Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 20
Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and the Lord’s Unlimited Incarnations
देवासुरे युधि च दैत्यपतीन् सुरार्थे हत्वान्तरेषु भुवनान्यदधात् कलाभि: । भूत्वाथ वामन इमामहरद् बले: क्ष्मां याच्ञाच्छलेन समदाददिते: सुतेभ्य: ॥ २० ॥
devāsure yudhi ca daitya-patīn surārthe hatvāntareṣu bhuvanāny adadhāt kalābhiḥ bhūtvātha vāmana imām aharad baleḥ kṣmāṁ yācñā-cchalena samadād aditeḥ sutebhyaḥ
The Supreme Lord regularly takes advantage of the wars between the demons and demigods to kill the leaders of the demons. The Lord thus encourages the demigods by protecting the universe through His various incarnations during the reigns of each Manu. The Lord also appeared as Vāmana and took the earth away from Bali Mahārāja on the plea of begging three steps of land. The Lord then returned the entire world to the sons of Aditi.
FAQs
This verse states that the Lord became Vāmana and, by the strategy of asking for charity, reclaimed the earth from Bali and returned it to Aditi’s sons, restoring the rightful order.
The verse highlights divine strategy: by a humble request, the Lord accomplished cosmic restoration while simultaneously revealing Bali’s virtue and the Lord’s supremacy without relying on brute force.
It teaches that dharma can be protected through wisdom and humility, and that apparent reversals in power can serve a higher purpose when aligned with the Divine will.