Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

सत्यं क्रमेण चैकेन क्रमेयं भूर्भुवादिकम् बलेरपि हितार्थाय कृतमेतत् क्रमत्रयम्

Transliteration

satyaṃ krameṇa caikena krameyaṃ bhūrbhuvādikam balerapi hitārthāya kṛtametat kramatrayam

Translation

“เป็นความจริงว่าเพียงก้าวเดียวก็อาจครอบวัดโลกทั้งหลายเริ่มแต่ภูห์และภูวะห์ได้ แต่การก้าวสามครั้งนี้กระทำขึ้นเพื่อประโยชน์เกื้อกูลแก่บลีด้วย”

Speakers

• Vishnu (as Vamana/Trivikrama) addressing Bali (and the assembly of Daityas and Devas
• contextually)

Primary Deities

• Vishnu (Vamana/Trivikrama)
• Bali

Key Themes

• Divine omnipotence tempered by grace
• Bali’s welfare (anugraha)
• Cosmic measurement of the worlds
• Dharma of truthfulness and vow-keeping (implicit in the Vamana–Bali pact)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

If Vishnu could cover all realms in one step, why insist on three strides?

The verse frames the three strides not as a necessity but as a deliberate, didactic act: it fulfills the formal terms of Bali’s gift (three paces of land) while simultaneously granting Bali spiritual benefit—transforming a transactional donation into a salvific encounter with the Lord.

What does “bhūrbhuvādikam” indicate in Purāṇic cosmology?

It names Bhūḥ (earth) and Bhuvaḥ (mid-region) and, by “ādikam,” gestures to the higher worlds (e.g., Svaḥ and beyond). The point is Vishnu’s capacity to encompass the entire cosmic vertical axis through his stride.

How does this verse portray Bali—condemned or favored?

Bali is presented as an object of divine concern: the Lord’s action is explicitly ‘for Bali’s welfare.’ This aligns with Purāṇic theology where even an asura, when steadfast in truth and generosity, becomes eligible for divine grace.