Shloka 107
The Greatness of the Gaṅgā: Purification, Ancestor Rites, and Liberation
छद्मना छलितः पूर्वं बलिर्बलवतां वरः । ततः पादद्वयेनैव क्रांतं सर्वं महीतलम्
chadmanā chalitaḥ pūrvaṃ balirbalavatāṃ varaḥ | tataḥ pādadvayenaiva krāṃtaṃ sarvaṃ mahītalam
Antaño, Bali —el más excelso entre los poderosos— fue engañado mediante un disfraz; luego, con sólo dos pasos, fue recorrido todo el ámbito de la tierra.
Not explicitly specified in the provided excerpt (context likely narratorial within the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa account of Vāmana/Trivikrama and Bali).
Concept: Divine strategy (māyā/veṣa) can serve dharma: Vishnu’s ‘disguise’ leads to the restoration of cosmic balance through the Trivikrama strides.
Application: Recognize that egoic strength can be redirected by humility; accept corrective turns in life as opportunities to align with dharma and surrender to a higher order.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: earthly
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Vāmana, the small brahmacārin, stands before Bali’s sacrificial pavilion; in the next instant he expands into Trivikrama, towering beyond clouds. With two colossal steps he spans the earth—one foot planted on mountains, the other sweeping across oceans—while the horizon bends under divine measure.","primary_figures":["Vāmana/Trivikrama (Viṣṇu)","Bali","Śukrācārya (optional, as Bali’s guru)","Devas and astonished onlookers"],"setting":"Sacrificial arena transitioning into a cosmic vista of earth, oceans, and sky; the stride itself becomes the landscape.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["deep indigo","sunlit gold","cloud white","emerald green","ocean teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: split-moment composition—left shows small Vāmana before Bali’s yajña, right shows colossal Trivikrama spanning the cosmos; gold leaf on Vishnu’s crown, halo, and the arc of the stride; rich reds/greens in the yajña pavilion, gem-studded ornaments, ornate arch frame; dramatic scale contrast emphasized with layered clouds and oceans.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: elegant narrative sequence in one frame; delicate Bali and priests at the lower edge, while Trivikrama rises into the sky with refined facial features; cool mountain-like horizon, lyrical clouds, detailed ocean waves; restrained gold accents, emphasis on vast negative space to convey scale.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic Trivikrama pose with one leg raised high, bold outlines and patterned garments; Bali below in añjali; stylized earth and ocean bands; dominant reds/yellows/greens with deep blue background; temple-wall symmetry and decorative borders with chakra motifs.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central Trivikrama figure surrounded by lotus and cloud motifs; deep blue field with gold highlights; ornate floral borders; include cows/peacocks at the lower register as symbolic witnesses; emphasize the sweeping stride across stylized oceans and mountains in Nathdwara-inspired ornamentation."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell blast","thunderous drum","wind roar","astonished crowd hush","temple bells swelling"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: बलिर्बलवतां = बलिः बलवताम्; पादद्वयेनैव = पाद-द्वयेन एव.
FAQs
It points to the Vāmana (dwarf-brāhmaṇa) incarnation’s encounter with King Bali, culminating in the Trivikrama form that spans the cosmos—here emphasizing that the earth was covered with two steps.
It highlights the divine strategy of appearing in a humble form (Vāmana) to test and redirect Bali’s power and pride, presenting a theological motif: the Lord’s māyā can humble even the strongest.
The verse frames a warning about worldly power and overconfidence, while also setting up Bali’s famed generosity and surrender in the broader narrative—suggesting that true greatness is ultimately measured by humility and submission to dharma and the divine.