HomeVamana PuranaAdh. 65Shloka 12
Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 12

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

न ददाति विधिस्तस्य यस्य भाग्यविपर्ययः मयि दातरि यश्चायमद्य याचेत् पदत्रयम्

na dadāti vidhistasya yasya bhāgyaviparyayaḥ mayi dātari yaścāyamadya yācet padatrayam

ഭാഗ്യം പ്രതികൂലമായവന് വിധി (ദൈവനിയതി) നൽകുകയില്ല; പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് ഞാൻ ദാതാവായിരിക്കെ ഈയാൾ ഇന്ന് മൂന്നു പടികൾ യാചിക്കുന്നു।

(Contextual) Śukra speaking to Bali (or to the court)interpreting the request as a sign of Bali’s impending reversal of fortune.
Vishnu
Reversal of fortune as narrative omenLimits of human agency before divine willGift (dāna) as a turning pointRecognition of divine intent

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

FAQs

It foreshadows Bali’s loss of dominion over the worlds. The very act of giving—normally meritorious—becomes the instrument through which providence executes the destined transfer of sovereignty back to the gods via Viṣṇu.

It highlights the paradox: Bali is famed for generosity and ritual correctness, yet even a powerful donor cannot override providence when the recipient is the Lord in disguise and the cosmic outcome is already set.

No. It stresses discernment (viveka) and the supremacy of divine ordinance. Dāna remains dharmic, but in this episode it becomes the narrative mechanism for revealing Viṣṇu’s cosmic lordship and Bali’s destined humbling.