Shloka 23

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

Devanagari script

बाहवश्च दिशः सर्वा वसवो ऽष्टौ करे स्मृताः हृदये संस्थितो ब्रह्मा कुलिशो हृदयास्थिषु

Transliteration

bāhavaśca diśaḥ sarvā vasavo 'ṣṭau kare smṛtāḥ hṛdaye saṃsthito brahmā kuliśo hṛdayāsthiṣu

Translation

The arms are all the directions. The eight Vasus are remembered as being in the hands. Brahmā is stationed in the heart; and the thunderbolt (vajra) is in the bones of the heart.

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (within Adhyāya 65 narrative voice).

Primary Deities

• Brahmā
• Vasus
• Indra (implied by kuliśa/vajra)

Key Themes

• Microcosm–Macrocosm Correspondence
• Directional Cosmology (diśaḥ)
• Devagaṇa Nyāsa
• Embodied pilgrimage/ritual anthropology

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

How can ‘the arms be all the directions’?

The verse uses a symbolic cosmology: the body is treated as a kṣetra (field) mirroring the universe. Arms extend outward and ‘reach’ into space, so they are equated with the quarters (diśaḥ), making the person a living mandala of directions.

Why are the Vasus specifically located in the hands?

Hands are instruments of action—giving, offering, building, protecting. Since Vasus are often associated with sustaining powers and elemental supports, placing them in the hands aligns cosmic sustenance with human agency (dāna, yajña, service).

What does ‘kuliśa in the heart-bones’ signify?

Kuliśa (vajra) symbolizes indestructibility and sovereign force (classically Indra’s weapon). Located in the chest/heart-bones, it conveys firmness of resolve, spiritual fortitude, and the ‘adamantine’ core that supports dharma and devotion.