bg. 4.9]).
TEXT 2
śyāmāvadāto jhaṣa-rāja-kuṇḍala-
tviṣollasac-chrī-vadanāmbujaḥ pumān
śrīvatsa-vakṣā balayāṅgadollasat-
kirīṭa-kāñcī-guṇa-cāru-nūpuraḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, blackish in complexion, was free from all inebrieties. His lotus face, decorated with earrings resembling sharks, appeared very beautiful, and on His bosom was the mark of Śrīvatsa. He wore bangles on His wrists, armlets on His arms, a helmet on His head, a belt on His waist, a sacred thread across His chest, and ankle bells decorating His lotus feet.
TEXT 3
madhu-vrata-vrāta-vighuṣṭayā svayā
virājitaḥ śrī-vanamālayā hariḥ
prajāpater veśma-tamaḥ svarociṣā
vināśayan kaṇṭha-niviṣṭa-kaustubhaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
An uncommonly beautiful garland of flowers decorated His bosom, and because the flowers were extremely fragrant, a large group of bees, making their natural humming sounds, invaded them for honey. When the Lord appeared, wearing the
Kaustubha gem on His neck, His effulgence vanquished the darkness in the home of the
Prajāpati Kaśyapa.
TEXT 4
diśaḥ praseduḥ salilāśayās tadā
prajāḥ prahṛṣṭā ṛtavo guṇānvitāḥ
dyaur antarīkṣaṁ kṣitir agni-jihvā
gāvo dvijāḥ sañjahṛṣur nagāś ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
At that time, there was happiness in all directions, in the reservoirs of water like the rivers and oceans, and in the
core of everyone’s heart. The various seasons displayed their respective qualities, and all living entities in the upper planetary system, in outer space and on the surface of the earth were jubilant. The demigods, the cows, the brāhmaṇas and the hills and mountains were all filled with joy.
TEXT 5
śroṇāyāṁ śravaṇa-dvādaśyāṁ
muhūrte ’bhijiti prabhuḥ
sarve nakṣatra-tārādyāś
cakrus taj-janma dakṣiṇam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On the day of Śravaṇa-
dvādaśī [the twelfth day of the bright fortnight in the month of
Bhādra], when the moon came into the lunar mansion Śravaṇa, at the auspicious moment of
Abhijit, the Lord appeared in this universe. Considering the Lord’s appearance very auspicious, all the stars and planets, from the sun to Saturn, were munificently charitable.
PURPORT
Śrīla Viśvanātha
Cakravartī Ṭhākura, an expert astrologer, explains the word
nakṣatra-tārādyāḥ. The word
nakṣatra means “the stars,” the word
tāra in this context refers to the planets, and
ādyāḥ means “the first one specifically mentioned.” Among the planets, the first is
Sūrya, the sun, not the moon. Therefore, according to the Vedic version, the modern astronomer’s proposition that the moon is nearest to the earth should not be accepted. The chronological order in which people all over the world refer to the days of the week—Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday—corresponds to the Vedic order of the planets and thus circumstantiates the Vedic version. Apart from this, when the Lord appeared the planets and stars became situated very auspiciously, according to astrological calculations, to celebrate the birth of the Lord.
TEXT 6
dvādaśyāṁ savitātiṣṭhan
madhyandina-gato nṛpa
vijayā-nāma sā proktā
yasyāṁ janma vidur hareḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O King, when the Lord appeared—on
dvādaśī, the twelfth day of the moon—the sun was at the meridian, as every learned scholar knows. This
dvādaśī is called
Vijayā.
TEXT 7
śaṅkha-dundubhayo nedur
mṛdaṅga-paṇavānakāḥ
citra-vāditra-tūryāṇāṁ
nirghoṣas tumulo ’bhavat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Conchshells, kettledrums, drums, paṇavas and ānakas vibrated in concert. The sound of these and various other instruments was tumultuous.
TEXT 8
prītāś cāpsaraso ’nṛtyan
gandharva-pravarā jaguḥ
tuṣṭuvur munayo devā
manavaḥ pitaro ’gnayaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Being very pleased, the celestial dancing girls [Apsarās] danced in jubilation, the best of the Gandharvas sang songs, and the great sages, demigods, Manus, Pitās and fire-gods offered prayers to satisfy the Lord.
TEXTS 9–10
siddha-vidyādhara-gaṇāḥ
sakimpuruṣa-kinnarāḥ
cāraṇā yakṣa-rakṣāṁsi
suparṇā bhujagottamāḥ
nṛtyanto vibudhānugāḥ
adityā āśrama-padaṁ
kusumaiḥ samavākiran
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The Siddhas, Vidyādharas, Kimpuruṣas, Kinnaras, Cāraṇas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, Suparṇas, the best of serpents, and the followers of the demigods all showered flowers on Aditi’s residence, covering the entire house, while glorifying and praising the Lord and dancing.
TEXT 11
dṛṣṭvāditis taṁ nija-garbha-sambhavaṁ
paraṁ pumāṁsaṁ mudam āpa vismitā
gṛhīta-dehaṁ nija-yoga-māyayā
prajāpatiś cāha jayeti vismitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When Aditi saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had appeared from her own womb, having accepted a transcendental body by His own spiritual potency, she was struck with wonder and was very happy. Upon seeing the child,
Prajāpati Kaśyapa exclaimed, “Jaya!
Jaya!” in great happiness and wonder.
TEXT 12
yat tad vapur bhāti vibhūṣaṇāyudhair
avyakta-cid-vyaktam adhārayad dhariḥ
babhūva tenaiva sa vāmano vaṭuḥ
sampaśyator divya-gatir yathā naṭaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The Lord appeared in His original form, with ornaments and weapons in His hands. Although this ever-existing form is not visible in the material world, He nonetheless appeared in this form. Then, in the presence of His father and mother, He assumed the form of
Vāmana, a
brāhmaṇa-dwarf, a
brahmacārī, just like a theatrical actor.
PURPORT
The word
naṭaḥ is significant. An actor changes dress to play different parts, but is always the same man. Similarly, as described in the
Brahma–saṁhitā (5.33, 39), the Lord assumes many thousands and millions of forms (
advaitam acyutam anādim ananta–rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa–puruṣam). He is always present with innumerable incarnations (
rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā–niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu [Bs. 5.39]). Nonetheless, although He appears in various incarnations, they are not different from one another. He is the same person, with the same potency, the same eternity and the same spiritual existence, but He can simultaneously assume various forms. When Vāmanadeva appeared from the womb of His mother, He appeared in the form of
Nārāyaṇa, with four hands equipped with the necessary symbolic weapons, and then immediately transformed Himself into a
brahmacārī (
vaṭu). This means that His body is not material. One who thinks that the Supreme Lord assumes a material body is not intelligent. He has to learn more about the Lord’s position. As confirmed in
Bhagavad-gītā (
4.9),
janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ. One has to understand the transcendental appearance of the Lord in His original transcendental body (
sac-cid-ānanda–vigraha [Bs. 5.1]).
TEXT 13
taṁ vaṭuṁ vāmanaṁ dṛṣṭvā
modamānā maharṣayaḥ
karmāṇi kārayām āsuḥ
puraskṛtya prajāpatim
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When the great sages saw the Lord as the
brahmacārī-dwarf
Vāmana, they were certainly very pleased. Thus they placed before them
Kaśyapa Muni, the
Prajāpati, and performed all the ritualistic ceremonies, such as the birthday ceremony.
PURPORT
According to Vedic civilization, when a child is born in the family of a
brāhmaṇa, the birthday ceremony, known as
jāta–karma, is first performed, and then other ceremonies are also gradually performed. But when this
vāmana–rūpa appeared in the form of a
vaṭu, or
brahmacārī, His sacred thread ceremony was also performed immediately.
TEXT 14
tasyopanīyamānasya
sāvitrīṁ savitābravīt
bṛhaspatir brahma-sūtraṁ
mekhalāṁ kaśyapo ’dadāt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
TEXT 15
dadau kṛṣṇājinaṁ bhūmir
daṇḍaṁ somo vanaspatiḥ
kaupīnācchādanaṁ mātā
dyauś chatraṁ jagataḥ pateḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Mother earth gave Him a deerskin, and the demigod of the moon, who is the king of the forest, gave Him a
brahma–
daṇḍa [the rod of a
brahmacārī]. His mother, Aditi, gave Him cloth for underwear, and the deity presiding over the heavenly kingdom offered Him an umbrella.
TEXT 16
kamaṇḍaluṁ veda-garbhaḥ
kuśān saptarṣayo daduḥ
akṣa-mālāṁ mahārāja
sarasvaty avyayātmanaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O King, Lord
Brahmā offered a waterpot to the inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead, the seven sages offered Him
kuśa grass, and mother
Sarasvatī gave Him a string of Rudrākṣa beads.
TEXT 17
tasmā ity upanītāya
yakṣa-rāṭ pātrikām adāt
bhikṣāṁ bhagavatī sākṣād
umādād ambikā satī
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When Vāmanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread,
Kuvera, King of the Yakṣas, gave Him a pot for begging alms, and mother
Bhagavatī, the wife of Lord Śiva and most chaste mother of the entire universe, gave Him His first alms.
TEXT 18
sa brahma-varcasenaivaṁ
sabhāṁ sambhāvito vaṭuḥ
brahmarṣi-gaṇa-sañjuṣṭām
atyarocata māriṣaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Having thus been welcomed by everyone, Lord Vāmanadeva, the best of the brahmacārīs, exhibited His
Brahman effulgence. Thus He surpassed in beauty that entire assembly, which was filled with great saintly brāhmaṇas.
TEXT 19
samiddham āhitaṁ vahniṁ
kṛtvā parisamūhanam
paristīrya samabhyarcya
samidbhir ajuhod dvijaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
After Lord Śrī Vāmanadeva set a sacrificial fire, He offered worship and performed a fire sacrifice on the sacrificial field.
TEXT 20
śrutvāśvamedhair yajamānam ūrjitaṁ
baliṁ bhṛgūṇām upakalpitais tataḥ
jagāma tatrākhila-sāra-sambhṛto
bhāreṇa gāṁ sannamayan pade pade
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When the Lord heard that
Bali Mahārāja was performing
aśvamedha sacrifices under the patronage of brāhmaṇas belonging to the
Bhṛgu dynasty, the Supreme Lord, who is full in every respect, proceeded there to show His mercy to
Bali Mahārāja. By His weight, He pushed down the earth with every step.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is
akhila–sāra–sambhṛta. In other words, He is the proprietor of everything essential in this material world. Thus although the Lord was going to
Bali Mahārāja to beg something, He is always complete and has nothing to beg from anyone. Indeed, He is so powerful that in His full opulence He pressed down the surface of the earth at every step.
TEXT 21
taṁ narmadāyās taṭa uttare baler
ya ṛtvijas te bhṛgukaccha-saṁjñake
pravartayanto bhṛgavaḥ kratūttamaṁ
vyacakṣatārād uditaṁ yathā ravim
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
While engaged in performing the sacrifice in the field known as
Bhṛgukaccha, on the northern bank of the
Narmadā River, the brahminical priests, the descendants of
Bhṛgu, saw Vāmanadeva to be like the sun rising nearby.
TEXT 22
te ṛtvijo yajamānaḥ sadasyā
hata-tviṣo vāmana-tejasā nṛpa
sūryaḥ kilāyāty uta vā vibhāvasuḥ
sanat-kumāro ’tha didṛkṣayā kratoḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O King, because of Vāmanadeva’s bright effulgence, the priests, along with
Bali Mahārāja and all the members of the assembly, were robbed of their splendor. Thus they began to ask one another whether the sun-god himself,
Sanat–
kumāra or the fire-god had personally come to see the sacrificial ceremony.
TEXT 23
itthaṁ saśiṣyeṣu bhṛguṣv anekadhā
vitarkyamāṇo bhagavān sa vāmanaḥ
chatraṁ sadaṇḍaṁ sajalaṁ kamaṇḍaluṁ
viveśa bibhrad dhayamedha-vāṭam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
While the priests of the
Bhṛgu dynasty and their disciples talked and argued in various ways, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāmanadeva, holding in His hands the rod, the umbrella and a waterpot full of water, entered the arena of the
aśvamedha sacrifice.
TEXTS 24–25
mauñjyā mekhalayā vītam
upavītājinottaram
jaṭilaṁ vāmanaṁ vipraṁ
māyā-māṇavakaṁ harim
praviṣṭaṁ vīkṣya bhṛgavaḥ
saśiṣyās te sahāgnibhiḥ
pratyagṛhṇan samutthāya
saṅkṣiptās tasya tejasā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Appearing as a
brāhmaṇa boy, wearing a belt of straw, a sacred thread, an upper garment of deerskin, and matted locks of hair, Lord Vāmanadeva entered the arena of sacrifice. His brilliant effulgence diminished the brilliance of all the priests and their disciples, who thus stood from their seats and welcomed the Lord properly by offering obeisances.
TEXT 26
yajamānaḥ pramudito
darśanīyaṁ manoramam
rūpānurūpāvayavaṁ
tasmā āsanam āharat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Bali Mahārāja, jubilant at seeing Lord Vāmanadeva, whose beautiful limbs contributed equally to the beauty of His entire body, offered Him a seat with great satisfaction.
TEXT 27
svāgatenābhinandyātha
pādau bhagavato baliḥ
avanijyārcayām āsa
mukta-saṅga-manoramam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thus offering a proper reception to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always beautiful to the liberated souls,
Bali Mahārāja worshiped Him by washing His lotus feet.
TEXT 28
tat-pāda-śaucaṁ jana-kalmaṣāpahaṁ
sa dharma-vin mūrdhny adadhāt sumaṅgalam
yad deva-devo giriśaś candra-maulir
dadhāra mūrdhnā parayā ca bhaktyā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Lord Śiva, the best of demigods, who carries on his forehead the emblem of the moon, receives on his head with great devotion the Ganges water emanating from the toe of
Viṣṇu. Being aware of religious principles,
Bali Mahārāja knew this. Consequently, following in the footsteps of Lord Śiva, he also placed on his head the water that had washed the Lord’s lotus feet.
PURPORT
Lord Śiva is known as
Gaṅgā–
dhara, or one who carries the water of the Ganges on his head. On Lord Śiva’s forehead is the emblem of the half-moon, yet to give supreme respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Śiva placed the water of the Ganges above this emblem. This example should be followed by everyone, or at least by every devotee, because Lord Śiva is one of the
mahājanas. Similarly,
Mahārāja Bali also later became a
mahājana. One
mahājana follows another
mahājana, and by following the
paramparā system of
mahājana activities one can become advanced in spiritual consciousness. The water of the Ganges is sanctified because it emanates from the toe of Lord
Viṣṇu.
Bali Mahārāja washed the lotus feet of Vāmanadeva, and the water with which he did so became equal to the Ganges.
Bali Mahārāja, who perfectly knew all religious principles, therefore took that water on his head, following in the footsteps of Lord Śiva.
TEXT 29
śrī-balir uvāca
svāgataṁ te namas tubhyaṁ
brahman kiṁ karavāma te
brahmarṣīṇāṁ tapaḥ sākṣān
manye tvārya vapur-dharam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Bali Mahārāja then said to Lord Vāmanadeva: O
brāhmaṇa, I offer You my hearty welcome and my respectful obeisances. Please let us know what we may do for You. We think of You as the personified austerity of the great
brāhmaṇa-sages.
TEXT 30
adya naḥ pitaras tṛptā
adya naḥ pāvitaṁ kulam
adya sviṣṭaḥ kratur ayaṁ
yad bhavān āgato gṛhān
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O my Lord, because You have kindly arrived at our home, all my forefathers are satisfied, our family and entire dynasty have been sanctified, and the sacrifice we are performing is now complete because of Your presence.
TEXT 31
adyāgnayo me suhutā yathā-vidhi
dvijātmaja tvac-caraṇāvanejanaiḥ
hatāṁhaso vārbhir iyaṁ ca bhūr aho
tathā punītā tanubhiḥ padais tava
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O son of a
brāhmaṇa, today the fire of sacrifice is ablaze according to the injunction of the
śāstra, and I have been freed from all the sinful reactions of my life by the water that has washed Your lotus feet. O my Lord, by the touch of Your small lotus feet the entire surface of the world has been sanctified.
TEXT 32
yad yad vaṭo vāñchasi tat pratīccha me
tvām arthinaṁ vipra-sutānutarkaye
gāṁ kāñcanaṁ guṇavad dhāma mṛṣṭaṁ
tathānna-peyam uta vā vipra-kanyām
grāmān samṛddhāṁs turagān gajān vā
rathāṁs tathārhattama sampratīccha
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
O son of a
brāhmaṇa, it appears that You have come here to ask me for something. Therefore, whatever You want You may take from me. O best of those who are worshipable. You may take from me a cow, gold, a furnished house, palatable food and drink, the daughter of a
brāhmaṇa for Your wife, prosperous villages, horses, elephants, chariots or whatever You desire.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, of the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Lord Vāmanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation.”
Jayagopaldas
