Shloka 58

Vamana's Three Steps — Vamana’s Three Steps and the Binding of Bali

Devanagari script

तथान्यमुत्सवं पुण्यं वृत्ते शक्रमहोत्सवे द्वारप्रतिपदा नाम तव भावी महोत्सवः

Transliteration

tathānyamutsavaṃ puṇyaṃ vṛtte śakramahotsave dvārapratipadā nāma tava bhāvī mahotsavaḥ

Translation

Demikian pula akan muncul satu perayaan suci lainnya: ketika mahā-utsava Śakra berlangsung, akan ada mahā-utsava bagimu bernama “Dvārāpratipadā”.

Speakers

• Trivikrama (Viṣṇu) speaking to Bali

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Trivikrama)
• Indra (Śakra)

Key Themes

• Sacred time and festival observance
• Integration of Indra’s festival with Bali’s commemoration
• Merit through communal rites
• Purāṇic calendrics

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "adbhuta", "secondaryRasa": "shanta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is ‘Dvārāpratipadā’ likely indicating?

It denotes a named observance on a Pratipadā (the first lunar day after new/full moon) associated with a ‘dvāra’ (gate/threshold). In this narrative setting, it functions as a calendrical marker of a festival connected to Bali’s boon, synchronized with (or occurring during) Indra’s great festival.

Why link Bali’s festival with ‘Śakra-mahotsava’ (Indra’s festival)?

The Vāmana–Bali episode is inseparable from Indra’s restoration. By pairing the festivals, the text ritually encodes the cosmic-political resolution: Indra’s regained sovereignty and Bali’s divinely protected underworld kingship are both commemorated within the sacred calendar.

Is this verse describing a specific tīrtha or pilgrimage site?

Not directly. Unlike many Vāmana Purāṇa passages that anchor merit in named rivers and tīrthas, this verse emphasizes sacred time (tithi/utsava). Any geographical anchoring would require additional surrounding verses that specify where the observance is performed.