Lord Vâmanadeva

[Guest guest]

Lord Vâmanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation

http://www.srimadbhagavatam.org/images/bimages/vamanadvija.jpg

http://www.srimadbhagavatam.org/canto8/chapter18.html

(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 srîvatsa mark on His chest, bracelets and armlets, a shining

helmet, a belt, a sacred thread and charming ankle bells. (3) 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. (4) 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. (5) At the hour the moon was

in the house of Sravana [at dvâdasî, 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 dvâdasî 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) 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. (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'] 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]. (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, 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. (13) 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]. (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 rudrâksa 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 the 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

doing better than the best 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, imprinting the earth with each step that He as the

Complete and Fully Endowed Essence made. (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 from a distance

alike the rising sun. (22) 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. (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 asvamedha-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, 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. (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 and washed the 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 moon 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 sage. (30)

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! (31) 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. (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 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.'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source texts:

 

Lord Vamanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation

 

 

 

Text 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.

 

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: After Lord Brahmâ had thus spoken,

glorifying the Supreme Lord's activities and prowess, the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, who is never subject to death like an

ordinary living being, appeared from the womb of Aditi. His four

hands were decorated with a conchshell, club, lotus and disc, He was

dressed in yellow garments, and His eyes appeared like the petals of

a blooming lotus.

 

 

Text 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 srîvatsa mark on His chest, bracelets and

armlets, a shining helmet, a belt, a sacred thread and charming

ankle bells.

 

The body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, blackish in

complexion, was free from all inebrieties. His lotus face, decorated

with earrings resembling sharks, appeared very beautiful, and on His

bosom was the mark of srivatsa. He wore bangles on His wrists,

armlets on His arms, a helmet on His head, a belt on His waist, a

sacred thread across His chest, and ankle bells decorating His lotus

feet.

 

 

Text 3:

 

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.

 

An uncommonly beautiful garland of flowers decorated His bosom, and

because the flowers were extremely fragrant, a large group of bees,

making their natural humming sounds, invaded them for honey. When

the Lord appeared, wearing the Kaustubha gem on His neck, His

effulgence vanquished the darkness in the home of the Prajâpati

Kas'yapa.

 

 

Text 4:

 

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.

 

At that time, there was happiness in all directions, in the

reservoirs of water like the rivers and oceans, and in the core of

everyone's heart. The various seasons displayed their respective

qualities, and all living entities in the upper planetary system, in

outer space and on the surface of the earth were jubilant. The

demigods, the cows, the brâhmanas and the hills and mountains were

all filled with joy.

 

 

Text 5:

 

At the hour the moon was in the house of Sravana [at dvâdasî, 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.

 

On the day of Sravana-dvadasi [the twelfth day of the bright

fortnight in the month of Bhadra], when the moon came into the lunar

mansion Sravana, at the auspicious moment of Abhijit, the Lord

appeared in this universe. Considering the Lord's appearance very

auspicious, all the stars and planets, from the sun to Saturn, were

munificently charitable.

 

 

Text 6:

 

At dvâdasî with the sun over the meridian, o King, was the exact

moment, by the learned called Vijayâ, on which the Lord appeared.

 

O King, when the Lord appeared - on dvâdasî, the twelfth day of the

moon - the sun was at the meridian, as every learned scholar knows.

This dvâdasî is called Vijayâ.

 

 

Text 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.

 

Conchshells, kettledrums, drums, panavas and ânakas vibrated in

concert. The sound of these and various other instruments was

tumultuous.

 

 

Text 8:

 

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.

 

Being very pleased, the celestial dancing girls [Apsarâs] danced in

jubilation, the best of the Gandharvas sang songs, and the great

sages, demigods, Manus, Pitas and fire-gods offered prayers to

satisfy the Lord.

 

 

Text 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'] 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].

 

The Siddhas, Vidyâdharas, Kimpurushas, Kinnaras, Câranas, Yakshas,

Râkshasas, Suparnas, the best of serpents, and the followers of the

demigods all showered flowers on Aditi's residence, covering the

entire house, while glorifying and praising the Lord and dancing.

 

 

Text 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!].

 

When Aditi saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had appeared

from her own womb, having accepted a transcendental body by His own

spiritual potency, she was struck with wonder and was very happy.

Upon seeing the child, Prajâpati Kas'yapa exclaimed, "Jaya! Jaya!"

in great happiness and wonder.

 

 

Text 12:

 

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.

 

The Lord appeared in His original form, with ornaments and weapons

in His hands. Although this ever-existing form is not visible in the

material world, He nonetheless appeared in this form. Then, in the

presence of His father and mother, He assumed the form of Vamana, a

brâhmana-dwarf, a brahmacâri, just like a theatrical actor.

 

 

Text 13:

 

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].

 

When the great sages saw the Lord as the brahmacâri-dwarf Vamana,

they were certainly very pleased. Thus they placed before them

Kas'yapa Muni, the Prajâpati, and performed all the ritualistic

ceremonies, such as the birthday ceremony.

 

 

Text 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].

 

At the sacred thread ceremony of Vamanadeva, the sun-god personally

uttered the Gayatri mantra, Brihaspati offered the sacred thread,

and Kas'yapa Muni offered a straw belt.

 

 

Text 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.

 

Mother earth gave Him a deerskin, and the demigod of the moon, who

is the king of the forest, gave Him a brahma-danda [the rod of a

brahmacâri]. His mother, Aditi, gave Him cloth for underwear, and

the deity presiding over the heavenly kingdom offered Him an

umbrella.

 

 

Text 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 rudrâksa beads, o King.

 

O King, Lord Brahmâ offered a waterpot to the inexhaustible Supreme

Personality of Godhead, the seven sages offered Him kus'a grass, and

mother Sarasvatî gave Him a string of Rudraksa beads.

 

 

Text 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.

 

When Vamanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread, Kuvera, King

of the Yakshas, gave Him a pot for begging alms, and mother

Bhagavati, the wife of Lord S'iva and most chaste mother of the

entire universe, gave Him His first alms.

 

 

Text 18:

 

He as the 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.

 

Having thus been welcomed by everyone, Lord Vamanadeva, the best of

the brahmacâris, exhibited His Brahman effulgence. Thus He surpassed

in beauty that entire assembly, which was filled with great saintly

brâhmanas.

 

 

Text 19:

 

After settling for a fire as should completed He with offerings the

ceremony of worship doing better than the best brahmins.

 

After Lord S'rî Vamanadeva set a sacrificial fire, He offered

worship and performed a fire sacrifice on the sacrificial field.

 

 

Text 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, imprinting the earth with each step

that He as the Complete and Fully Endowed Essence made.

 

When the Lord heard that Bali Mahârâja was performing asvamedha

sacrifices under the patronage of brâhmanas belonging to the Bhrigu

dynasty, the Supreme Lord, who is full in every respect, proceeded

there to show His mercy to Bali Mahârâja. By His weight, He pushed

down the earth with every step.

 

 

Text 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 from a distance alike the rising sun.

 

While engaged in performing the sacrifice in the field known as

Bhrigukaccha, on the northern bank of the Narmada River, the

brahminical priests, the descendants of Bhrigu, saw Vamanadeva to be

like the sun rising nearby.

 

 

Text 22:

 

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.

 

O King, because of Vamanadeva's bright effulgence, the priests,

along with Bali Mahârâja and all the members of the assembly, were

robbed of their splendor. Thus they began to ask one another whether

the sun-god himself, Sanat-kumara or the fire-god had personally

come to see the sacrificial ceremony.

 

 

Text 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 asvamedha-

sacrifice.

 

While the priests of the Bhrigu dynasty and their disciples talked

and argued in various ways, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,

Vamanadeva, holding in His hands the rod, the umbrella and a

waterpot full of water, entered the arena of the asvamedha

sacrifice.

 

 

Text 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, 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.

 

Appearing as a brâhmana boy, wearing a belt of straw, a sacred

thread, an upper garment of deerskin, and matted locks of hair, Lord

Vamanadeva entered the arena of sacrifice. His brilliant effulgence

diminished the brilliance of all the priests and their disciples,

who thus stood from their seats and welcomed the Lord properly by

offering obeisances.

 

 

Text 26:

 

The instigator of the sacrifice in jubilation of seeing Him so

beautiful in each of His lustrous limbs offered Him a seat.

 

Bali Mahârâja, jubilant at seeing Lord Vamanadeva, whose beautiful

limbs contributed equally to the beauty of His entire body, offered

Him a seat with great satisfaction.

 

 

Text 27:

 

With words of welcome was thus the Beauty of the Liberated Souls by

Bali Mahârâja worshiped and washed the feet.

 

Thus offering a proper reception to the Supreme Personality of

Godhead, who is always beautiful to the liberated souls, Bali

Mahârâja worshiped Him by washing His lotus feet.

 

 

Text 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 moon on top, would

carry on his head with devotion and transcendence.

 

Lord S'iva, the best of demigods, who carries on his forehead the

emblem of the moon, receives on his head with great devotion the

Ganges water emanating from the toe of Vishnu. Being aware of

religious principles, Bali Mahârâja knew this. Consequently,

following in the footsteps of Lord S'iva, he also placed on his head

the water that had washed the Lord's lotus feet.

 

 

Text 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 sage.

 

Bali Mahârâja then said to Lord Vamanadeva: O brâhmana, I offer You

my hearty welcome and my respectful obeisances. Please let us know

what we may do for You. We think of You as the personified austerity

of the great brâhmana-sages.

 

 

Text 30:

 

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!

 

O my Lord, because You have kindly arrived at our home, all my

forefathers are satisfied, our family and entire dynasty have been

sanctified, and the sacrifice we are performing is now complete

because of Your presence.

 

 

Text 31:

 

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.

 

O son of a brâhmana, today the fire of sacrifice is ablaze according

to the injunction of the s'âstra, and I have been freed from all the

sinful reactions of my life by the water that has washed Your lotus

feet. O my Lord, by the touch of Your small lotus feet the entire

surface of the world has been sanctified.

 

 

Text 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

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.'

 

O son of a brâhmana, it appears that You have come here to ask me

for something. Therefore, whatever You want You may take from me. O

best of those who are worshipable. You may take from me a cow, gold,

a furnished house, palatable food and drink, the daughter of a

brâhmana for Your wife, prosperous villages, horses, elephants,

chariots or whatever You desire.