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Shloka 24

Bali Mahārāja Upholds Truth; Vāmana Reveals the Universal Form and Takes the Two Steps

सन्ध्यां विभोर्वाससि गुह्य ऐक्षत् प्रजापतीञ्जघने आत्ममुख्यान् । नाभ्यां नभ: कुक्षिषु सप्तसिन्धू- नुरुक्रमस्योरसि चर्क्षमालाम् ॥ २४ ॥

sandhyāṁ vibhor vāsasi guhya aikṣat prajāpatīñ jaghane ātma-mukhyān nābhyāṁ nabhaḥ kukṣiṣu sapta-sindhūn urukramasyorasi carkṣa-mālām

बलिर्महाराजः उरुक्रमस्य विभोर्वाससि अधस्तात् सन्ध्यां ददर्श; गुह्ये प्रजापतीन्, जघने आत्ममुख्यान् सह स्वपार्षदैः; नाभ्यां नभः, कुक्षिषु सप्तसिन्धून्, उरसि च नक्षत्रसमूहान् अपश्यत्।

sandhyāmtwilight; junction-time
sandhyām:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)
vibhoḥof the Lord; of the all-pervading one
vibhoḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootvibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Gen. 6), Ekavacana (sg.)
vāsasiin the garment
vāsasi:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.)
guhyein the secret part
guhye:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootguhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.)
aikṣathe saw
aikṣat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootīkṣ (धातु)
FormLaṅ-lakāra (Imperfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana (sg.), Parasmaipada
prajāpatīnthe Prajāpatis
prajāpatīn:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootprajāpati (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Bahuvacana (pl.)
jaghanein the hips/loins
jaghane:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootjaghana (प्रातिपदik)
FormNapुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.)
ātma-mukhyānhaving the self as foremost; chief among them
ātma-mukhyān:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootātman + mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa-samāsa (determinative): ātma-mukhya = ‘self as chief’; Puṁliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Bahuvacana (pl.); viśeṣaṇa of prajāpatīn
nābhyāmfrom the navel
nābhyām:
Apādāna (अपादान/Ablative)
TypeNoun
Rootnābhi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga (f.), Pañcamī-vibhakti (Abl. 5) (also possible Tṛtīyā Inst. 3 by form), Ekavacana (sg.)
nabhaḥthe sky
nabhaḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootnabhas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)
kukṣiṣuin the flanks/abdomen
kukṣiṣu:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rootkukṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga (f.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Bahuvacana (pl.)
sapta-sindhūnthe seven rivers
sapta-sindhūn:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsapta (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + sindhu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormDvigu-samāsa (numerical): ‘seven rivers’; Puṁliṅga (m.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Bahuvacana (pl.)
urukramasyaof Urukrama (Viṣṇu)
urukramasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rooturukrama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (m.), Ṣaṣṭhī-vibhakti (Gen. 6), Ekavacana (sg.)
urasion/in the chest
urasi:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
TypeNoun
Rooturas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapुṁsaka-liṅga (n.), Saptamī-vibhakti (Loc. 7), Ekavacana (sg.)
carkṣa-mālāmthe garland of stars/constellations
carkṣa-mālām:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootcarkṣa + mālā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa-samāsa: carkṣa-mālā = ‘garland of stars/constellations’; Strīliṅga (f.), Dvitīyā-vibhakti (Acc. 2), Ekavacana (sg.)
G
Guhya
U
Urukrama (Lord Viṣṇu)
P
Prajāpatis
B
Brahmā

FAQs

This verse states that various cosmic features are seen as parts of the Lord’s universal form—twilight in His garments, Prajāpatis at His hips, the sky from His navel, the seven oceans in His abdomen, and the stars as a garland on His chest.

Guhya is a celestial being mentioned in this section as an observer of the Lord’s universal form; he is described as beholding how cosmic and divine orders (Prajāpatis, heavens, oceans, stars) are situated within the Lord.

It encourages seeing the universe as sacred and dependent on the Supreme—cultivating reverence, reducing ego, and strengthening bhakti by remembering that all cosmic order rests within the Lord.