॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
After hearing the cautionary advice of Shukracharya, Bali became contemplative. Because it is the duty
of a householder to maintain Dharma, Artha and Kama, without compromising one
for the other, Bali thought it improper
to withdraw his promise to the Brahmachari.
Bali said:
न ह्यसत्यात् परोऽधर्म इति होवाच भूरियम् । सर्वं सोढुमलं मन्ये ऋतेऽलीकपरं नरम् ॥
एष वा उत्तमश्लोको न जिहासति यद् यश: । हत्वा मैनां हरेद् युद्धे शयीत निहतो मया ॥
T: “Sir, I am the grandson of King Prahlada, an exemplar of
Dharma. How can I withdraw my promise because of greed for money when I have
already said that I shall give this land? How can I behave like an ordinary
cheater, especially toward a Brahmin? There is nothing more sinful than
untruthfulness. Because of this, mother earth once said, “I can bear any heavy
thing except a person who is a liar.””
“If this Brahmin really is Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped by
the Vedas, He would never risk His widespread reputation; either He would lie
down having been killed by me, or He would kill me in a fight.”
This disobedience of King Bali towards Sage Shukracharya
incurred his great anger. He cursed Bali,
मच्छासनातिगो यस्त्वमचिराद्भ्रश्यसे श्रिय: T: “You stubborn fool, for disobeying me, you shall soon lose all your
kingdom and all your wealth.”
Unmoved, Bali went ahead, and his queen Vindyavali brought the
sacred pot of water. By worshipping Vamana’s feet, Bali fulfilled his promise
and requested Vamana to take his gift of three measures of his footprint.
Bhagavan Vamana then immediately extended Himself into a
universal body. By the mercy of Bhagavan Vamana, Bali could see that the Lord
is all-pervading and that everything rests in His body. Bali could see Bhagavan
Vamana as the Virat Purusha who was Supreme Maha Vishnu, wearing His crown, His
yellow garment, the mark of Srivatsa where Sri Lakshmi rests on His chest, the Kaustubha
jewel, a flower garland, and ornaments decorating His entire body. The Lord
gradually covered the entire surface of the world, and by extending His body He
covered the entire sky.
Shuka narrates in detail how all the gods, the five elements,
sentient and insentient beings, and everything else appeared to the astounded assembly
as a part of this Virat Purusha.
The celebration of Bali for upholding his promise at great
risk by all the gods and sages now became the awestruck worship of Bhagavan.
प्राणेषु गात्रे स्थिरजङ्गमानिसर्वाणि भूतानि ददर्श वीर: ॥
With His hands, He covered all directions, and with His
second footstep, He covered the entire system of the three worlds. Therefore,
there was no vacant place where He could take His third footstep.
