Shloka 67
Indrajit’s Binding, Restoration by Viśalyā, and Counsel Restraining Rāvaṇa (Āraṇyaka Parva 273)
स्वस्तीत्युक्त्वा बलिं देव: स्मयमानो5 भ्यभाषत । मेदिनीं दानवपते देहि मे विक्रमत्रयम्,“ब्रह्म! आपका दर्शन पाकर मैं बहुत प्रसन्न हुआ हूँ। आज्ञा कीजिये, मैं आपकी सेवाके लिये क्या दूँ?” बलिके ऐसा कहनेपर भगवान् वामनने “(आपका) स्वस्ति (कल्याण हो)” ऐसा कहकर बलिको आशीर्वाद दिया और मुसकराते हुए कहा--“दानवराज! मुझे तीन पग पृथ्वी दे दीजिये”
svastīty uktvā baliṃ devaḥ smayamāno 'bhyabhāṣata | medinīṃ dānavapate dehi me vikramatrayam ||
Having uttered the blessing “May it be well with you,” the Lord, smiling, addressed Bali: “O king of the Dānavas, grant me the earth measured by three strides.” In ethical terms, the scene foregrounds the tension between royal generosity and the hidden consequences of a vow: Bali’s readiness to give is praised as dāna and satya (truthfulness), even as the divine request tests the limits of discernment and attachment to power.
भीमसेन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic ideal of generosity and keeping one’s word, while also warning that gifts and vows should be guided by discernment. Bali’s willingness to give becomes a moral test: true righteousness is not merely giving, but understanding the ethical weight and consequences of what is given.
The Lord (as Vāmana) blesses Bali with “svasti” and, smiling, asks for a boon: land equal to three strides. This sets up the well-known episode where a seemingly small request becomes cosmically vast, challenging Bali’s sovereignty and revealing divine intent.