The Narada Purana (abridged)

2010 | 18,115 words

The Narada Purana (Nārada Purāṇa) is one of the major eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of Hindu religious texts. It deals with the places of pilgrimages and features a dialogue between the sage Narada, and Sanatkumara. During the course of the dialogue between the two, Narada explains to Sanatkumara the major places of piligrimages, their location, ...

Vali and the Dwarf Incarnation

At long last, Vishnu appeared before Aditi.

“I am pleased at your tapasya,” he said. “What is the boon that you desire?”

“You are the lord of everything,” answered Aditi. “Please deliver my sons from the demons.”

“It shall be as you desire,” said Vishnu. “I will be born as your son. And in that form I will bring deliverance for your sons.”

After some days, Aditi gave birth to a boy who was known as vamana (a dwarf).

Meanwhile, Vali had begun a yajana and the chief priest at this sacrificial ceremony was Vali’s guru Shukracharya. Several sages came to attend this ceremony and so did the dwarf.

Shukracharya realized that the dwarf was none other than Vishnu and tried to warn Vali. “Be careful,” he said. “This vamana is Vishnu. Don’t grant him a boon or promise him anything. I am sure that he has come here to deceive you.”

“That is impossible,” responded Vali. “It is my good fortune that Vishnu has come here to grace my house. How can I refuse him what he wants?” He then went up to the dwarf and said, ” I am blessed that you have come. Please tell me how I can serve you.”

“I need some land for my prayers,” answered the dwarf. ” Please grant me as much land as may be covered in three of my footsteps.”

This boon Vali granted. But as soon as the boon had been granted, the vamana started to increase in size. Vishnu placed his first step on heaven and the second on the earth. Since there was no more space left, the third step was placed on Brahma’s world of Brahmaloka. But in the process, the universe was split asunder and a lot of water emerged from the centre of the universe (brahmanda). These waters washed Vishnu’s feet and poured down on Mount Sumeru. Thus they formed the holy river Ganga.

What was to be done about Vali? There was no place left for him to live in. Pleased at Vali’s generosity, Vishnu granted him the boon that he could live in the underworld with the other demons.

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