Chapter 20 - Manifestation of the Cosmic Form by Viṣṇu

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. Bali, the Lord of the household, who was thus addressed by his family-preceptor, remained silent for a moment and (weighing the consequences) with careful mind, he submitted as follows:

Bali said:

2. What has been stated by your worship, is true. It is the duty of householders to see that the wealth, enjoyment (of life) good reputation and the means of livelihood are not adversely affected by anything.

3. Having promised the Brāhmaṇa once that I shall give, how can I, the descendant of Prahlāda, out of greed for wealth, refuse, like a gambler, to give.

4. The earth has verily said: There is no greater heinous unrighteousness than falsehood. I am capable of bearing anything else except a man given to uttering falsehood.

5. I am not so much afraid of the (tortures of) hell, poverty, ocean of misery, displacement from (my present) status and even death, as I am of cheating a Brāhmaṇa.

6. In this world, wealth (and as a matter of fact) everything else abandons a dying man. (Why should not one give it away while alive? If only a part is given and the recipient Brāhmaṇa is not satisfied, the gift becomes fruitless). What is the propriety of that charitable act unless the recipient Brāhmaṇa is satisfied thereby?

7. Righteous souls like sage Dadhyañc^[1], king Śibi^[2] and others accomplish the well-being of creatures by sacrificing their lives which are so difficult to give up; what consideration is there for the earth and other things (which are less important than life)?

8. Time has swallowed up the enjoyment of the earth and the position in the next world of the kings of Daityas who (while alive) enjoyed the earth and were ever successful in war. But (it could) not do so to the glorious renown achieved by them on the earth, Oh Brāhmaṇa.

9. Oh Brāhmaṇa Sage! Those who lay down their lives without retreating from the battlefield are easily available, but not so the donors who, when approached by worthy recipients, reverentially give away their wealth.

10. Poverty and affliction in consequence of satisfying the desires of (ordinary) supplicants, appear graceful to a magnanimous and merciful soul. Need it be said that it is much more so in cases like yours who know the Brahman or Vedas? Hence, I shall bestow upon the Brahmacārin what he wants.

11. Let him be Viṣṇu, the bestower of boons whom your worshipful self, conversant with the procedure laid down in the Vedas, so reverentially worship by performance of various kinds of sacrifices (with Soma or without Soma) or let him be an enemy. I shall confer upon him the land desired for by him, Oh sage!

12. Even if he unrighteously binds me down—an innocent sinless person, I shall do no harm unto him, a cowardly enemy disguised as a Brāhmaṇa.

13. If he be really Viṣṇu of hallowed renown he would not forfeit his fame (by deceiving me thus). He will take āway the land by killing me on the battlefield or lie down killed by me.

Śrī Śuka said:

14. The preceptor Śukra, being impelled by Providence, pronounced the following curse upon his noble-minded disciple who placed no faith in his words, and would not abide by his command, but wanted to be true to his promise.

15. “You who are highly conceited as being learned and obstinate, and show disregard to us by transgressing our orders, shall, in no time, fall down from your royal splendour”.

16. Though cursed thus by his preceptor, the great Bali did not swerve from the truth and worshipping Vāmana. he gave away the land with due formality of pouring water (from his right palm in solemn confirmation of the gift).

17. The royal consort Vindhyāvalī, adorned with a costly pearl necklace, came there and brought a gold jar full of water to wash Vāmana’s feet.

18. The sacrificer himself gladly washed the glorious feet of the Lord, and sprinkled on his head, the waters which are capable of sanctifying the whole of the universe.

19. In the heaven, all the hosts of gods, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, Cāraṇas applauded that act of worship, and extolled the Asura King and his straightforwardness and overcome with joy, showered flowers over him.

20. Thousands of kettledrums were sounded; Gandharvas and Kimpuruṣas sang that a most difficult act has been done by this noble-minded Bali, in that, he knowingly bestowed the (sovereignty of the) three worlds upon his enemies.

21. That dwarf form of that infinite Hari, comprising as it is of three guṇas, miraculously expanded to such an extent as to include that earth, the heaven, the cardinal points, the space between the heaven and the earth, cavities and hells, oceans, the sub-human beings, human beings, gods and sages and everything else.

22. Bali along with the sacrificial priests, the president of the sacrificial assembly, and its members, saw on the body of the Great Spirit comprising of all the guṇas, the whole of the universe made up of three guṇas, and consisting of elements, the senses with their objects (of enjoyment), the mind and the jīvas (individual souls).

23. Bali whose army was like that of Indra espied on the cosmic form of the Lord the rasātala (the sub-terranean regions) at thesole of his feet, the earth resting on his feet, mountains on the shanks, birds on his knee-joints, the group of wind-gods (maruts) on the thighs of the Supreme Person.

24. He beheld the two twilights (deities presiding over the dawn and the dusk) on the garments of the all-pervading Lord, the lords of creation in his genital organ, Asuras of which he was the chief in the anus, the firmament in the navel, the seven seas in his sides, and the string of constellations on the chest of the Lord of very colossal strides.

25-26. Oh Child! He saw (the presiding deity of Dharma in the heart of the slayer of Mura (Viṣṇu), Ṛta (Divine Law) and Satya (Truth) on his breasts, the Moon-god in the mind, the goddess Śrī with a lotus in her hand resting on his bosom, and all the Sāma-hymns, articulate sounds in his throat, all the celestials with Indra as their chief on his arms, the cardinal points in his ears, and the heaven on (the crown of) his head, the clouds in the mass of his hair, the vital breath in his nostrils, the Sun-god in his eyes, and the Fire-god in his mouth.

27. He saw the Vedas in his speech, Varuṇa the Lord of waters in his palate, the interdicting and prescriptive parts (of the scriptures) in his eye-brows, the day and night on his eyelashes, Anger on his forehead, greed on the lower lip of the Supreme Person.

28. Oh King! He saw the passion of Love in his sense of touch, water in his semen, Adharma (the spirit of unrighteousness) on his back, sacrificial activity in his steps, Death in his shadow, Māyā in his laughter, and various species of herbs in the hair on his body.

29. The warrior Bali beheld the rivers in his arteries, rocks in the nails, god Brahmā in his Buddhi (intellect), the hosts of gods and sages in his vital breaths, all creatures mobile and immobile on his person.

30. Perceiving all this universe resting in the Person of the Lord, all the Asuras lost their consciousness. Oh child!

The Sudarśana discus of unbearable velocity, force and effulgence, the Śārṅga bow twanging like rumbling clouds.

31. The Pāñcajanya conch of deep sound like the roar of thunder, the mighty mace of Viṣṇu called Kaumodakī, the sword called Vidyādhara (otherwise known as Nandaka) paired with a shield called Śatacandra (as it was set with hundred moonlike studs), and the two excellent quivers with inexhaustible stock of arrows, (all in personem).

32. His chief attendants headed by Sunanda, accompanied by the guardians of the worlds, waited upon the Lord. Adorned with shining diadem, armlets, a pair of alligator shaped ear-rings, the Śrī-Vatsa mark, in foremost of all jewels Kaustubha, girdle, clad in yellow silk garment.

33. Adorned with the Vanamālā (a wreath of forest- flowers) hovered round by bees, the Divine Lord of mighty strides, shone in great brilliance.

Oh King! He covered the earth of Bali with one foot; He occupied the sky with his body and the quarters with his arms.

34. As he covered the celestial region with another step there was not the slightest space left for the third as the second step of the Lord of wide strides extended higher and higher beyond Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka upto Satyaloka—the region of god Brahmā.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

A famous sage, Son of Bhṛgu—Handed over his body to gods for preparation of Vajra (the weapon of Indra) out of his bones.—Mbh. Vana 100.21 Śalya 51.29-32.

[2]:

An ancient royal sage who submitted his body to a hawk (Indra) to save a dove (fire-god)—Mbh. Vana 197. 21.28.