Shloka 82
धर्मस्य बहुद्वारत्वम् — Nārada’s Audience with Indra (Śānti-parva 340)
(जटी गत्वा यज्ञसद: स्तूयमानो द्विजोत्तम । यज्ञस्तवं करिष्यामि श्रुत्वा प्रीतो भवेद् बलि: ।। द्विजश्रेष्ठ] उस समय सब लोग मेरी स्तुति करेंगे और मैं जटाधारी ब्रह्मचारीके रूपमें बलिके यज्ञमण्डपमें जाकर उसके उस यज्ञकी भूरि-भूरि प्रशंसा करूँगा, जिसे सुनकर बलि बहुत प्रसन्न होगा ।। किमिच्छसि वटो ब्रूहीत्युक्तो याचे महद् वरम् । दीयतां त्रिपदीमात्रमिति याचे महासुरम् ।। जब वह कहेगा कि “ब्रह्मचारी ब्राह्मण! बताओ, क्या चाहते हो?” तब मैं उससे महान् वरकी याचना करूँगा। मैं उस महान् असुरसे कहूँगा कि “मुझे तीन पग भूमिमात्र दे दो” ।। स दद्यान्मयि सम्प्रीतः प्रतिषिद्धश्न मन्त्रिभि: | यावज्जलं हस्तगतं त्रिभिविक्रमणैर्वृतम् ।।) ततो राज्यं प्रदास्यामि शक्रायामिततेजसे । देवता: स्थापयिष्यामि स्वस्वस्थानेषु नारद
jaṭī gatvā yajñasadaḥ stūyamāno dvijottama | yajñastavaṃ kariṣyāmi śrutvā prīto bhaved baliḥ || kim icchasi vaṭo brūhīty ukto yāce mahad varam | dīyatāṃ tripadīmātram iti yāce mahāsuram || sa dadyān mayi samprītaḥ pratiṣiddhaś ca mantribhiḥ | yāvaj jalaṃ hastagataṃ tribhir vikramaṇair vṛtam || tato rājyaṃ pradāsyāmi śakrāyāmitatejase | devatāḥ sthāpayiṣyāmi svasvasthāneṣu nārada ||
毗湿摩说道：“我将化作一位结发的梵行童子，在众会称颂之中前往婆利的祭场，赞叹他的祭祀；婆利听后必大为欢喜。待他问道：‘童子啊，说吧——你想要什么？’我便向那大阿修罗求取重大的恩赐：‘请赐我仅三步所能覆盖之地。’纵使群臣劝阻，他因喜悦仍将允诺——直至施舍之水已执于手——随后我以三步遍覆一切。其后，我将把国度归还给光辉无量的因陀罗，并使诸天各安其位，哦，那罗陀。”
(भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how dharma can operate through measured request and ritual commitment: Bali’s generosity becomes binding once the gift is ritually affirmed, and the outcome serves restoration of rightful order (the gods reinstated). It also warns that counsel and impulse contend at moments of ethical decision, yet a vowed gift carries moral weight.
A divine figure (alluding to the Vāmana/Trivikrama episode) plans to approach Bali at his sacrifice disguised as an ascetic, praise the rite, and ask for only ‘three steps’ of land. Once Bali agrees and the donation is sealed with water, the requester expands to cover everything in three strides, after which Indra’s sovereignty is restored and the gods return to their stations.