Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 27
Bali Mahārāja Upholds Truth; Vāmana Reveals the Universal Form and Takes the Two Steps
हृद्यङ्ग धर्मं स्तनयोर्मुरारे- र्ऋतं च सत्यं च मनस्यथेन्दुम् । श्रियं च वक्षस्यरविन्दहस्तां कण्ठे च सामानि समस्तरेफान् ॥ २५ ॥ इन्द्रप्रधानानमरान्भुजेषु तत्कर्णयो: ककुभो द्यौश्च मूर्ध्नि । केशेषु मेघाञ्छ्वसनं नासिकाया- मक्ष्णोश्च सूर्यं वदने च वह्निम् ॥ २६ ॥ वाण्यां च छन्दांसि रसे जलेशं भ्रुवोर्निषेधं च विधिं च पक्ष्मसु । अहश्च रात्रिं च परस्य पुंसो मन्युं ललाटेऽधर एव लोभम् ॥ २७ ॥ स्पर्शे च कामं नृप रेतसाम्भ: पृष्ठे त्वधर्मं क्रमणेषु यज्ञम् । छायासु मृत्युं हसिते च मायां तनूरुहेष्वोषधिजातयश्च ॥ २८ ॥ नदीश्च नाडीषु शिला नखेषु बुद्धावजं देवगणानृषींश्च । प्राणेषु गात्रे स्थिरजङ्गमानि सर्वाणि भूतानि ददर्श वीर: ॥ २९ ॥
hṛdy aṅga dharmaṁ stanayor murārer ṛtaṁ ca satyaṁ ca manasy athendum śriyaṁ ca vakṣasy aravinda-hastāṁ kaṇṭhe ca sāmāni samasta-rephān
He saw the rivers within His veins and the stones within His nails; within His intelligence he beheld Brahmā (Aja), the hosts of devas, and the great ṛṣis. And throughout His prāṇa, His senses, and His entire body he saw all beings—moving and unmoving. Thus Bali Mahārāja beheld the whole universe within the Lord’s virāṭ form.
FAQs
This verse states that the Vedic meters (chandas) are seen within the Lord’s speech, indicating that sacred revelation and the structure of Vedic sound ultimately rest in Him.
In the viśvarūpa vision, cosmic functions are mapped onto the Lord’s body to show that time and its divisions (day and night) operate under the Supreme Person’s control.
Use scriptural “don’ts” (niṣedha) to avoid harmful habits and “do’s” (vidhi) to build daily sādhana and ethical discipline, remembering that dharma reflects the Lord’s own order.