Sri Jayadeva Gosvami says:
chalayasi vikramane balim adbhuta-vamana
pada-nakha-nira janita jana-pavana
kesava dhrta-vamana-rupa jaya jagadisa hare
"All glories to Lord Kesava, who assumed the form of a dwarf. O Lord of the universe, who takes away everything inauspicious for the devotees! O wonderful Vamanadeva! You tricked the great demon Bali Maharaja by Your steps. The water that touched the nails of Your lotus feet when You pierced through the covering of the universe purifies all living entities in the form of the River Ganges."
Vamana Dvadasi -- the appearance anniversary of Lord Vamanadeva, the dwarf incarnation of Lord Krsna.
VAMANADEVA is Lord Krsna's incarnation as a dwarf brahmana. Lord Vamanadeva begged from Bali Maharaja three paces of land. When the request was granted, Lord Vamanadeva assumed a gigantic form and with two steps covered first the earth and then the entire universe. For the third step, Bali Maharaja was then pleased to receive the Lord's lotus foot on his head. (See Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.19, 2.7.17 and Eighth Canto, chapters 20-23.)
 A brahmana or sannyasi is qualified to ask charity from others, but if he takes more than necessary he is punishable. No one can use more of the Supreme Lord's property than necessary. Lord Vamanadeva indirectly indicated to Bali Maharaja that he was occupying more land than he needed. In the material world, all distresses are due to extravagance. One acquires money extravagantly and also spends it extravagantly. Such activities are sinful. All property belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and all living beings, who are sons of the Supreme Lord, have the right to use the Supreme Father's property, but one cannot take more than necessary. This principle should especially be followed by brahmanas and sannyasis who live at the cost of others. >>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 8.19.17 Urukrama is a name for Lord Vamanadeva, who performed the wonderful act of occupying the three worlds with three footsteps. Lord Vamanadeva requested three paces of land from Maharaja Bali, and when Maharaja Bali agreed to grant them, the Lord immediately covered the entire world with two footsteps, and for His third step He placed His foot upon Bali Maharaja's head. Sri Jayadeva Gosvami says: chalayasi vikramane balim adbhuta-vamana pada-nakha-nira janita jana-pavana kesava dhrta-vamana-rupa jaya jagadisa hare "All glories to Lord Kesava, who assumed the form of a dwarf. O Lord of the universe, who takes away everything inauspicious for the devotees! O wonderful Vamanadeva! You tricked the great demon Bali Maharaja by Your steps. The water that touched the nails of Your lotus feet when You pierced through the covering of the universe purifies all living entities in the form of the River Ganges." Since the Supreme Lord is all-powerful, He can do things that seem wonderful for a common man. Similarly, a devotee who has taken shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord can also do wonderful things. unimaginable to a common man, by the grace of the dust of those lotus feet. Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore teaches us to take shelter of the Lord's lotus feet: Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.19 Los Angeles, September 24, 1972 Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) pancadasam vamanakam krtvagad adhvaram baleh pada-trayam yacamanah pratyaditsus tri-pistapam .ve Translation: ``In the fifteenth incarnation, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf-brahmana, Vamana, and visited the arena of sacrifice arranged by Maharaja Bali. Although at heart He was willing to regain the kingdom of the three planetary systems, He simply asked for a donation of three steps of land.'' Prabhupada: So Vamanadeva. .vs chalayasi vikramane balim adbhuta-vamana pada-nakha-nira-janita-jana-pavana kesava-dhrta vamana-sarira jaya jagadisa hare .ve So Bali Maharaja, he was the grandson of Prahlada Maharaja. They were in the demon's family. But in the demon's family also, there is sometimes Prahlada Maharaja, Bali Maharaja. Prahlada and Bali, they are our acaryas. There are twelve bona fide acaryas. Balir vaiyasakir vayam. The acaryas are mentioned. Dvadasa-mahajana. Svayambhuh. Svayambhuh means Lord Brahma. (aside:) Don't make sound. Svayambhu, Narada. Narada is also one of the authorities. They have been accepted at (as) authority for understanding religious principles. Religious principle is not to be understood by from a rascal. No, that anyone comes and says religious topics. No. We have to receive it from the authority. So Bali Maharaja is one of the authorities. Out of the twelve authorities, first is Lord Brahma; the next, Narada; the next, Lord Siva; then next, the Kumaras; then Kapiladeva; then Manu, Vaivasvata Manu; then Prahlada Maharaja; then Janaka Maharaja; then Bhismadeva; then Bali Maharaja; then Sukadeva Gosvami; and then Yamaraja. It is stated in the sastra that mahajana-yena gatah panthah. You cannot understand transcendental subject matter simply by dry speculation and argument. You cannot understand. Neither by reading Vedic literature. The conclusion is that you have to follow those who are authorities. Mahajana yena. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam mahajana-yena gatah# sva-pantha. Guha. Guha means the cave, mountain cave, and guha means the heart. So suppose something is very valuable is there in the cave of the mountain, and you do not know how to search it out. But if you know somebody who knows it, if you follow him, that ``He is going there so I may also follow...'' So religious principles cannot be manufactured, neither it can be made by speculation. So actually, there cannot be many religions. The rascal theory that ``There are as many religious system as I can believe... You believe something, that's all right. I believe something, that's all right. He believes something, that's all right.'' No. It is not like that. Then everyone will believe like any nonsense thing, that becomes religion? No. Religion means dharman tu saksat bhagavat-pranitam. Religion means the codes, the laws, given by God. That is religion. Man cannot manufacture. I have several times explained. Just like law, state law. The state law can be given by the government. You cannot manufacture law. Nobody will care for your law. The state law is that ``You must keep right your car. As soon as there is red light, you must stop.'' If you violate, you will be punished, although it is very simple thing. Similarly, religion means the law of God. You cannot violate it. If you violate, then you will be punished. If you think that ``This religious system is very stiff. Let me manufacture my own religion,'' so that kind of religion is not accepted by the Vedic culture. And when actually the real religion is violated... Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati... Glanir means violation. Tadatmanam srjamy aham. At that time the Supreme Lord or His representative comes to establish real religion. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. .vs ...dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge. .ve Dharma-samstha... Real religious principle. Real religious principle means to abide by the laws of the Supreme Lord, God. But they do not believe in God. ``Everyone is God. I am God, you are God, he is God, everyone is God. So whatever law you give yourself, that becomes your religion.'' This is going on. So God is not so cheap that you become God, I become God, he becomes God. The sastra says, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Isvarah paramah krsnah. God is Krsna, the Supreme Lord, the original God. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda. God, Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat: ``There is no superior authority than Me.'' The Vedanta-sutra also says, janmady asya yatah. The original source of everything. Who is that original source? God. Who is that God? Krsna. Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavah mattah sarvam pravartate. ``I am the origin of everything.'' Iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah. ``Those who are budha...'' Budha means one who knows, one who is in the knowledge. Bhava-samanvitah. Bhava-samanvitah, knowing everything in ecstasy, ``Oh, here is God.''# Budha bhava-samanvitah. .vs aham sarvasya prabhava mattah sarvam pravartate iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitah .ve So everything is there. God is there. His name is there. His address is there. His law is there. Everything is there. But the rascals will not accept it. That is the position. Therefore we have to follow the mahajana. So Bali Maharaja is one of the mahajana. How he became mahajana? Because he's surrendering fully unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This Vamanadeva, incarnation of... Kesava-dhrta vamana-sarira. So the incident is that Bali Maharaja was very powerful, and he conquered the whole universe, even the demigods all. So Visnu is always in favor of the demigods because demigods, they are also devotees. The difference between sura and asura... Asura means envious of the demigods. That is called asura. Sura-dvisa. The another name of the asura, ``those who are envious of devotees.'' That is the only business. There, two classes of men are always there. Sometimes one class in more in number, and other class is more in number. But two classes. Dvau bhuta-sargau loke. ``There are two classes of men, living entities.'' Daiva asura eva ca. ``One is called daiva, demigods, and the other is called asura.'' So who is daiva? Visnu-bhakta bhavet daiva. ``Those who are devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, they are called demigods, or Vaisnava.'' All Vaisnavas are demigods. And those who are not... Asuras tad viparyaya. ``Anyone opposite number, against Visnu, they are all called asuras.'' So sometimes in asura's family also, there are Vaisnavas. By the grace of Narada. Narada makes... Just like Prahlada Maharaja became a great devotee by the grace of Narada, although he was born of a father, atheist father, Hiranyakasipu. So Narada Muni's business is to travel all over the universe and make Vaisnava. So this Bali Maharaja, he conquered all over the universe, and the demigods were defeated. So Vamanadeva, He also one of the considered demigods, Upendra. So He went to Bali Maharaja by a trick. Because Bali Maharaja... Krsna knows that Bali Maharaja was the grandson of Prahlada Maharaja and he was a great devotee at heart. He knew that. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati. Lord is situated in everyone's heart. He knows everyone. So therefore, in order to return back the kingdoms taken from the demigods, He made a trick. He went there. Bali Maharaja was performing a great sacrifice, Bali-dhare. So He went there and asked Bali Maharaja, ``Bali Maharaja, you are performing such a great sacrifice. I am at your door. I am brahmana. Will you kindly give Me some donation?'' ``Yes, why not? That is my... I will give you. Whatever You want, I will give You.'' So immediately his spiritual master, the demon's spiritual master Sukracarya... Sukracarya means... Sukra means semina. Seminal acarya. Means... You do not know. In India, there is a class of men, they are called gurus. The professional guru, rather. So Sukracarya. Sukracarya, he was very learned scholar. He knew everything, that ``Here Vamanadeva, He is incarnation of Visnu. He has come to cheat Bali. He will ask something and then He will take everything from Bali.'' He knew it. So sometimes cheating also done by the Supreme Lord for the sake of the devotee. So this is not cheating. Just like father sometimes cheats a son. Suppose something is there, and two brothers, small children, they are fighting. One has taken, another is crying. So the one will not deliver to the other. So father says, ``My dear child, will you kindly give me this.'' So he gives to the father and he delivers to the other child. (laughter) You see? So sometimes God has to do such cheating of affection. That is not cheating actually. But the cheating propensity is there in God. Otherwise where we get it? (laughter) But we use cheating for our personal sense gratification. But if you use that cheating propensity for Krsna's satisfaction, then it is all right. Manimiti krtam papam punyayaiva kalpate.(?) So the Bali Maharaja was cheated by... But he, being cheated, he became conquerer. So this Sukracarya said to Bali Maharaja, ``Don't promise to this Vamana anything. He is Lord Visnu. He has come to cheat you.'' Bali Maharaja became more enlightened. ``Oh, He is Lord Visnu? But you have taught me that everything should be given to Visnu. So if Visnu has come at my door, why you are asking not to make any promise?'' So that means Sukracarya were playing duplicity. He taught something, and now he's saying another thing. Therefore Bali Maharaja said that ``I cannot accept. I give up your company from this day, that you are checking me to offer everything to Visnu. Oh, I do not want such spiritual master'' So that means... That is the sastric injunction, that anyone who is not a Visnu devotee, or Vaisnava, he cannot become guru. That is the injunction of the sastra. Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah. A brahmana, very learned, he knows his duties, brahminical duties very well... Just like Sukracarya. Sat-karma-nipunah. Sat-karma-nipunah. Brahmana have got six kinds of occupation: pathan pathan yajan yajan dana-pratigrahah. Brahmana should be very learned, he should teach others also Vedic knowledge, pathan pathan. Yajan yajan. He must be devotee or great worshiper, and he should teach others also how to worship. Yajan yajan. Dana pratigraha. He will accept charity from others, and he will give in charity again to others. These are the six occupation of a brahmana. So sastra says,# sat-karma-nipuno viprah, ``A brahmana, well conversed with these duties of brahminical duties,'' and mantra-tantra-visaradah, ``and expert in studying the mantras, Vedic mantras, and tantra, other Vedic literature,'' avaisnava gurur na sa syat, ``but if he is avaisnava,'' means he does not worship Lord Visnu but other demigods, ``then he cannot become guru.'' That is not allowed. You cannot become guru. Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra... So this Sukracarya, he was against Visnu. So Bali Maharaja immediately rejected him. Therefore he became a mahajana, exemplary. Because you cannot give up your spiritual master. That is a great sin. Once accepted, the spiritual master takes responsibility for the disciple. And disciple also must be obedient to the spiritual master for life, for good. That is the relationship. So if one rejects spiritual master, he becomes a great sinner, most sinful. So Bali Maharaja rejected his spiritual master. That's a great sin. But he rejected on sastric ground, because he objected for Visnu worship. Therefore such spiritual master should be rejected. Should be rejected. Therefore he became mahajana, authority. Anyone who is obstruction to worship the Supreme Lord, he should be rejected immediately. That is bhakti. Anakulyasya sankalpah pratikulyam vivarjanan. Anything favorable for advancement of Krsna consciousness should be accepted; anything unfavorable, that should be rejected. This is saranagati. Anakulyena krsnanusilanam. We have to worship Krsna, whatever is favorable. It is not that because the microphone is material, therefore I cannot use it. There are some so-called transcendentalists... Why not? If I speak through the microphone, I can serve better Krsna. Why shall I not accept it? So anakulyena krsnanusilanam. Anything which is favorable for serving Krsna, we shall accept. After all, everything belongs to Krsna. Isavasyam idam sarvam. Nothing belongs to you. Simply we are thieves. We are using Krsna's property for our own sense gratification. Stena eva sa ucyate. All thieves. So just like this Bali Maharaja, he conquered. So actually nothing belongs to Bali Maharaja, but he thought.... So Krsna, to save him from this theft criminality, He approached him, ``My dear Bali Maharaja, will you kindly give Me three feet land.'' So after rejecting his spiritual master, who opposed, he promised, ``Yes, I shall give.'' So by one feet the whole lower portion of the universe was covered. The other feet, the upper portion of the universe was covered. Still, the third feet remained. So Vamanadeva asked, ``Now, Bali Maharaja, all your possession is now covered by My two feet. Where is to keep the other feet?'' Bali Maharaja said, ``Yes, there is place. You just put Your feet, foot on my head.'' So in this way Bali Maharaja surrendered everything. Sarvatma-svapane. He, personal property and the personal body, everything dedicated to Krsna. He became mahajana. There are nine processes of bhakti: .vs sravanam kirtanam visnu smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasya sakhyam atma-nivedanam .ve So Bali Maharaja dedicated atma-nivedana, everything: his property, his personal body, everything. So in exchange, Vamana, Lord Vamana became his doorkeeper. So Vamanadeva said, ``My dear Bali Maharaja, you are so great a devotee. So in return for your service, I shall remain always your doorkeeper.'' So by offering everything to Krsna, nobody is loser. You must always remem... They are gainer, the best gainer. Because after all, everything belongs to Krsna. Why should we foolishly say, ``It is mine, it is mine?'' Aham mameti. Janasya moho 'yam. This is called illusion. Nothing belongs to me, but I think that ``This is mine, this is mine, this is mine.'' The whole world is going on (like) that. Aham mameti. ``We are Americans,'' ``We are Indians,'' ``This belongs to me,'' ``That belongs to you.'' We make such, I mean to say, shareholder. But shareholder for other's property. Everything belongs to God. Not only this# world--there are many millions and millions of planet. Sarva-loka mahesvaram. Loka means planet. Krsna says, sarva-loka-mahesvaram. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka... He is the proprietor. But we are dividing: ``This is American,'' ``This is Indian.'' But how long you will remain American and Indian? Say, fifty years. Then if you are going to be a dog, then who is saving your country? This is going on. Nothing belongs to us, except everything belongs to Krsna, and we are all offspring of Krsna. Everyone has got the right to father's property, but not to encroach others' property. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha ma grdhah kasyasvid dhanam. If people accept this philosophy, then the whole world becomes Vaikuntha. There is no quarrel. There is no... Everything becomes happy. Thank you very much. (end) (c) 1991 by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 2: Chapter Seven, Text 17 TRANSLATION The Lord, although transcendental to all material modes, still surpassed all the qualities of the sons of Aditi, known as the Adityas. The Lord appeared as the youngest son of Aditi. And because He surpassed all the planets of the universe, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. On the pretense of asking for a measurement of three footsteps of land, He took away all the lands of Bali Maharaja. He asked simply because without begging, no authority can take one's rightful possession. PURPORT The history of Bali Maharaja and his charity to Vamanadeva is described in the Eighth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bali Maharaja conquered all the planets of the universe by rightful possession. A king can conquer other kings by strength, and such possession is considered to be rightful. So Bali Maharaja possessed all the lands of the universe, and he happened to be charitably disposed toward the brahmanas. The Lord therefore pretended to be a beggar brahmana, and He asked Bali Maharaja for a measurement of three footsteps of land. The Lord, as the proprietor of everything, could take from Bali Maharaja all the land he possessed, but he did not do so because Bali Maharaja possessed all those lands by king's rights. When Bali Maharaja was asked by Lord Vamana for such small charity, Bali Maharaja's spiritual master, namely Sukracarya, objected to this proposal because he knew that Vamanadeva was Visnu Himself, pretending to be a beggar. Bali Maharaja did not agree to abide by the order of his spiritual master when he understood that the beggar was Visnu Himself, and he at once agreed to give Him in charity the land requested. By this agreement Lord Vamana covered all the lands of the universe with His first two steps and then asked Bali Maharaja where to place the third step. Bali Maharaja was very glad to receive the Lord's remaining step upon his head, and thus Bali Maharaja, instead of losing everything he possessed, was blessed by the Lord's becoming his constant companion and doorman. So, by giving everything to the cause of the Lord, one does not lose anything, but he gains everything that he could never otherwise expect. |
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