Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

समभ्येत्य बलिं प्राह ईषत् प्रस्फुरिताधरः ऋमाद् भवति दैत्येन्द्र बन्धनं घोरदर्शनम् त्वं पूरय पदं तन्मे नो चेद् बन्धं प्रतीच्छ भोः

Transliteration

samabhyetya baliṃ prāha īṣat prasphuritādharaḥ ṛmād bhavati daityendra bandhanaṃ ghoradarśanam tvaṃ pūraya padaṃ tanme no ced bandhaṃ pratīccha bhoḥ

Translation

समभ्येत्य बलिं प्राह ईषत् प्रस्फुरिताधरः— ‘ऋणाद् भवति दैत्येन्द्र बन्धनं घोरदर्शनम्। त्वं पूरय पदं तन्मे, नो चेद् बन्धं प्रतीच्छ भोः।’

Speakers

• Vāmana/Trivikrama (Viṣṇu) addressing Bali

Primary Deities

• Viṣṇu (Vāmana/Trivikrama)
• Bali

Key Themes

• Satya (truthfulness) and vow-fulfillment
• Dāna (gift) and its binding force
• Divine enforcement of dharma
• Consequences of default (bandhana)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

Why does Viṣṇu speak of ‘bondage’—is it punishment or dharma?

In the Vāmana–Bali cycle, ‘bandhana’ is both juridical and moral: a consequence of failing a vowed gift. It is framed as dharma’s enforcement rather than arbitrary wrath—Bali’s promise must be completed or its karmic/ritual penalty follows.

What is the significance of the ‘quivering lip’ (prasphuritādharaḥ)?

It is a poetic marker of controlled intensity: the deity remains composed yet signals the gravity of dharma being obstructed. Commentarially, it underscores that the issue is not personal anger but the cosmic order of truth and pledged giving.

What does ‘pada’ mean here—foot, step, or territory?

All three resonate. Literally it is the ‘step’ of Trivikrama; ritually it is the measured fulfillment of the gift; symbolically it is the ‘space/realm’ claimed by the deity. The verse leverages this layered meaning to press Bali toward completion.