The story of Vamana and Mahabali as Visvamitra tells Rama and Lakshmana
In Valmiki Ramayanam..
Sargam 29 of Balakandam of Valmikiramayanam
Part 2 The Incarnation as Thrivikrama..
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Continued from last post..
link https://kanfusion.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-story-of-vamana-and-mahabali-as.html
link https://kanfusion.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-story-of-vamana-and-mahabali-as.html
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Lord Vishnu who had assumed the form of the dwarfish mendicant Vamana, left his abode and Sidhasram and traversing across India, reached the banks of Narmada where Mahabali was performing a Yajna.
He arrived the hallowed ground where the Yajna was being performed.
There Vamana, the Lord Hari himself told Bali..
“ May all welfare visit you, great King. This Yajna is really praiseworthy. “
He went on..
"Oh King, we heard about the great Yajna being conducted by you, and also knew that bounteous gifts would be offered in the course of the function, and desiring such presents, we have arrived the grounds of your Yajna."
Hearing the words of Vamana, the King bali replied.
“Oh young Sage, the purpose of my life has been fulfilled today. The results for all may penance done during my life has come to fruition. My Kingdom has attained the ultimate blessings during its existence today. The fruits of all my good deeds are realized this day. This Yajna of mine has realized its pupose.. I have realized the ultimate effect of all my good deeds.. For you have come here to this yajna bhoomi seeking gifts and presents.
I am offering unto you with all my heart all that is in my possession.
My treasury with all cash and gems, all the ornament, all the grains available in the granaries of this kingdom, the village(s), the town(s), this country of mine itself, all vehicles, all my army with elephants, horses, chariots and artillery , I offer all these to you.. All my other earnings and possessions too are at your disposal.
Oh Sinless one, I shall gift unto you whatever that you desire”
The boy Vamana smiled a little when Bali made the above offer and replied the king who was doing yajna there.
“What use would I have for the things you have offered to me, oh Great King.. Oh, you generous one, Please give me just a piece of land which could be measured by the extent of three feet of mine.
The great Asura King, when he heard about that demand by the tiny dwarf laughed to himself and relplied.. “ Oh Sage, you are the personification of Brahma power itself, I shall fulfil your desire and do whatever you direct me. “
The King took the decision to gift the area of land as desired by the tiny brahamachari Vamana.
The preceptor of the clan of Asuras and the priest of the king, Sukraacharya, understood what was going on in the mind of Bali, called him aside, and warned him against making such gift.
He told the king,
“ That Vishnu of infinite strength and grace, whom even Brahmadeva, Shiva, Indra, Yogins, Gods and Demons could not really know, that great Divine being is present here in the disguise of a dwarfish child. “
The great Garuda the son of Vinata, who was watching the conversation between Bali and Sukrachraya and also the reluctance of Shukra, pushed the priest aside and gave him a thorough thrashing..
(The protest of Sukra is mentioned in other Puranas too. But elsewhere it is said that Sukra tried to prevent the gift to the dwarf by entering the waterpot of Bali and preventing water being flown as a token of gift, but the boy Vamana pried the mouth of the pot with a sharp darbha and Sukra’s eye was pierced and he jumped out in pain)
However, Mahabali, in consultation with his wife, decided to proceed with the gift..
He thought
“ If the Ultimate Lord Himself has come before me asking for a gift during this Yajna, that itself is the ultimate benefit and fulfilment for this Yajna.. May it be that way..”
Thinking so, bali poured water out of his waterpot at the outstreched hands of that blessed Soul Vamana in token of the gift being confirmed.
He told Vamana.. “ Blessed Lord, please receive from me the area of land which is to be measured by your three feet”
As Lord Hari the Vamana touched the water offered by Mahabali, he manifested Himself in the Universal form visvaroopa and grew into a form which filled the whole three words.. And his hands and the weapons worn filled all the space above the universe and also all the space in the three worlds.
Seeing that the dward of a boy had just grown and occupied the whole universe with his own form, Bali was shocked and surprised. But he knew immediately that it was Lord Vishnu the Madhava Himself, and therefore offered the Lord all the honours befitting his exalted state.
Thus worshipped by Bali, Lord Hari, keeping in mind the welfare of the whole universe with all its occupants, received the entire three worlds from Bali as gift, being measured by just three feet of the Lord.
Lord Vamana the Hari, restored the three worlds to Shakra, the Indra.
And after serving the purpose of his incarnation, Lord Vamana took the Sidha Ashrama as his abode for peaceful living for some time..
Visvamitra tells Rama that he is a devotee of that Vamana and out of reverence for that Lord, he was staying in the same Sidha Ashramam..
Notes
It is mentioned according to the description in Srimad Bhagavatham that after Lord Hari assumed his universal form, there was not sufficient space to be measured by the three feet of Thrivikrama, and hence the third foot was placed on the head of Bali..
It is also mentioned that a battle occurred, and Bali was bound by a rope provided by Varuna and sent to Sutala, a netherworld and released there..
Note 2 Vamana Puranam mentions that as the recompense for the gift of three worlds given by Bali to the Lord, the sacrificial shares when offerings are made to Pithrus in Shradhaam go to Bali.. At the close of Vaivasvatha manvantaram, Bali is expected to return to the earth and rule here as the Manu for the next Manvantaram..
Note 3 People of Kerala believe that Bali was so dear to his subjects and He too loved his subjects of Kerala so much, that he requested the Lord Vamana that he be permitted to visit his subjects one day a year.. on the Thriuvonam day of Chingam month.. We Keralite celebrate the arrival of Mahabali with ten days celebrations culminating on that ONAM day..
Link to the earlier post
वामनं रूपमास्थाय वैरोचनमुपागमत्॥२२
आसाद्य यजमानं तमुवाच भगवान् हरिः॥
स्वस्ति तेऽस्तु महाराज यज्ञश्चातीव शोभते॥२३
वयं दानार्थिनो राजन् श्रुत्वा यज्ञमनुत्तमम्।
त्वां दृष्ट्वा तव यागेषु किञ्चिल्लब्दुमिहागताः॥२४
वामनेनैवमुक्ते तु मुदा राजा तमब्रवीत्।
अद्य मे सफलं जन्म अद्य मे सफलं तपः॥२५
अद्य मे सफलं राज्यमद्य मे सुकृतं कृतम्।
अद्य मे सफलं यज्ञः कृतार्थः कृतवानहम्॥२६
त्वदर्थं कल्पितं चैव मम सर्वस्वमेव हि।
धनौघं रत्नराशिं च भूषणं धान्यसञ्चयम्॥२७
ग्रामं वा नगरं वाऽपि राष्ट्रं वा यानमेव वा।
हस्त्यश्वरथपत्तीनां संग्रहश्चान्यदेव वा॥२८
किमिच्छसि महाबाहो तद्ददामि तवानघ॥२९
एवमुक्तस्तदा राज्ञा भगवान् पुरुषोत्तमः।
उवाचैर्नं स्मितं कृत्वा यजमानं महाबलिम्॥३०
एतैः किं मम राजेन्द्र तैस्तु नास्ति प्रयोजनम्।
अस्मत् पादत्रयाक्रान्तां देहि भूमिं विभो मम॥३१
श्रुत्वा तद्वामनेनोक्तं स्मितं कृत्वाऽसुरोत्तमः।
येनेष्टं पूर्त्यते ब्रह्मन् तत् कुर्मेति ततोऽब्रवीत्॥३२
वामनाय महीं दातुं निश्चितेऽसुरसत्तमे।
तं निवार्य महाराजं प्राह शुक्रो द्विजोत्तमः॥३३
विरिञ्चभवशक्राद्या योगिनश्च सुरासुराः।
यं न जानन्ति देवाश्च स देवो विष्णुरव्ययः॥३४
दानारक्ते ततः शुक्रे शुक्रं राजपुरोहितम्।
गृहीत्वा ताडयामास वैनतेयो महाबलः॥३५
पत्न्या सह विनिश्चित्य यजमानो महाबलिः।
मायारूपेण देवेशो मम यज्ञं गतो यदि।३६
तदैतद्यज्ञसाफल्यमेवमस्त्विति चाब्रवीत्॥३७
इति मत्वोदकं दत्तं वामनाय महात्मने।
तवपादत्रयाक्रान्तं गृहाणाद्य महीं प्रभो॥३८
उदके स्पृष्टमात्रे तु विश्वरूपधरो हरिः।
तत्रस्थ एव ववृधे येन पूर्णं जगत्त्रयम्॥३९
सायुधैर्बाहुभिः पूर्णं दिग्विदिक् सर्वमेव हि॥४०
तं दृष्ट्वाऽसुरराजेन्द्रो वामनत्वाच्च विस्मितः।
माधवोऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा पूजयामास धर्मतः।
पूजितस्तेन धर्मात्मा सर्वलोकहिताय वै॥४१
त्रीन् क्रमानथ भिक्षित्वा प्रतिगृह्य च वामनाः।
आक्रम्य लोकान् लोकात्मा सर्वलोकहिते रतः॥४२
महेन्द्राय पुनः प्रादान्नियम्य बलिमोजसा।
त्रैलोक्यं स महातेजाश्चक्रे शक्र्वशं पुनः॥४३
तेनैष पूर्वमाक्रान्त आश्रमः श्रमनाशनः।
मयाऽपि भक्त्या तस्यैव वामनस्योपभुज्यते॥४४
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