Vamana: The Crossing of the Three Worlds

Verse 1 (skanda.8.117.1)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । ततस्स भगवान् विष्णुरुवाचासुरपुङ्गवम् । क्रमामि विक्रमैः पश्य दानवेश्वर सुप्रभ

sanatkumāra uvāca | tatassa bhagavān viṣṇuruvācāsurapuṅgavam | kramāmi vikramaiḥ paśya dānaveśvara suprabha

Sanatkumara said: Then the blessed Vishnu said to that foremost of demons: Behold, O lord of the danavas, O radiant one, I now measure out my strides.

Verse 2 (skanda.8.117.2)

यदि चेत् पूर्यते दत्तं न चेद्दातव्य इत्युत । भवता भूमिभागोन्यः सत्यवाग् भव दानव

yadi cet pūryate dattaṁ na ceddātavya ityuta | bhavatā bhūmibhāgonyaḥ satyavāg bhava dānava

If what you have promised is fully honoured, well and good; but do not then say, 'This is a different portion of land, not to be given.' Be true to your word, O danava.

Verse 3 (skanda.8.117.3)

बलिरुवाच । क्रमस्व वामनश्रेष्ठ क्रमाँस्त्रीनद्य सर्वशः । न चेत् पूर्येत दाताहं सत्यमेतद् ब्रवीमि ते

baliruvāca | kramasva vāmanaśreṣṭha kramām̐strīnadya sarvaśaḥ | na cet pūryeta dātāhaṁ satyametad bravīmi te

Bali said: O best of dwarfs, measure out your three strides today, in every way. Even should they not be filled, still I shall be the giver - this truth I speak to you.

Verse 4 (skanda.8.117.4)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । ततस्स देवदेवेशं महादेवमुमापतिम् । प्रणेमे परया भक्त्या क्रमिष्यन् विष्णुरव्ययः

sanatkumāra uvāca | tatassa devadeveśaṁ mahādevamumāpatim | praṇeme parayā bhaktyā kramiṣyan viṣṇuravyayaḥ

Sanatkumara said: Then, before taking his strides, the imperishable Vishnu bowed with the utmost devotion to Mahadeva, lord of the gods and consort of Uma.

Verse 5 (skanda.8.117.5)

ततो देवाः सुसंयत्ताः सन्नद्धा युद्धलालसाः । आकाशेन महासत्वास्तत्राजग्मुर्महाबलाः

tato devāḥ susaṁyattāḥ sannaddhā yuddhalālasāḥ | ākāśena mahāsatvāstatrājagmurmahābalāḥ

Then the mighty gods, powerful and great, eager for battle, well arrayed and armoured, came there through the sky.

Verse 6 (skanda.8.117.6)

ततस्स पुष्करद्वीपे विष्णुः परमदीप्तिमत् । रूपं कृत्वा भुवं द्याञ्च वै क्रममाचरत्

tatassa puṣkaradvīpe viṣṇuḥ paramadīptimat | rūpaṁ kṛtvā bhuvaṁ dyāñca vai kramamācarat

Then, in Pushkara-dvipa, Vishnu, assuming a form of exceeding splendour - [note: a portion of this line is lost in the source] - performed his stride upon the earth and the sky.

Verse 7 (skanda.8.117.7)

स पादमुदये कृत्वा द्वितीयं सरितां पतौ । पुष्करस्यैवोत्तरतस्तेन लोकमिमं गतः

sa pādamudaye kṛtvā dvitīyaṁ saritāṁ patau | puṣkarasyaivottaratastena lokamimaṁ gataḥ

He placed his first foot upon the mountain of sunrise, and his second in the ocean, lord of rivers, to the north of Pushkara itself - thus he traversed this world.

Verse 8 (skanda.8.117.8)

क्रमित्वा विक्रमं चैकपादमुत्क्षिपतस्तदा । अजको नाम दैत्येन्द्रः पादं तं समगृह्णत

kramitvā vikramaṁ caikapādamutkṣipatastadā | ajako nāma daityendraḥ pādaṁ taṁ samagṛhṇata

Having thus measured out his stride, and as he raised one foot, a demon lord named Ajaka seized hold of that foot.

Verse 9 (skanda.8.117.9)

स तं सहैवासुरेण उत्क्षिपन्मधुसूदनः । क्षिप्तोसावसुरो व्यास अद्यापि न निवर्तते

sa taṁ sahaivāsureṇa utkṣipanmadhusūdanaḥ | kṣiptosāvasuro vyāsa adyāpi na nivartate

Madhusudana flung that foot upward, demon and all. O Vyasa, that hurled demon has to this very day not returned.

Verse 10 (skanda.8.117.10)

ततो द्वितीयं रुद्रस्य योगं परममास्थितः । अन्तरिक्षे भुवर्लोक एक एव क्रमोभवत्

tato dvitīyaṁ rudrasya yogaṁ paramamāsthitaḥ | antarikṣe bhuvarloka eka eva kramobhavat

Then, resorting to Rudra's supreme yogic power, his second stride, but a single step, spanned the middle world, Bhuvarloka, in the atmosphere.

Verse 11 (skanda.8.117.11)

ततोन्तरिक्षाद् भूयोपि ब्रह्मणो योगमास्थितः । स्वर्लोकमखिलं व्यास क्रममेकं चकार ह

tatontarikṣād bhūyopi brahmaṇo yogamāsthitaḥ | svarlokamakhilaṁ vyāsa kramamekaṁ cakāra ha

Then, beyond the atmosphere still further, resorting to Brahma's yogic power, O Vyasa, he covered the whole of Svarloka, the heavenly world, in a single stride.

Verse 12 (skanda.8.117.12)

तं तु लोकं समासाद्य निःसृतं देवसत्तमः । जनलोकं समासाद्य न समाप्तञ्च तत्ततः

taṁ tu lokaṁ samāsādya niḥsṛtaṁ devasattamaḥ | janalokaṁ samāsādya na samāptañca tattataḥ

Having traversed even that world, that best of gods went further still, reaching Janaloka, and even there his stride was not yet complete.

Verse 13 (skanda.8.117.13)

तस्य चोत्क्रामतस्तत्र दैत्याः शस्त्रास्त्रपाणयः । अभ्यक्रमन्त वेगेन देवास्तान्सन्न्यवारयन्

tasya cotkrāmatastatra daityāḥ śastrāstrapāṇayaḥ | abhyakramanta vegena devāstānsannyavārayan

As he thus strode upward, demons armed with weapons rushed forward upon him with violence, but the gods held them back.

Verse 14 (skanda.8.117.14)

दश पुत्रसहस्राणि तनयानां बलेस्तदा । युध्यमाना हतास्तेन विविधायुधपाणयः

daśa putrasahasrāṇi tanayānāṁ balestadā | yudhyamānā hatāstena vividhāyudhapāṇayaḥ

Ten thousand sons of Bali's own progeny, wielding various weapons in their hands and fighting, were then slain by that Vishnu.

Verse 15 (skanda.8.117.15)

बाणो वातश्च द्वावेतौ बलिपुत्रौ महाबलौ । तस्माद् भ्रष्टौ तदा व्यास संग्रामाद्ययतुर्मुने

bāṇo vātaśca dvāvetau baliputrau mahābalau | tasmād bhraṣṭau tadā vyāsa saṅgrāmādyayaturmune

Bana and Vata, those two mighty sons of Bali, likewise, defeated in that battle, O Vyasa, O sage, fled from the field.

Verse 16 (skanda.8.117.16)

अथ ब्रह्मा तदाभ्येत्य समयं प्रचकार ह । विमुच्य पाशान्देवेश इमं लोकं पितामहः

atha brahmā tadābhyetya samayaṁ pracakāra ha | vimucya pāśāndeveśa imaṁ lokaṁ pitāmahaḥ

Then Brahma, coming there, established a compact. O lord of gods, that Grandsire, loosening his bonds, sent him to this world below.

Verse 17 (skanda.8.117.17)

बले त्वयाखिलं राज्यं देवानां प्रतिपादितम् । सत्ये त्वं समये स्थित्वा मा राज्यं कामये पुनः

bale tvayākhilaṁ rājyaṁ devānāṁ pratipāditam | satye tvaṁ samaye sthitvā mā rājyaṁ kāmaye punaḥ

(Brahma said:) O Bali, you have thus surrendered your entire kingdom to the gods. Remain firm in truth and in your pledge, and desire the kingdom no more.

Verse 18 (skanda.8.117.18)

यावन्मन्वन्तरमिदमेष ते समयः शुभः । परिपाल्यः सदा वत्स गच्छ चैव यथासुखम्

yāvanmanvantaramidameṣa te samayaḥ śubhaḥ | paripālyaḥ sadā vatsa gaccha caiva yathāsukham

For as long as this manvantara lasts, this auspicious compact of yours is to be ever upheld, my child. Now go, and go in peace.

Verse 19 (skanda.8.117.19)

इदं यज्ञफलं सम्यगवाप्स्यसि न संशयः । योगञ्च मत्प्रसादेन भूय एव ह्यवाप्स्यसि

idaṁ yajñaphalaṁ samyagavāpsyasi na saṁśayaḥ | yogañca matprasādena bhūya eva hyavāpsyasi

You shall fully obtain the fruit of this sacrifice, without doubt. And by my grace, you shall attain yogic power once more.

Verse 20 (skanda.8.117.20)

स एवमुक्तस्तमापृच्छ्य पातालं संविवेश ह । देवा अपि ततः प्राप्य स्वं राज्यं मुमुदुर्भृशम्

sa evamuktastamāpṛcchya pātālaṁ saṁviveśa ha | devā api tataḥ prāpya svaṁ rājyaṁ mumudurbhṛśam

Thus addressed, taking his leave of him, Bali entered the netherworld. And the gods too, having regained their own kingdom, rejoiced greatly.

Verse 21 (skanda.8.117.21)

व्यास उवाच । कीदृक् स भगवान् विष्णुस्त्यक्त्वा स्वं धर्ममूर्जितम् । प्रत्याहरत त्रैलोक्यं न चैवास्यानयोभवत्

vyāsa uvāca | kīdṛk sa bhagavān viṣṇustyaktvā svaṁ dharmamūrjitam | pratyāharata trailokyaṁ na caivāsyānayobhavat

Vyasa said: How is it that the blessed Vishnu, without abandoning his own mighty righteousness, reclaimed the three worlds, and yet no injustice arose from it?

Verse 22 (skanda.8.117.22)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । क्रमतस्तस्य देवस्य विष्णोर्दीप्तानलप्रभम् । बभौ रूपमतीवोग्रं दुर्निरीक्ष्यं सुरैरपि

sanatkumāra uvāca | kramatastasya devasya viṣṇordīptānalaprabham | babhau rūpamatīvograṁ durnirīkṣyaṁ surairapi

Sanatkumara said: As that god Vishnu strode forth, his form shone, blazing like fire, exceedingly fierce, hard even for the gods themselves to look upon.

Verse 23 (skanda.8.117.23)

अथ देवाः सहेन्द्रेण विष्णुं परमदैवतम् । तुष्टुवुः प्रशशंसुश्च कृतकृत्यं महाबलम्

atha devāḥ sahendreṇa viṣṇuṁ paramadaivatam | tuṣṭuvuḥ praśaśaṁsuśca kṛtakṛtyaṁ mahābalam

Then the gods, together with Indra, praised and extolled that supreme deity, mighty Vishnu, whose purpose was now fulfilled.

Verse 24 (skanda.8.117.24)

प्रीत्या परमया युक्ताः सर्वे दिव्यास्त्रधारिणः । दानवैरर्द्यमानानामस्माकं विबुधेश्वरः

prītyā paramayā yuktāḥ sarve divyāstradhāriṇaḥ | dānavairardyamānānāmasmākaṁ vibudheśvaraḥ

All those bearing divine weapons, filled with the greatest affection, said: For us, tormented by the danavas, O lord of the enlightened, you alone -

Verse 25 (skanda.8.117.25)

त्राता राज्यप्रदश्चैव त्वमभूस्सुरसत्तम । त्वया स्म सुखिनः सर्वे कर्मिणः सुकृतैर्यथा

trātā rājyapradaścaiva tvamabhūssurasattama | tvayā sma sukhinaḥ sarve karmiṇaḥ sukṛtairyathā

- have become our protector and restorer of our kingdom, O best of gods. By you, all of us have become happy, just as diligent men become happy through their own good deeds.

Verse 26 (skanda.8.117.26)

तव देव प्रभावेण राज्यं भोक्ष्याम विज्वराः । तपनस्य(?) प्रभावेण यथा पूर्वं सुरेतराः

tava deva prabhāveṇa rājyaṁ bhokṣyāma vijvarāḥ | tapanasya prabhāveṇa yathā pūrvaṁ suretaraḥ

O God, by your very power we shall now enjoy the kingdom free of anguish, just as, by the sun's power, all once flourished securely.

Verse 27 (skanda.8.117.27)

त्वं हि नः परमं धाम तथैव च परा गतिः । परं पवित्रं त्वं चैव ऋते देवमुमापतिम्

tvaṁ hi naḥ paramaṁ dhāma tathaiva ca parā gatiḥ | paraṁ pavitraṁ tvaṁ caiva ṛte devamumāpatim

You alone are our supreme abode, you alone our highest goal; apart from the god who is Uma's consort, you alone are the supremely pure one.

Verse 28 (skanda.8.117.28)

सनत्कुमार उवाच । तस्यैवं स्तूयमानस्य त्रिदशैः शार्ङ्गधन्वनः । अभूत् तुष्टिस्तदात्यर्थं बहुमानस्तथात्मनि

sanatkumāra uvāca | tasyaivaṁ stūyamānasya tridaśaiḥ śārṅgadhanvanaḥ | abhūt tuṣṭistadātyarthaṁ bahumānastathātmani

Sanatkumara said: Thus praised by the thirty-three gods, Sharngadhanvan felt exceeding satisfaction, and a great pride arose within him regarding his own self.

Verse 29 (skanda.8.117.29)

ततोभिमानतस्तस्य स योगः परमो मुने । अभ्रश्यत यथा वह्निः सलिलेन समुक्षितः

tatobhimānatastasya sa yogaḥ paramo mune | abhraśyata yathā vahniḥ salilena samukṣitaḥ

O sage, because of that pride, his supreme yogic power slipped away from him, just as fire is quenched when sprinkled with water.

Verse 30 (skanda.8.117.30)

ततस्तदन्तरं लब्ध्वा पाप्मा सा ह्यासुरी मुने । प्रहृष्टा संप्रहृष्यैनमाविवेश जनार्दनम्

tatastadantaraṁ labdhvā pāpmā sā hyāsurī mune | prahṛṣṭā saṁprahṛṣyainamāviveśa janārdanam

O sage, then, finding that opening, that sinful, demonic influence, greatly delighted, entered into Janardana himself.

Verse 31 (skanda.8.117.31)

स तया पाप्मया व्यास आविष्टो विष्णुरव्ययः । न बभौ दीप्तिमाँस्तत्र सन्तः प्राप्येव दारुणम्

sa tayā pāpmayā vyāsa āviṣṭo viṣṇuravyayaḥ | na babhau dīptimām̐statra santaḥ prāpyeva dāruṇam

O Vyasa, possessed by that sinful influence, the imperishable Vishnu no longer shone there with his radiance, just as a virtuous man, overtaken by some terrible calamity, loses his lustre.