Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

तत्र त्वां नरशार्दूला हृष्टाः पुष्टाः स्वलङ्कृताः पुष्पदीपप्रदानेन अर्जयिष्यन्ति यत्नतः

Transliteration

tatra tvāṃ naraśārdūlā hṛṣṭāḥ puṣṭāḥ svalaṅkṛtāḥ puṣpadīpapradānena arjayiṣyanti yatnataḥ

Translation

Di sana, wahai harimau di antara manusia, orang-orang yang bersukacita, makmur, dan berhias indah akan dengan tekun memuliakanmu melalui persembahan bunga dan pelita.

Speakers

• Narrator/teacher voice within the Vāmana–Bali cycle (context: describing ongoing observances in Bali’s realm)

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (Vāmana/Trivikrama)

Key Themes

• Utsava (festival observance)
• Dīpa-dāna (offering of lamps)
• Puṣpa-arcana (flower worship)
• Prosperity through devotion
• Royal/heroic honorifics in Purāṇic style

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Who is being addressed as ‘naraśārdūla’ here—Bali or the Lord?

In Adhyāya 65 the discourse is embedded in the Vāmana–Bali setting; ‘naraśārdūla’ is a conventional royal honorific and most naturally fits Bali as the exemplary king in Sutala. However, the act described—offering flowers and lamps—also functions as devotion directed to the Lord who remains connected to Bali’s realm; Purāṇic narration can allow this devotional ‘double address’.

What is the ritual significance of ‘puṣpa-dīpa-pradāna’ in Purāṇic practice?

Offering flowers (puṣpa) and lamps (dīpa) is a standard, accessible form of pūjā. Dīpa-dāna in particular is repeatedly praised across Purāṇas as a meritorious act associated with auspiciousness, clarity, and the dispelling of darkness—both literal and spiritual.

Why does the verse emphasize people being ‘prosperous and adorned’?

The description frames the festival as a social and religious ideal: prosperity (puṣṭi) and adornment (alaṅkāra) are presented as outward signs of inner joy and dharmic order, reinforcing the Purāṇic link between devotion/ritual and communal well-being.