Canto
8
Chapter 18: Lord Vâmanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'The Eternal Being, He with the conch, the club, the lotus and the disc in His four hands, the yellow dress and the lotus petal eyes, He whose heroic acts are the praise of Brahmâ, consequently manifested Himself from Aditi. (2) With a pure, blackish complexion, the luster of two earrings in the form of sharks and a dazzling lotus face was He the Supreme Personality with the S'rîvatsa mark on His chest, bracelets and armlets, a shining helmet, a belt, a sacred thread and charming ankle bells. (3) With a swarm of sweetness seeking humming bees around an extraordinary beautifully flowergarland and with around His neck the Kaustubha gem, vanquished the Lord with His effulgence the darkness of Kas'yapa's house. (4) At that moment rose happiness all around, in the waters and in all living beings, over the mountains, the higher worlds, in outer space and on earth; there was a fullness of quality to each season and the cows, the divinities of the fire and the twice-born were all elated. (5) At the hour the moon was in the house of S'ravana [at dvâdas'î, the twelfth day of the bright fortnight of Bhâdra], were, with the birth of the Lord at noon [Abhijit], all the planets and stars, the sun and moon very munificent. (6) At dvâdas'î with the sun over the meridian, o King, was the exact moment, by the learned called Vijayâ, on which the Lord appeared. (7) The noise of the various sounds of the conches, drums, kettledrums, panavas and ânakas [other drums], and other instruments grew into a great tumult. (8) Blissfully danced the heavenly dancing girls and sang the celestial singers, while the sages, the godly, the fathers of mankind, the ancestors and the gods of the fire pleased the Lord with prayers. (9-10) The perfected, the ones of knowledge, the apelike [the warriors of Râma], the ones of superpower, the venerable ones, the ghostly [the keepers of wealth], the demoniac [the guardians], the reciters [the 'brothers of Garuda'], the best experts [the 'snakes'] and all followers of the demigods, glorifying and praising covered the residence of Aditi with flowers [compare 6.7: 2-8 and 5.5: 21-22]. (11) Aditi upon seeing Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who was conceived in happiness and had taken birth from her own womb, was struck with wonder about Him having accepted a body out of His own spiritual potency and also Kas'yapa exclaimed to it in great wonder: 'All glory, all glory' [jaya jaya!].
(12) The transcendental body that the Lord had assumed, complete with ornaments and weapons, can materially not be perceived but had appeared spiritually; it immediately disappeared the next moment and right before their eyes saw they how He whose exploits are all wonderful, manifested Himself, like an actor in a theater, in the form of a brahmin dwarf [Vâmana]. (13) Seeing Him as a brahmacârî dwarf made the great rishis very happy, and thus performed they, with the founding father Kas'yapa as their lead, all the ceremonies [like the jâta-karma birthday ceremony]. (14) When He from Brihaspati in ceremony received His sacred thread was for the sungod the Gâyatrî [see note ** 5.7] chanted and offered Kas'yapa Him a belt [of straw, signifying the twiceborn status]. (15) Mother earth offered Him a deerskin, the moongod ruling the forest gave Him a staff, to cover His body gave Aditi Him underwear and from the master of the universe, the ruler of heaven he received an umbrella. (16) The Knower Inside [Brahmâ] gave a waterpot, the seven sages donated kus'a grass and the goddess Sarasvatî gave the Imperishable Soul a string of rudrâksha beads, o King. (17) Thus having received His sacred thread delivered the Ruler of the Yakshas [Kuvera, the treasurer of heaven] a pot for begging alms and provided the chaste mother of the universe Bhavânî [the wife of S'iva] directly the alms.
(18) He as a brahmacârî thus being welcomed by everyone, outshone as the best of them with his brahmin effulgence the entire assembly replete with all the great brahmin sages. (19) After settling for a fire as should, completed He with offerings the ceremony of worship, in that doing better than the best of brahmins. (20) After He had heard of Bali's glory as a performer of horse-sacrifices under the guidance of the Bhrigu-brahmins, went He to the place where they were performed, and with each step that He as the Complete and Fully Endowed Essence made imprinted He thus the earth with His footsteps. (21) At the northern bank of the river Narmadâ in the field of Bhrigukaccha, where all the priests of Bhrigu were performing their rituals for the sake of the so very important horse-sacrifice, saw they Him close to them [radiating] like the risen sun. (22) The priests as well as Bali, the instigator of the yajña, and all assembled there, saw themselves overtaken by Lord Vâmana's splendor, o King, and wondered whether they saw the sun rising, or the god of fire or Sanat-kumâra desiring to attend their ceremony. (23) While the Bhrigus this way with their disciples were in dispute entered the Supreme Lord, Vâmana with in His hands His umbrella, rod and kamandalu filled with water, the arena of the as'vamedha sacrifice. (24-25) When Vâmana the learned, seemingly human child, that was the Lord, with His munja belt of straw and the sacred thread around Him, His deerskin upper garment and matted locks of hair arrived and met the priests of Bhrigu with their disciples, was He who with His brilliance overshadowed them all, appropriately welcomed by them getting up from the fire sacrifice. (26) The instigator of the sacrifice in jubilation of seeing Him so beautiful in each of His lustrous limbs offered Him a seat. (27) With words of welcome was thus the Beauty of the Liberated Souls by Bali Mahârâja worshiped who washed His feet. (28) The pure water of those feet washing away all sins of man took he, aware of the dharma, on his head; it carried him the all-auspicious that even the best of all, Lord S'iva with the crescent on top, would carry on his head with devotion and transcendence.'
(29) S'rî Bali said: 'May You be welcome, my obeisances unto You o brahmin, what can we do for You; I think You are, o noble one, the direct personification of the austerity of the brahmin seers. (30) Because Your lordship today has arrived at our residence, are all our forefathers satisfied, is the whole family purified and is this sacrifice we are performing now complete! (31) Today, o brahmin son, are my fires of sacrifice properly served according the principles; by the water that washed from Your lotus feet has the earth been cleansed of all sins and, oh Lord, has she as well by the touch of Your small feet been sanctified. (32) Whatever it is that You desire, o brahmacârî, You may take from me; be it a cow, gold, a furnished residence, palatable food and drink or else a brahmin's daughter, prospering villages, horses, elephants or chariots, o best of the worshipable; as far as I am concerned may You have whatever You wish for.'
Second edition, loaded October 17 2007
Previous Aadhar edition and Vedabase links:
S'rî S'uka said: 'The Eternal Being, He with the conch, the club, the lotus and the disc in His four hands, the yellow dress and the lotus petal eyes, He whose heroic acts are the praise of Brahmâ, consequently manifested Himself from Aditi.S'rî S'uka said: 'The Eternal Being, He with the conch, the club, the lotus and the disc in His four hands, the yellow dress and the lotus petal eyes, He whose heroic acts are the praise of Brahmâ, consequently manifested Himself from Aditi. (Vedabase)
With a pure, blackish complexion, the luster of two earrings in the form of sharks and a dazzling lotus face was He the Supreme Personality with the S'rîvatsa mark on His chest, bracelets and armlets, a shining helmet, a belt, a sacred thread and charming ankle bells.
With a pure, blackish complexion, the luster of two earrings in the form of sharks and a dazzling lotus face was He the Supreme Personality with the s'rîvatsa mark on His chest, bracelets and armlets, a shining helmet, a belt, a sacred thread and charming ankle bells. (Vedabase)
With a bunch of sweetness seeking humming bees around an extraordinary beautifully flowergarland and with around His neck the Kaustubha gem, vanquished the Lord with His effulgence the darkness of Kas'yapa's house.
With a bunch of sweetness seeking humming bees around an extraordinary beautifully flowergarland and with around His neck the Kaustubha gem, vanquished the Lord with His effulgence the darkness of the house of Kas'yapa. (Vedabase)
At that moment rose happiness all around, in the waters and in all living beings, over the mountains, the higher worlds, in outer space and on earth; there was a fullness of quality to each season and the cows, the divinities of the fire and the twice-born were all elated.
There rose happiness all around, in the waters and in all living beings, over the mountains, the higher worlds, in outer space and on earth; there was a fullness of quality to each season and the cows, the divinities of the fire and the twice-born were all elated at the time. (Vedabase)
At the hour the moon was in the house of S'ravana [at dvâdas'î, the twelfth day of the bright fortnight of Bhâdra], were, with the birth of the Lord at noon [Abhijit], all the planets and stars, the sun and moon very munificent.
At the hour the moon was in the house of S'ravana [at dvâdas'î, the twelfth day of the bright fortnight of Bhâdra], were, with the birth of the Lord at noon [Abhijit], all the planets and stars, the sun and moon very munificent. (Vedabase)
At dvâdas'î with the sun over the meridian, o King, was the exact moment, by the learned called Vijayâ, on which the Lord appeared.
At dvâdas'î with the sun over the meridian, o King, was the exact moment, by the learned called Vijayâ, on which the Lord appeared. (Vedabase)
The noise of the various sounds of the conches, drums, kettledrums, panavas and ânakas [other drums], and other instruments grew into a great tumult.
The noise of the various sounds of the conches, drums, kettledrums, panavas and ânakas [other drums], and other instruments grew into a great tumult. (Vedabase)
Blissfully danced the heavenly dancing girls and sang the celestial singers, while the sages, the godly, the fathers of mankind, the ancestors and the gods of the fire pleased the Lord with prayers.
In glee danced the heavenly dancing girls and sang the celestial singers, and the sages, the godly, the fathers of mankind, the ancestors and the gods of the fire pleased with prayers. (Vedabase)
The perfected, the ones of knowledge, the apelike [the warriors of Râma], the ones of superpower, the venerable ones, the ghostly [the keepers of wealth], the demoniac [the guardians], the reciters [the 'brothers of Garuda'], the best experts [the 'snakes'] and all followers of the demigods, glorifying and praising covered the residence of Aditi with flowers [compare 6.7: 2-8 and 5.5: 21-22].
The perfected, the ones of knowledge, the apelike [the warriors of Râma], the ones of superpower, the venerable ones, the ghostly [the keepers of wealth], the demoniac [the guardians], the reciters [the 'brothers of Garuda'] and the best experts [the 'snakes'], and all followers of the demigods, glorifying and praising covered the residence of Aditi with flowers [compare 6.7: 2-8 and 5.5: 21-22]. (Vedabase)
Aditi upon seeing Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who was conceived in happiness and had taken birth from her own womb, was struck with wonder about Him having accepted a body out of His own spiritual potency and also Kas'yapa exclaimed to it in great wonder: 'All glory, all glory' [jaya jaya!].
Aditi upon seeing Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who was conceived in happiness and had taken birth from her own womb, was struck with wonder about Him having accepted a body out of His own spiritual potency and also Kas'yapa exclaimed to it in great wonder: 'All glory, all glory' [jaya jaya!]. (Vedabase)
The transcendental body that the Lord had assumed, complete with ornaments and weapons, can materially not be perceived but had appeared spiritually; it immediately disappeared the next moment and right before their eyes saw they how He whose exploits are all wonderful, manifested Himself, like an actor in a theater, in the form of a brahmin dwarf [Vâmana].
The transcendental body that the Lord had assumed, manifest with ornaments and weapons, can materially not be seen but had appeared spiritually; it immediately disappeared right then and before their eyes could they assure themselves of Him as a brahmin dwarf [Vâmana], as an actor to the theater whose exploits were all wonderful. (Vedabase)
Seeing Him as a brahmacârî dwarf made the great rishis very happy, and thus performed they, with the founding father Kas'yapa as their lead, all the ceremonies [like the jâta-karma birthday ceremony].
Seeing Him a brahmacârî [a celibate student] dwarf made the great rishis very happy, and keeping front with the founding father Kas'yapa, they performed all the ceremonies [like the jâta-karma birthday ceremony]. (Vedabase)
When He from Brihaspati in ceremony received His sacred thread was for the sungod the Gâyatrî [see note ** 5.7] chanted and offered Kas'yapa Him a belt [of straw, signifying the twiceborn status].
When He from Brihaspati in ceremony received His sacred thread was for the sungod the Gâyatrî [see note ** 5.7] chanted and offered Kas'yapa Him a belt [of straw, signifying the twiceborn status]. (Vedabase)
Mother earth offered Him a deerskin, the moongod ruling the forest gave Him a staff, to cover His body gave Aditi Him underwear and from the master of the universe, the ruler of heaven he received an umbrella.
Mother earth offered Him a deerskin, the moongod ruling the forest gave Him a staff, to cover His body gave Aditi Him underwear and from the master of the universe, the ruler of heaven he received an umbrella. (Vedabase)
The Knower Inside [Brahmâ] gave a waterpot, the seven sages donated kus'a grass and the goddess Sarasvatî gave the Imperishable Soul a string of rudrâksha beads, o King.
The Knower Inside [Brahmâ] gave a waterpot, the seven sages donated kus'a grass and the goddess Sarasvatî gave the Imperishable Soul a string of rudrâksha beads, o King. (Vedabase)
Thus having received His sacred thread delivered the Ruler of the Yakshas [Kuvera, the treasurer of heaven] a pot for begging alms and provided the chaste mother of the universe Bhavânî [the wife of S'iva] directly the alms.
Thus having received His sacred thread delivered the Ruler of the Yakshas [Kuvera, the treasurer of heaven] a pot for begging alms and provided the chaste mother of the universe Bhavânî [the wife of S'iva] directly the alms. (Vedabase)
He as a brahmacârî thus being welcomed by everyone, outshone as the best of them with his brahmin effulgence the entire assembly replete with all the great brahmin sages.
Thus having received His sacred thread delivered the Ruler of the Yakshas [Kuvera, the treasurer of heaven] a pot for begging alms and provided the chaste mother of the universe Bhavânî [the wife of S'iva] directly the alms. (Vedabase)
After settling for a fire as should, completed He with offerings the ceremony of worship, in that doing better than the best of brahmins.
After settling for a fire as should completed He with offerings the ceremony of worship doing better than the best brahmins. (Vedabase)
After He had heard of Bali's glory as a performer of horse-sacrifices under the guidance of the Bhrigu-brahmins, went He to the place where they were performed, and with each step that He as the Complete and Fully Endowed Essence made imprinted He thus the earth with His footsteps.
After He had heard of Bali's glory as a performer of horse-sacrifices under the guidance of the Bhrigu-brahmins, went He to the place where they were performed, imprinting the earth with each step that He as the Complete and Fully Endowed Essence made. (Vedabase)
At the northern bank of the river Narmadâ in the field of Bhrigukaccha, where all the priests of Bhrigu were performing their rituals for the sake of the so very important horse-sacrifice, saw they Him close to them [radiating] like the risen sun.
At the northern bank of the river Narmadâ in the field of Bhrigukaccha, where all the priests of Bhrigu were performing their rituals for the sake of the so very important horse-sacrifice, saw they Him from a distance alike the rising sun. (Vedabase)
The priests as well as Bali, the instigator of the yajña, and all assembled there, saw themselves overtaken by Lord Vâmana's splendor, o King, and wondered whether they saw the sun rising, or the god of fire or Sanat-kumâra desiring to attend their ceremony.
The priests as well as Bali, the instigator of the jayna, and all assembled there, saw themselves overtaken by Lord Vâmana's splendor, o King, and wondered whether they saw the sun rising, or the god of fire or Sanat-kumâra desiring to attend their ceremony. (Vedabase)
While the Bhrigus this way with their disciples were in dispute entered the Supreme Lord, Vâmana with in His hands His umbrella, rod and kamandalu filled with water, the arena of the as'vamedha sacrifice.
While the Bhrigus this way with their disciples were in dispute entered the Supreme Lord, Vâmana with in His hands His umbrella, rod and kamandalu filled with water, the arena of the as'vamedha-sacrifice. (Vedabase)
When Vâmana the learned, seemingly human child, that was the Lord, with His munja belt of straw and the sacred thread around Him, His deerskin upper garment and matted locks of hair arrived and met the priests of Bhrigu with their disciples, was He who with His brilliance overshadowed them all, appropriately welcomed by them getting up from the fire sacrifice.
When Vâmana the learned, seemingly human child, that was the Lord, with His munja belt of straw and the sacred thread around Him, His deerskin upper garment and matted locks of hair arrived, seeing the priests of Bhrigu with their disciples, was He who with His brilliance overshadowed them all, appropriately welcomed with them standing up from the fire sacrifice. (Vedabase)
The instigator of the sacrifice in jubilation of seeing Him so beautiful in each of His lustrous limbs offered Him a seat.
The instigator of the sacrifice in jubilation of seeing Him so beautiful in each of His lustrous limbs offered Him a seat. (Vedabase)
With words of welcome was thus the Beauty of the Liberated Souls by Bali Mahârâja worshiped who washed His feet.
With words of welcome was thus the Beauty of the Liberated Souls by Bali Mahârâja worshiped and washed the feet. (Vedabase)
The pure water of those feet washing away all sins of man took he, aware of the dharma, on his head; it carried him the all-auspicious that even the best of all, Lord S'iva with the crescent on top, would carry on his head with devotion and transcendence.'
The pure water of those feet washing away all sins of man took he, aware of the dharma, on his head; it carried him the all-auspicious that even the best of all, Lord S'iva with the moon on top, would carry on his head with devotion and transcendence. (Vedabase)
S'rî Bali said: 'May You be welcome, my obeisances unto You o brahmin, what can we do for You; I think You are, o noble one, the direct personification of the austerity of the brahmin seers.
S'rî Bali said: 'May You be welcome, my obeisances unto You o brahmin, what can we do for You; I think You are, o noble one, the direct personification of the austerity of the brahmin sage. (Vedabase)
Because Your lordship today has arrived at our residence, are all our forefathers satisfied, is the whole family purified and is this sacrifice we are performing now complete!
Because Your lordship today has arrived at our residence, are all our forefathers satisfied, is now the whole family purified and is this sacrifice complete in its execution! (Vedabase)
Today, o brahmin son, are my fires of sacrifice properly served according the principles; by the water that washed from Your lotus feet has the earth been cleansed of all sins and, oh Lord, has she as well by the touch of Your small feet been sanctified.
Today, o brahmin son, are my fires of sacrifice properly served according the principles; by the water that washed from Your lotusfeet has the earth been cleansed of all sins and, oh Lord, has she as well by the touch of Your small feet been sanctified. (Vedabase)
Whatever it is that You desire, o brahmacârî, You may take from me; be it a cow, gold, a furnished residence, palatable food and drink or else a brahmin's daughter, prospering villages, horses, elephants or chariots, o best of the worshipable; as far as I am concerned may You have whatever You wish for.'
Whatever it is that You desire, o brahmacârî, You may take from me; be it a cow, gold, a furnished residence, palatable food and drink indeed or either a brahmin's daughter, prospering villages, horses, elephants or chariots as well, o best of the worshipable; I think You may have what You want.' (Vedabase)
For
this original translation a one-volume printed copy
has been used with an extensive commentary.
ISBN: o-91277-27-7
See the
S'rîmad Bhâgavatam
links-page
The digitally enhanced painting is titled: "Vamana and Five
Priests",
Number Five of the Vamana (Dwarf Incarnation of Vishnu) Suit,
Playing Card from a Dashavatara (Ten Avatars) Ganjifa Set, Mid-18th
century.
India, Maharashtra, Sawantwadi (?), Source: LACMA.
Production: Filognostic
Association
of The
Order of Time
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