Shloka 27

Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Sages’ Inquiry, and Hari as Supreme with an Avatāra-Outline

Devanagari script

पञ्चदशं वामनको भूत्वागादध्वरं बलेः / पाद त्रयं याचमानः प्रत्यादित्सुस्त्रिविष्टपम्

Transliteration

pañcadaśaṃ vāmanako bhūtvāgādadhvaraṃ baleḥ / pāda trayaṃ yācamānaḥ pratyāditsustriviṣṭapam

Translation

في التجلي الخامس عشر، صار فامَنَة (Vāmana) وذهب إلى قربان بالي؛ طالبًا ثلاث خطوات من الأرض، فاستعاد للآلهة تريفِشْتَپَ (Triviṣṭapa)—السماء.

Word by Word

• pañcadaśam: the fifteenth (incarnation)
• pañcadaśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcadaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (ordinal)

• vāmanakaḥ: Vamana (the dwarf)
• vāmanakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāmanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• agāt: went
• agāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (अद्यतनभूत/Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• adhvaram: to the sacrifice
• adhvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• baleḥ: of Bali
• baleḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• pāda: a step/foot-measure
• pāda: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समास/समुच्चयार्थे ‘पादत्रयम्’ हेतु)

• trayam: three
• trayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-विशेषण (pāda)

• yācamānaḥ: requesting, begging
• yācamānaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāc (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक

• pratyāditsuḥ: desiring to take back/claim
• pratyāditsuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati-ā-dā (धातु)
• Form: इच्छार्थकृदन्त (तुमुन्-प्राय/उत्सुक ‘-त्सु’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘प्रत्यादातुम् इच्छन्’

• triviṣṭapam: Trivishtapa (heaven)
• triviṣṭapam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri + viṣṭapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘त्रयाणां विष्टपानां (लोकानां) समाहारः’ = स्वर्ग

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even great power and merit must submit to cosmic order; divine grace can arrive in humble form.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara’s māyā and līlā: the Infinite appears finite to restore ṛta/dharma.

Application: Practice generosity and humility; keep vows aligned with dharma; recognize that outcomes are governed by a higher order.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: ritual ground

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.1 (avatāra sequence: Vāmana)

Characters & Entities

• Vamana
• Bali
• Trivishtapa
• Devas

FAQs

What is the importance of Vāmana’s ‘three steps’ in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights Vishnu’s dharmic strategy: by asking for only three paces, Vāmana lawfully restrains Bali’s overreach and restores heaven (Triviṣṭapa) to the Devas.

How does this verse connect sacrifice (adhvara) with divine order?

By entering Bali’s adhvara, Vishnu shows that yajña is a lawful arena where cosmic balance can be corrected—power is subordinated to vow, truth, and ritual propriety.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Keep promises and act within dharma: ethical boundaries and integrity can resolve conflicts more powerfully than force, just as Vāmana restores order through a principled request.