Shreemad Bhagavat Mahapuran- Canto: 8, Chapters: 20-23
When King Bali decided to donate three steps of land to Bhagwan Vaman, his guru, Shukracharya, felt that his disciple had lost reverence for him and was disobeying his command. Prompted by divine will, Shukracharya cursed Bali, even though Bali was truthful, generous, and righteous; thus, not truly deserving of a curse.
Shukracharya said, “Fool! Though ignorant, you consider yourself wise. You have disobeyed my instruction. Therefore, you shall soon lose all your wealth.”
Yet, even after hearing this, King Bali did not deviate from the path of truth. At that moment, his wife Vindhyavali arrived, carrying a golden pot filled with water to wash the feet of Bhagwan. Bali lovingly washed the soft feet of Bhagwan Vaman and sanctified that holy water by pouring it on his own head. He then formally resolved to give the three steps of land.
At that time, from the heavens, the devas, gandharvas, siddhas, and charanas began showering flowers and glorifying Bali, “Ah! How blessed is this generous King Bali! He has donated the three worlds even to his enemy. Such greatness is rare indeed!”
Just then, an extraordinary event occurred. The little form of Bhagwan Vaman began to grow. He expanded so immensely that the earth, sky, directions, heavens, underworld, oceans, all creatures, animals, birds, humans, gods, and sages were all absorbed into His cosmic form. King Bali, along with the priests, acharyas, and all present at the sacrifice, witnessed that the five elements, the senses and their objects, the inner faculties, and the entire universe were all contained within the body of the Supreme Being.
Bali beheld the vast cosmic form of Bhagwan Vaman. The underworld (Rasatal) lay beneath His feet, and the Earth rested upon them. Mighty mountains rose in His calves, the Maruts, the gods of wind dwelt in His thighs, and twilight (Sandhya) shimmered in the folds of His garments. Prajapati, the lord of creation, was veiled in His loins. The sky stretched from His navel, and the oceans flowed around His waist. Stars sparkled upon His chest, Dharma resided in His heart, and Truth radiated from His bosom. The Moon softened His mind, the Sama Ved echoed in His throat, Agni blazed within His mouth, and the Sun shone brilliantly in His eyes. In that divine form, Bali witnessed not just a Vaman but the entire cosmos embodied in the Supreme Being.
In His hair, Bali saw the drifting clouds; in His nostrils, the power of air; in His speech, the eternal Vedas; and on His tongue, Varuna, the god of waters. Day and night blinked within His eyelids, wrath shone on His forehead, and greed rested on His lips. Desire stirred in His sense of touch, Adharma (unrighteousness) loomed on His back, sacrifice echoed in His footsteps, and death cast its shadow beneath Him.
Bali beheld herbs sprouting from the pores of His divine skin, rivers flowing through His veins, and mountains embedded in His nails. Within His intellect shone Brahma and all the devatas. Witnessing the entire universe contained in the form of Bhagwan, the asuras trembled in awe and fear, realising that this was no ordinary Brahmin child, but the Supreme Himself.
At that moment, Bhagwan’s divine weapons and attendants appeared by His side- The Sudarshan Chakra, the Sharnga bow, the Panchajanya conch, the Kaumodaki mace, a shield marked with a hundred moon-like symbols, the sword named Vidyadhar, two quivers filled with infinite arrows, and His eternal associates like Sunanda and the Lokapals (guardians of the directions) came forward to serve Him.
Bhagwan now revealed Himself in full divine splendour —a radiant crown graced His head, armlets adorned His mighty arms, and makara-shaped earrings sparkled in His ears. The auspicious Shree Vatsa mark glowed on His chest beside the divine Kaustubha jewel. A golden waistband encircled His waist, and yellow silk draped gracefully over His shoulder. Around His neck hung the Vanamala, alive with bees intoxicated by its divine fragrance.
Bhagwan Vaman then measured the entire Earth with His first step, covering all of King Bali’s kingdom. With His divine body, He enveloped the sky, and with His arms, He spanned all directions. With His second step, He measured the heavens. There was not even a speck left for Him to place His third step. Bali had nothing left to offer.
That second divine step extended upward beyond Maharlok, Janalok, and Tapolok, reaching all the way to Satyalok, the highest celestial realm. The radiance of Bhagwan’s lotus feet dazzled even Brahmaji, who, along with Marichi, Sanaka and other sages, yogis, and rishis, came forward in awe to welcome Him. The Vedas, Puranas, laws of Dharma, and great ascetics all bow to those very feet, as it is the remembrance of His divine feet that enables one to reach Brahmalok.
Brahmaji, filled with devotion, washed the feet of Vaman Bhagwan and sang His glories. The sacred water that flowed from His feet became Ganga, the celestial river that continues to purify all three worlds to this day.
When Bhagwan Vaman withdrew His colossal cosmic form, Brahma and the other gods offered Him various divine gifts in devotion, including garlands, fragrances, lamps, and more. Jambavanji beat the celestial drums in all four directions, announcing Bhagwan’s divine victory.
Meanwhile, as the asuras watched Vaman Bhagwan claim everything under the pretext of asking for “just three steps of land,” they grew furious. Realising that this was no ordinary Brahmin but Vishnu Himself, they rushed forward to fight. But Bali stopped them. With calm wisdom, he said, "All this happens according to time (Kaal). Once, the same time had brought us victory; now, it brings us defeat. This is not the moment for war."
He pacified the asuras, urging them to exercise restraint. Soon, Bhagwan’s attendants defeated the daityas, and Garudji bound King Bali with the noose of Varun. Though Bali had lost everything — his wealth, his freedom, his mind — his resolve remained unwavering. His greatness and generosity were praised throughout the three worlds.
At that moment, Bhagwan said to Bali, “You had promised to give Me three steps of land. Before your very eyes, with My first step, I covered the Earth, the skies, and all directions with My body. With My second step, I measured the heavens. Thus, everything you possessed has now become Mine. I have now measured the entire Trilok in two steps. Now, fulfil your promise and offer the third. Since you are unable to uphold your vow, enter Narak (hell). You took pride in being wealthy, and after making a solemn vow to give, you have deceived Me. Now, for this falsehood, you must suffer the results in Narak for a few years.”
But as soon as Bhagwan punished and attempted to humiliate Bali, he remained entirely unshaken. With great composure, he responded, “If You consider me untruthful, then please place Your third step upon my head. I have no fear of Narak, losing my kingdom, being bound, or suffering torment. My only fear is of dishonour. Even punishment from elders leads to welfare. You have assumed a hidden form to impart wisdom to the asuras. You are our true Guru. When we are blinded by arrogance, You are the one who strips everything away and opens our eyes. Even enmity with You has led asuras to attain perfection, a state that great yogis strive to reach through intense austerities. That You are punishing me is not a cause of shame or pain for me.”
He then remembered his grandfather, Prahladji, and said, “My revered ancestor Prahladji also surrendered to Your feet, despite facing persecution from his own father, Hiranyakashipu. He realised the futility of this world and turned to Your devotion with complete detachment.”
“I, too, believe that wealth, relatives, wife, and home are all illusions of maya. When death is inevitable, attachment to these is only a loss of inner strength and precious time. O Lord! Even if You are against me, it is still a blessing to be stripped of power and possessions and be brought to Your lotus feet. For material wealth clouds the intellect, and one forgets the fleeting nature of life.”
As King Bali was speaking, Prahladji arrived. Since Bali was bound in Varun’s noose, he could not greet his grandfather as before. He became emotional, tears welled up in his eyes, and he bowed his head in reverence.
Prahladji saw his beloved Bhagwan seated there, with divine attendants serving Him. Overcome with love, tears streamed down his face. He offered full prostration at Bhagwan’s feet and said, “O Lord! You had once given Bali the glorious position of Indra, and now You have Yourself freed him from it. Your grace is infinite, even Your giving is auspicious, and so is Your taking away. Royal opulence can bewilder even the wise, but You have saved Bali from its illusion; this is Your greatest kindness. I bow to that Shree Hari who resides in everyone’s heart, who is the eternal witness, and who always acts for the welfare of the universe.”
As Prahladji stood with folded hands, Brahmaji said, “O Lord! You are the master of all beings. Bali has surrendered everything to You- the Earth, the heavens, his virtues, and even himself. He does not deserve punishment. Even one who worships You with simple water or a blade of grass attains the highest destination. Bali has offered the entire Trilok to You with faith and patience, how can he be subject to suffering?”
Bhagwan replied, “Brahmaji, when I shower grace upon someone, I often take away their wealth, for in pride, they tend to insult Me and others. This soul wanders through countless births according to its karma, and only when I bestow My special mercy does it attain the rare human form. If a human being is blessed with high birth, beauty, knowledge, power, and wealth, yet remains free of pride, know that it is due to My special grace.”
“Bali, a great soul who is the pride of both the daitya and danav lineages, has conquered this powerful bondage of maya. Even after losing everything —his wealth, his kingdom, being bound and cursed by his guru, and insulted —he never abandoned truth or righteousness. I Myself tested him through deceit, yet he upheld his vow. Therefore, I have granted him a position that is rare even among the devas.”
“In the next Manvantar (the Savarni Manvantar), he shall attain the position of Indra. Until then, he shall reside in Sutal Lok, a realm crafted by Vishwakarma. That place is so divine that there is no disease, no fatigue, and no physical or mental distress. The beings there always dwell under My protective gaze.”
Then Bhagwan said to Bali, “O Indrasen! May you be blessed. Go now to Sutal Lok and reside there happily with your family. No Lokpal shall be able to defeat you. If any asura disobeys you, My Sudarshan Chakra will destroy them. I shall personally protect you, your attendants, and all your possessions, and you will always find Me near you. By My presence, even your asuric nature shall be purified.”
When Bhagwan said this, Bali replied in a choked voice, “O Lord! I had not even properly offered You my full prostration; it was merely an attempt, yet You have given me the same reward You grant to fully surrendered devotees. The grace You have shown to a lowly asura like me has not been granted even to the greatest devas.”
Saying this, Bali was released from Varun’s bonds. He offered salutations to Bhagwan, Brahmaji, and Shankarji, and with joy in his heart, he departed with the asuras to Sutal Lok.
When Prahladji saw the extraordinary mercy Bhagwan had showered upon his grandson Bali, he became overwhelmed with devotion and praised Bhagwan, “O Lord! Even Brahma, Shankar, and Lakshmi do not easily receive such grace, and today, You have become the protector of asuras like us! Your divine play is wondrous. You, the omniscient and impartial One, still choose to be biased out of love for Your devotees. You are like the wish-fulfilling Kalpavriksha for Your devotees, giving them even more than they ask, out of affection.”
Bhagwan replied, “Dear Prahlad, you too go with Bali to Sutal Lok and reside there joyfully. You shall behold Me constantly there. In My presence, all your karmic bonds will be cut.” Prahladji folded his hands and said, “As You command,” and circumambulated Bhagwan before setting out for Sutal Lok.
After this, Bhagwan asked Shukracharya to complete the remaining rituals of the sacrifice. Shukracharya responded, “Simply remembering Your name removes all flaws in sacrifices, but even so, obeying Your command is the highest Dharma.” He then completed the final rites of Bali’s yajna.
Vaman Bhagwan returned the lost kingdom of Swarg to Indra. Then, in a grand ceremony attended by Brahmaji, devas, sages, and divine beings, Bhagwan Vaman was consecrated as Upendra, the protector of all worlds. Indra welcomed Bhagwan onto his celestial chariot and took Him to Swarg. There, Indra regained his throne, now blessed with protection from Bhagwan. All the gods celebrated with grandeur and relief. Brahma, Shiva, sages, and the rest of the celestial beings sang praises of Bhagwan’s divine Leela and then returned to their respective realms.
Finally, Shree Shukadevji said to King Parikshit, “This is the divine story of Bhagwan Vaman that I have narrated to you. Merely hearing it with faith destroys all sins. Whoever listens to this sacred Leela of Bhagwan Vaman with devotion shall attain the supreme destination.”
Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Shreemad Bhagavat Katha [Hindi]- 25.07.2025
