Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 30

Vāmanadeva Praises Bali; the Measure of Three Steps; Śukrācārya Warns Against the Gift

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक्र उवाच एष वैरोचने साक्षाद् भगवान्विष्णुरव्यय: । कश्यपाददितेर्जातो देवानां कार्यसाधक: ॥ ३० ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śukra uvāca eṣa vairocane sākṣād bhagavān viṣṇur avyayaḥ kaśyapād aditer jāto devānāṁ kārya-sādhakaḥ

Translation

Śukrācārya said: O son of Virocana, this brahmacārī in the form of a dwarf is directly the imperishable Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Accepting Kaśyapa Muni as His father and Aditi as His mother, He has now appeared in order to fulfill the interests of the demigods.

Synonyms

• श्री-शुक्रः: Śrī Śukra
• श्री-शुक्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘श्रीमान् शुक्रः’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एषः: this (person)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वैरोचने: O Vairocana (Bali)
• वैरोचने: Sambodhana/Adhikaraṇa (सम्बोधन/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैरोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; संबोधन/सम्बन्धे—‘O Vairocana (Bali)’

• साक्षात्: directly; in person
• साक्षात्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अव्ययः: imperishable
• अव्ययः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कश्यपात्: from Kaśyapa
• कश्यपात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्यप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अदितेः: of Aditi
• अदितेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जातः: born
• जातः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √जन्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कार्य-साधकः: accomplisher of (their) task
• कार्य-साधकः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य-साधक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘कार्यं साधयति’/‘कार्यस्य साधकः’

Characters & Entities

• Bali (Vairocana)
• Virocana
• Viṣṇu
• Kaśyapa
• Aditi
• Devas (demigods)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Vāmana being Viṣṇu Himself?

This verse explicitly states that the person before Bali is sākṣāt Bhagavān Viṣṇu—Viṣṇu directly, the imperishable Supreme Lord.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī call Bali 'Vairocana'?

Vairocana means “descendant of Virocana”; Śukadeva addresses Bali by his lineage to identify him clearly within the daitya dynasty during the Vāmana narrative.

Practical application of recognizing God's purpose in events in modern life?

The verse teaches discernment: behind changing situations may be a higher arrangement—cultivating humility, faith, and dharmic action even when outcomes challenge our plans.