॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ अष्टादशोऽध्यायः - १८ ॥
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Discourse XVIII
The Lord appears as the divine Dwarf and visits the sacrificial performance of Bali (Preamble)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
इत्थं विरिञ्चस्तुतकर्मवीर्यः
प्रादुर्बभूवामृतभूरदित्याम् ।
चतुर्भुजः शङ्खगदाब्जचक्रः
पिशङ्गवासा नलिनायतेक्षणः ॥ १॥
श्यामावदातो झषराजकुण्डल-
त्विषोल्लसच्छ्रीवदनाम्बुजः पुमान् ।
श्रीवत्सवक्षा वलयाङ्गदोल्लस-
त्किरीटकाञ्चीगुणचारुनूपुरः ॥ २॥
मधुव्रतव्रातविघुष्टया स्वया
विराजितः श्रीवनमालया हरिः ।
प्रजापतेर्वेश्मतमः स्वरोचिषा
विनाशयन् कण्ठनिविष्टकौस्तुभः ॥ ३॥
दिशः प्रसेदुः सलिलाशयास्तदा
प्रजाः प्रहृष्टा ऋतवो गुणान्विताः ।
द्यौरन्तरिक्षं क्षितिरग्निजिह्वा
गावो द्विजाः सञ्जहृषुर्नगाश्च ॥ ४॥
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Śrī Śuka resumed : The Lord, whose exploits and glory were thus celebrated by Brahmā (the creator) and who is the Fountain-head of immortality (final beatitude), took His descent from Aditi. He was endowed with four arms—in which He carried a conch, a mace, a lotus and a discus—was clad in yellow and had eyes big as a pair of lotuses.(1)
Bright dark-brown of hue, the supreme Person bore the mark of Śrīvatsa (a white curl of hair) on His bosom. The lustre of His lotus countenance was augmented by the brilliance of His alligator-shaped ear-rings; and a diadem, girdle strings and a charming pair of anklets shone (on His person) along with a pair each of wristlets and armlets. (2)
Adorned with His (characteristic and) splendid wreath of sylvan flowers deeply resonant with the humming of swarms of black bees and with the (celebrated) Kaustubha gem suspended from His neck, Śrī Hari dispersed the gloom of the house of Kaśyapa (a lord of created beings) by His own radiance. (3)
At that time the quarters brightened up and the lakes and ponds etc., became clear, created beings felt much delighted, and (all the six) seasons exhibited their (own) characteristics (in the shape of fruits and flowers of every description). Heaven, earth and the aerial region, the gods (having the flames of fire for their tongues), the cows and the Brāhmaṇas as well as mountains were transported with joy.(4) (1-4)
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श्रोणायां श्रवणद्वादश्यां मुहूर्तेऽभिजिति प्रभुः ।
सर्वे नक्षत्रताराद्याश्चक्रुस्तज्जन्म दक्षिणम् ॥ ५॥
द्वादश्यां सवितातिष्ठन्मध्यन्दिनगतो नृप ।
विजया नाम सा प्रोक्ता यस्यां जन्म विदुर्हरेः ॥ ६॥
शङ्खदुन्दुभयो नेदुर्मृदङ्गपणवानकाः ।
चित्रवादित्रतूर्याणां निर्घोषस्तुमुलोऽभवत् ॥ ७॥
प्रीताश्चाप्सरसोऽनृत्यन् गन्धर्वप्रवरा जगुः ।
तुष्टुवुर्मुनयो देवा मनवः पितरोऽग्नयः ॥ ८॥
सिद्धविद्याधरगणाः सकिम्पुरुषकिन्नराः ।
चारणा यक्षरक्षांसि सुपर्णा भुजगोत्तमाः ॥ ९॥
गायन्तोऽतिप्रशंसन्तो नृत्यन्तो विबुधानुगाः ।
अदित्या आश्रमपदं कुसुमैः समवाकिरन् ॥ १०॥
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The Lord appeared on the Śravaṇa-Dwādaśī (the twelfth day of the bright half of Bhādrapada) when the moon happened to be in the mansion called Śroṇā (Śravaṇa) and in an hour known by the name of Abhijit (which is conducive to victory on all sides); (nay,) all the lunar mansions and other stars as well as the planets (the sun and so on) rendered His birth (most) propitious (by their benign influence). (5)
The sun happened to be at the meridian (the point reached by it at midday), O protector of men ! The twelfth day (of the bright half of Bhādrapada), on which the learned know the birth of Śrī Hari to have taken place is called by the name of Vijayā-Dwādaśī. (6)
Conchs and kettledrums (as well as) clay tomtoms, tabors and double drums sounded. (And) there arose a tumultuous din of various wind-instruments and other musical instruments. (7)
Full of joy, Apsarās danced and the chief of the Gandharvas sang; while sages and gods, the Manus, the manes and the fire-gods, hosts of Siddhas and Vidyādhara along with Kimpuruṣas and Kinnaras, as well as Cāraṇas, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, Suparṇas (the secretary birds) and the foremost of Nāgas (too) uttered praises. (8-9)
(And) attendants of gods covered the hermitage of Aditi including the surrounding grounds with showers of flowers, singing and dancing and loud in their praises.(10) (5-10)
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दृष्ट्वादितिस्तं निजगर्भसम्भवं
परं पुमांसं मुदमाप विस्मिता ।
गृहीतदेहं निजयोगमायया
प्रजापतिश्चाह जयेति विस्मितः ॥ ११॥
यत्तद्वपुर्भाति विभूषणायुधै-
रव्यक्तचिद्व्यक्तमधारयद्धरिः ।
बभूव तेनैव स वामनो वटुः
सम्पश्यतोर्दिव्यगतिर्यथा नटः ॥ १२॥
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Astonished to see that supreme Person having assumed a personality by His wonderful creative energy and sprung from her own womb, Aditi experienced (abundant) joy and the lord of created beings (the sage Kaśyapa too) was filled with (great) wonder and exclaimed: "May You be victorious !" (11)
In that very form which Lord Śrī Hari—who is unembodied consciousness—had assumed and which (only a short while ago) was obviously resplendent with jewels and weapons, He, like an actor of wonderful movements, became a short-statured Brāhmaṇa boy, (even) while the couple stood gazing. (12) (11-12)
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तं वटुं वामनं दृष्ट्वा मोदमाना महर्षयः ।
कर्माणि कारयामासुः पुरस्कृत्य प्रजापतिम् ॥ १३॥
तस्योपनीयमानस्य सावित्रीं सविताब्रवीत् ।
बृहस्पतिर्ब्रह्मसूत्रं मेखलां कश्यपोऽददात् ॥ १४॥
ददौ कृष्णाजिनं भूमिर्दण्डं सोमो वनस्पतिः ।
कौपीनाच्छादनं माता द्यौश्छत्रं जगतः पतेः ॥ १५॥
कमण्डलुं वेदगर्भः कुशान् सप्तर्षयो ददुः ।
अक्षमालां महाराज सरस्वत्यव्ययात्मनः ॥ १६॥
तस्मा इत्युपनीताय यक्षराट् पात्रिकामदात् ।
भिक्षां भगवती साक्षादुमादादम्बिका सती ॥ १७॥
स ब्रह्मवर्चसेनैवं सभां सम्भावितो वटुः ।
ब्रह्मर्षिगणसञ्जुष्टामत्यरोचत मारिषः ॥ १८॥
समिद्धमाहितं वह्निं कृत्वा परिसमूहनम् ।
परिस्तीर्य समभ्यर्च्य समिद्भिरजुहोद्द्विजः ॥ १९॥
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(Greatly) rejoicing to see (the Lord in the form of) that dwarfish Brāhmaṇa boy, eminent sages placed the lord of created beings (the sage Kaśyapa) at their head and had (all) sacred rites (with respect to that divine Boy) performed (with due ceremony). (13)
To Him, when being invested with the sacred thread, Savitā (the sun-god, the deity presiding over and invoked through the sacred Gāyatri-Mantra) taught the (famous) Gāyatri-Mantra (a prayer to the sun-god, which every Dwija is acquired to learn and mutter everyday without fail); the sage Bṛhaspati (the preceptor of the gods) gave Him the sacred thread (to be worn baldric wise at all times) and the sage Kaśyapa (His own father), a sacred cord made of Muñja grass (which every Brahmacārī is expected to wear round his waist all the time and from which is suspended the strip of cloth covering his privy parts). (14)
Goddess Earth gave to the Lord of the universe a deerskin and Soma (the moon-god), the lord of the vegetable kingdom, the sacred staff (which a Brahmacārī must always carry in his hand). His mother (Aditi) gave Him a strip of cloth to cover His privy parts with as well as a piece of cloth (to be wrapped about His loins) and Dyauḥ (the deity presiding over the sky), an umbrella. (15)
Brahmā (the repository of Veda) gave to the immortal lord a Kamaṇḍalu (a vessel of wood or cocoanut-shell for carrying water); the seven seers, blades of the (sacred) Kuśa grass and Saraswati (the goddess of speech and learning), a rosary of Akṣa seeds, O great king ! (16)
To Him, when invested with the sacred thread, Kubera (the lord of the Yakṣas) gave a small vessel for (receiving and holding alms); while the all-virtuous Goddess Umā, the Mother of the universe, Her-self gave Him alms*. (17)
Thus honoured (by all those assembled in the hermitage of the sage Kaśyapa), that most worthy Brāhmaṇa Boy outshone by His Brahmanical glory the assembly graced by hosts of Brāhmaṇa sages. (18)
Having swept the Vedi (raised ground for placing the sacred fire) with blades of Kuśa grass (in order to drive away insects) and installing the sacred fire, and having strewn (other) blades of Kuśa round it (in the prescribed manner by way of protection against evil spirits) and (then) fully lighting the fire, the Brāhmaṇa (boy) duly worshipped it in everyway and fed it by means of sacrificial sticks (daubed with clarified butter). (19)
- A Brahmacārī (religious student) is enjoined to beg his food daily from the mothers of a number of families of the twice-born classes and begins this routine from the very day he is invested with the sacred thread, when he receives his very first round of alms from an elderly and respectable female relation whose husband is alive.
(13-19)
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श्रुत्वाश्वमेधैर्यजमानमूर्जितं
बलिं भृगूणामुपकल्पितैस्ततः ।
जगाम तत्राखिलसारसम्भृतो
भारेण गां सन्नमयन् पदे पदे ॥ २०॥
तं नर्मदायास्तट उत्तरे बलेः
य ऋत्विजस्ते भृगुकच्छसंज्ञके ।
प्रवर्तयन्तो भृगवः क्रतूत्तमं
व्यचक्षतारादुदितं यथा रविम् ॥ २१॥
त ऋत्विजो यजमानः सदस्या
हतत्विषो वामनतेजसा नृप ।
सूर्यः किलायात्युत वा विभावसुः
सनत्कुमारोऽथ दिदृक्षया क्रतोः ॥ २२॥
इत्थं सशिष्येषु भृगुष्वनेकधा
वितर्क्यमाणो भगवान् स वामनः ।
छत्रं सदण्डं सजलं कमण्डलुं
विवेश बिभ्रद्धयमेधवाटम् ॥ २३॥
मौञ्ज्या मेखलया वीतमुपवीताजिनोत्तरम् ।
जटिलं वामनं विप्रं मायामाणवकं हरिम् ॥ २४॥
प्रविष्टं वीक्ष्य भृगवः सशिष्यास्ते सहाग्निभिः ।
प्रत्यगृह्णन् समुत्थाय सङ्क्षिप्तास्तस्य तेजसा ॥ २५॥
यजमानः प्रमुदितो दर्शनीयं मनोरमम् ।
रूपानुरूपावयवं तस्मा आसनमाहरत् ॥ २६॥
स्वागतेनाभिनन्द्याथ पादौ भगवतो बलिः ।
अवनिज्यार्चयामास मुक्तसङ्गमनोरमम् ॥ २७॥
तत्पादशौचं जनकल्मषापहं
स धर्मविन्मूर्ध्न्यदधात्सुमङ्गलम् ।
यद्देवदेवो गिरिशश्चन्द्रमौलिः
दधार मूर्ध्ना परया च भक्त्या ॥ २८॥
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Having heard of the mighty Bali propitiating the Lord by means of horse-sacrifices conducted by the Bhrgus, Lord Vāmana, who was rich in all strength, proceeded thence (from the hermitage of Aditi) to that place (the sacrificial hall of Bali), causing the earth by His (huge) weight to bend low at every step. (20)
The celebrated Bhrgus, who were conducting as the priests of Bali a horse-sacrifice (the best of all sacrifices) at the (holy) spot bearing the name of Bhrgu-Kaccha on the northern bank of the (sacred) Narmadā (the modern Narbadā river), keenly observed Him (resplendent) as the sun risen close to them. (21)
Eclipsed by the splendour of the divine Dwarf, O protector of human beings, the said priests including the sacrificer (King Bali himself) and the superintending priests thereupon speculated whether the sun-god or Vibhāvasu (the god of fire) or again the (divine) sage Sanatkumāra was actually coming (there) with a desire to witness the sacrificial performance. (22)
Thus speculated about by the Bhrgus and their disciple (Bali) in ways more than one, the said Lord Vāmana (forthwith) entered the enclosure of the horse-sacrifice, bearing the umbrella along with the sacred staff (in one of his hands) and the Kamaṇḍalu full of water (in the other). (23)
Observing Lord Śrī Hari as having entered the sacrificial grounds in the form of a short-statured Brāhmaṇa religious student—encircled by a cord of Muñja grass (at His waist), with a deerskin placed baldric-wise after the manner of a sacred thread by way of a covering for the upper part of His body, and having matted hair on His head—and completely overpowered by His lustre, the Bhrgus along with their disciple (Bali) as well as with the gods of fire welcomed Him by rising from their (respective) seats. (24-25)
Overjoyed to see Lord Vāmana, charming and worth seeing with limbs (quite) in proportion to His (diminutive) form, the sacrificer (himself) fetched Him a (suitable) seat. (26)
Greeting Him with an enquiry after His health, and then washing the feet of the Lord, Bali worshipped Him who sported in the mind (even) of those that had given up (all) attachment. (27)
Bali, who knew what was right, placed on his head (as a mark of respect) the water in which His feet had been washed and which had (thus) been rendered most auspicious, (nay,) which was capable of wiping off the sins of the people, and which (no less a personage than) Lord Śiva (who has His abode on Mount Kailāsa, nay), who is adored by (all the) gods and bears the crescent on His head, bore on His head with supreme devotion. (28) (20-28)
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बलिरुवाच ।
स्वागतं ते नमस्तुभ्यं ब्रह्मन् किं करवाम ते ।
ब्रह्मर्षीणां तपः साक्षान्मन्ये त्वाऽऽर्य वपुर्धरम् ॥ २९॥
अद्य नः पितरस्तृप्ता अद्य नः पावितं कुलम् ।
अद्य स्विष्टः क्रतुरयं यद्भवानागतो गृहान् ॥ ३०॥
अद्याग्नयो मे सुहुता यथाविधि
द्विजात्मज त्वच्चरणावनेजनैः ।
हतांहसो वार्भिरियं च भूरहो
तथा पुनीता तनुभिः पदैस्तव ॥ ३१॥
यद्यद्वटो वाञ्छसि तत्प्रतीच्छ मे
त्वामर्थिनं विप्रसुतानुतर्कये ।
गां काञ्चनं गुणवद्धाम मृष्टं
तथान्नपेयमुत वा विप्रकन्याम् ।
ग्रामान् समृद्धांस्तुरगान् गजान् वा
रथांस्तथार्हत्तम सम्प्रतीच्छ ॥ ३२॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां सम्हितायामष्टमस्कन्धे
वामनप्रादुर्भावे बलिवामनसंवादे अष्टादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १८॥
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Bali submitted: I (hereby) extend my (hearty) welcome to you! May salutations be to you, O (holy) Brāhmaṇa! What can I do for you? I look upon you, O noble one, as the austerity incarnate of Brāhmaṇa seers.(29)
Today the spirits of our deceased forefathers are (fully) sated; today our (entire) race is hallowed and today (alone) this sacrifice (of ours) is successfully performed in that you have visited my house.(30)
Today my (sacred) fires stand properly fed according to the scriptural ordinance, O son of a (holy) Brāhmaṇa! And lo! this land as well of mine—whose sins have been destroyed by the waters used in washing your feet—has been consecrated by your tiny feet. (31)
(Pray,) take from me whatever you desire, O Brahmacārī; (for) I infer you, O son of a (holy) Brāhmaṇa, to be one who seeks for something. (Therefore,) duly accept (from me), O most worthy one, a cow, gold, a house provided with (all) luxuries and comforts, as well as delicious food and drink or even a maid, O (holy) Brāhmaṇa, prosperous villages, horses or elephants and chariots.(32)
Thus ends the eighteenth discourse, bearing on the descent of the divine Dwarf and comprising the dialogue between King Bali and Lord Vāmana, in Book Eight of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (29-32)
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