The Bhagavata Purana
by G. V. Tagare | 1950 | 780,972 words | ISBN-10: 8120838203 | ISBN-13: 9788120838208
This page describes Vamana’s request for three paces of Land—Shukra’s opposition which is chapter 19 of the English translation of the Bhagavata Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas containing roughly 18,000 metrical verses. Topics include ancient Indian history, religion, philosophy, geography, mythology, etc. The text has been interpreted by various schools of philosophy. This is the nineteenth chapter of the Eighth Skandha of the Bhagavatapurana.
Chapter 19 - Vāmana’s request for three paces of Land—Śukra’s opposition
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
Śrī Śuka said:
1. Hearing the above-mentioned speech of Bali, the son of Virocana, which was in accordance with the prescribed path of righteousness, pleasing yet true, the glorious Lord was pleased with him. Welcoming him, He spoke.
The glorious Lord said:
2. Oh Lord of men! This speech of yours is courteous, true, worthy of your family (traditions), full of righteousness contributory to your glory, as the descendants of Bhṛgu race are your guides in matters temporal, while in matters spiritual your quiescent grand-father, the eldest member of the family (viz. Prahlāda) is your authority.
3. No such niggardly person was born in this family who ever refused to donate (anything) to Brāhmaṇas or was so miserly as going back upon his promise to give.
4. Never there was any such coward king in your family who at the time of religious donations turned this face against persons who, deserving the gift, had requested for it, or who, at the time of battle, showed their backs to worthy foes who challenged them in fight. In your family, Prahlāda shines forth in his unsullied faultless glory like the moon in the firmament.
5. In this family was born Hiraṇyākṣa who, armed with his mace, travelled alone over this earth for the conquest of all directions i.e. of (the entire earth) and did not meet any rival (equal to him in valour).
6. When faced by him (Hiraṇyākṣa), at the time of lifting up of the earth (from the rasātala), Viṣṇu (in the Boar incarnation) vanquished him with great difficulty, but frequently remembering his great bravery, did not regard himself as the victor (subsequently).
7. Hearing the report of his (Hiraṇyākṣa’s) death, his brother Hiraṇyakaśipu got enraged and went, of yore, to the region of Hari, for killing[1] the slayer of his brother.
8. Beholding him (Hiraṇyakaśipu) rushing toward himself with a spear in hand, like the god of death, Viṣṇu, who knows the (suitability of) Time, and is the foremost one among the masters of marvellous illusive powers[2], pondered over the matter.
9. ‘Wherever I go, he will certainly follow me as the (god of) death does unto living beings. I shall, therefore, enter his heart, inasmuch as his vision is confined to external things (or affairs)’.
10. Taking this decision, Viṣṇu, with a disturbed mind (as a matter of fact, with a calm and undisturbed mind) concealed his subtle body in the breath of the enemy who was rushing at him, and entered his body through his nostrils (without being known by him), Oh ruler of Asuras!
11. Having ransacked his vacant residence and not being able to find him, the warrior[3] got enraged and roared loudly. He searched for Viṣṇu, the heaven and the earth, the cardinal points and the sky, the subterranean regions and the seas, but could not find him anywhere.
12. As he did not perceive him, he said positively, “The whole of the universe has been closely searched by me. The murderer of my brother must have certainly gone to the place (viz. the region of death) from which no man returns (he being ever liberated from Saṃsāra must have returned to his original nature which is brahma-hood).
13. In this world, the persistence in enmity continues only so far i.e. to the extent of, the death of, the (inimical) embodied beings. Anger (the cause of enmity) which is engendered through ignorance is fostered by egotism.
14. Your father Virocana, the son of Prahlāda was so devoted to Brāhmaṇas that when so requested by celestials in the disguise of twice-born ones (Brāhmaṇas), knew their real nature (as enemies), and still conferred his lease of life upon them.
15. Your worship resorted to the righteous course of conduct followed by householders, Brāhmaṇas, your valorous forefathers and others of wide reputation.
16. Oh Lord of Daityas! You are the foremost one among the bestowers of boons. From you, I seek a small piece of land three paces in length measured with my feet.[4]
17. Even though you are a liberal Lord of the earth, I do not seek anything else from you, Oh king! For a learned person who accepts a gift just limited to his (actual) requirements, does not contaminate any sin.
Bali said:
18. Oh Brāhmaṇa’s son! Your words are commendable in the case of the aged. You are, however, a child, of childlike (undeveloped) intelligence[5], as such, you do not know your self-interest.
19. Having propitiated me, the sole supreme ruler of the world, with courteous words, you seek only three paces (feet) of land, out of lack of intelligence[6] or knowledge, when I am capable of gifting a continent.
20. A person who approaches me (for a gift) should not (have the occasion or need to) approach another for begging. Hence, Oh Brāhmaṇa boy! Accept from me freely, at will[7] as much land as is sufficient for you to maintain your livelihood (decently).
The Lord replied:
21. All the desired-most objects (or lands) that are available in the three worlds cannot be enough to satisfy a person who has not subdued his senses or the mind, Oh King!
22. He who is dissatisfied with three feet of land, cannot have his desire fulfilled with an island—continent consisting of nine Varṣas (sub-continents), as he will crave to possess all the seven island-continents.
23. We heard the report that Pṛthu, the son of Vena[8], Gaya[9] and other kings who were the Lords of the seven continents (dvīpas) never reached the end of their thirst for more, despite their possession of the hoards of wealth and desired objects.
24. A contented person leads a happy life with whatever comes to his lot by chance, while a discontented person who has no control over himself, is never satisfied even if the three worlds be possessed by him.
25. It is said that non-contentment with reference to wealth and objects of enjoyment, is the cause of the transmigration of man in this world, and that contentment with what one happens to get by (one’s predestined) luck, is the way to emancipation (from saṃsāra).
26. The spiritual glory of a Brāhmaṇa who is satisfied with what he obtains through chance, enhances. It, however, is extinguished through lack of contentment, like fire with water.
27. Prominent among the bestowers of boons as you are, I, hence, seek only three feet of land from you. I shall have my purpose (of depriving you of everything) accomplished with that much only. For the desirability of wealth is limited to the extent of its usefulness.
Śrī Śuka said:
28. When addressed thus, Bali laughingly spoke, “Take it as much as desired”. He then took in his hand his jar of water to donate the land (with due religious formalities) to Vāmana.
29. Śukra, the foremost among the knowers (of politics) apprehending the (inner) design of Viṣṇu, forewarned his disciple who was about to gift the land to Viṣṇu.
Śukra said:
30. Oh son of Virocana! This dwarf is no other than the eternal divine Lord Viṣṇu who is born of Kaśyapa and Aditi, with the object of accomplishing the purpose of gods.
31. I do not approve of the promise given by you without foreseeing the consequent calamities (implicit in your promise). A great disaster has befallen the Daityas.
32. This Hari who has assumed the form of a Brahmacārin through his delusive powers (māyā) will dispossess you of your position, sovereignty, fortune, splendour, world-wide reputation and learning and pass it on to Indra.
33. Assuming his cosmic form, co-extensive with the universe, he will occupy all these (three) regions with three steps. Having conferred everything that you own, upon Viṣṇu, how are you going to exist, oh fool!
34. Where is the space left for the third foot when the all-pervading Viṣṇu covers the whole of the earth in one foot, and the heaven with another, and occupies the intervening space by his body? (Thus you cannot fulfil your promise.)
35. Me-thinks your permanent place lies in the hell, the destination of those who do not redeem their pledge, since even you will not be able to fulfil your promise.
36. They (i.e. the wise) do not commend that gift as good if it endangers the means of livelihood of the donor. For in this world, charitable gifts, performance of sacrifices, austere penances and religious acts can be performed by persons with means of subsistence.
37. A person who divides his wealth in five shares (and invests it) for the purpose of religious acts, glory, getting economic return, personal pleasure and provision of one’s relatives, becomes happy here and hereafter.
38. If you feel uneasy about the break of promise hear from me, Oh best of the Asuras! the decision of the seers of the Ṛgveda on this point (about truth and falsehood). Whatever is promised by uttering the sacred syllable Om, is the truth and whatever is denied by expressing a ‘No’ is untruth.
39. It is sung (in the Śruti texts) that one should know that truth is the flower and fruit of the tree of this body. When the tree does not survive that (viz. the fruits and flowers i.e. the truth) ceases to be. Hence, anṛta (viz. not giving away all one’s possessions) is the root-mainstay of the body.
40. Just as a tree that is uprooted, dries up and dies in a short time, so does the body which has lost its support of anṛta, undoubtedly dry up soon.
41. The Vedic text parāg riktam etc. means that which is expressed by the assenting syllable Om carries away wealth to a long distance, and leaves one incomplete (bereft of wealth).
A person verily becomes poorer to that extent to which he agrees to give by uttering the syllable Om (yes). A donor who agrees to give everything to the mendicant cannot find sufficient for his personal enjoyment (subsistence).
42. Therefore, the term ‘No’ which is regarded as anṛta means fullness to oneself (as his wealth is unspent), and adds to his wealth (as due to the consciousness of his deficiency, he tries to get more wealth from others). But if a person who makes a false statement all the while by saying ‘No’ (refusing to give), gets a bad name, and is as good as dead though breathing.
43. False statements are not condemnable when made to women (while courting), in jokes, in arranging marriages, for obtaining one’s livelihood, for saving one’s own life in danger, in protecting cows and Brāhmaṇas and where violence (to another) is anticipated.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
As a matter of fact for knowing Him (Anvitārthaprakāśikā).
[3]:
Vīra—One devoid of knowledge (vigatam īraṃ jñānaṃ yasya)—Bhāvārtha-dīpikā-prakāśa
[4]:
[5]:
Bhāvāratha Dīpikā states that as a matter of fact the 2nd line should read: tvaṃ bālo'bāliśā-matiḥ—“You are a-bāliśa—whose intelligence is fully developed and as such you consider the interests of your devotees and seek no personal interest.” (As you are perfect there is no scope for any personal want).
[6]:
Bhāvāratha Dīpikā: the words in the 2nd line yo'buddhimān should be split as 'yo buddhimān, “Intelligent as you are” etc.
[8]:
Vainya—Pṛthu, son of Vena. He was churned out of the hand of the dead body of Vena. He “rnilked” the earth of food-stuffs. His reign was a golden period. He performed a horse-sacrifice. Installing his son Vijitāśva on the throne, Pṛthu retired to forest and performed penance and merged in parabrahman.—Mahābhārata Śānti 59.98-128; 227.49-56.
Viṣṇu Purāṇa. 1.22, The Bhāgavata Purāṇa Supra 4th skandha.