Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Eighteen

SB8.18.19

TEXT 19

samiddham ahitam vahnim

krtva parisamuhanam

paristirya samabhyarcya

samidbhir ajuhod dvijah

SYNONYMS

samiddham—blazing; ahitam—being situated; vahnim—the fire; krtva—after making; parisamuhanam—properly; paristirya—surpassing; samabhyarcya—after offering worship; samidbhih—with sacrificial offerings; ajuhot—completed the fire sacrifice; dvijah—the best of the brahmanas.

TRANSLATION

After Lord Sri Vamanadeva set a sacrificial fire, He offered worship and performed a fire sacrifice on the sacrificial field.

SB8.18.20

TEXT 20

srutvasvamedhair yajamanam urjitam

balim bhrgunam upakalpitais tatah

jagama tatrakhila-sara-sambhrto

bharena gam sannamayan pade pade

SYNONYMS

srutva—after hearing; asvamedhaih—by asvamedha sacrifices; yajamanam—the performer; urjitam—very glorious; balim—Bali Maharaja; bhrgunam—under the guidance of the brahmanas born in the Bhrgu dynasty; upakalpitaih—performed; tatah—from that place; jagama—went; tatra—there; akhila-sara-sambhrtah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the essence of all creation; bharena—with the weight; gam—the earth; sannamayan—depressing; pade pade—at every step.

TRANSLATION

When the Lord heard that Bali Maharaja was performing asvamedha sacrifices under the patronage of brahmanas belonging to the Bhrgu dynasty, the Supreme Lord, who is full in every respect, proceeded there to show His mercy to Bali Maharaja. By His weight, He pushed down the earth with every step.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is akhila-sara-sambhrta. In other words, He is the proprietor of everything essential in this material world. Thus although the Lord was going to Bali Maharaja to beg something, He is always complete and has nothing to beg from anyone. Indeed, He is so powerful that in His full opulence He pressed down the surface of the earth at every step.

SB8.18.21

TEXT 21

tam narmadayas tata uttare baler

ya rtvijas te bhrgukaccha-samjnake

pravartayanto bhrgavah kratuttamam

vyacaksatarad uditam yatha ravim

SYNONYMS

tam—Him (Vamanadeva); narmadayah—of the River Narmada; tate—on the bank; uttare—northern; baleh—of Maharaja Bali; ye—who; rtvijah—the priests engaged in ritualistic ceremonies; te—all of them; bhrgukaccha-samjnake—in the field named Bhrgukaccha; pravartayantah—performing; bhrgavah—all the descendants of Bhrgu; kratu-uttamam—the most important sacrifice, named asvamedha; vyacaksata—they observed; arat—nearby; uditam—risen; yatha—like; ravim—the sun.

TRANSLATION

While engaged in performing the sacrifice in the field known as Bhrgukaccha, on the northern bank of the Narmada River, the brahminical priests, the descendants of Bhrgu, saw Vamanadeva to be like the sun rising nearby.

SB8.18.22

TEXT 22

te rtvijo yajamanah sadasya

hata-tviso vamana-tejasa nrpa

suryah kilayaty uta va vibhavasuh

sanat-kumaro ’tha didrksaya kratoh

SYNONYMS

te—all of them; rtvijah—the priests; yajamanah—as well as Bali Maharaja, who had engaged them in performing the yajna; sadasyah—all the members of the assembly; hata-tvisah—decreased in their bodily effulgence; vamana-tejasa—by the brilliant effulgence of Lord Vamana; nrpa—O King; suryah—the sun; kila—whether; ayati—is coming; uta va—either; vibhavasuh—the fire-god; sanat-kumarah—the Kumara known as Sanat-kumara; atha—either; didrksaya—with a desire to observe; kratoh—the sacrificial ceremony.

TRANSLATION

O King, because of Vamanadeva’s bright effulgence, the priests, along with Bali Maharaja 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.

SB8.18.23

TEXT 23

ittham sasisyesu bhrgusv anekadha

vitarkyamano bhagavan sa vamanah

chatram sadandam sajalam kamandalum

vivesa bibhrad dhayamedha-vatam

SYNONYMS

ittham—in this way; sa-sisyesu—with their disciples; bhrgusu—among the Bhrgus; anekadha—in many ways; vitarkyamanah—being talked and argued about; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sah—that; vamanah—Lord Vamana; chatram—umbrella; sadandam—with the rod; sa-jalam—filled with water; kamandalum—waterpot; vivesa—entered; bibhrat—taking in hand; hayamedha—of the asvamedha sacrifice; vatam—the arena.

TRANSLATION

While the priests of the Bhrgu 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.

SB8.18.24-25

TEXTS 24–25

maunjya mekhalaya vitam

upavitajinottaram

jatilam vamanam vipram

maya-manavakam harim

pravistam viksya bhrgavah

sasisyas te sahagnibhih

pratyagrhnan samutthaya

sanksiptas tasya tejasa

SYNONYMS

maunjya—made of munja straw; mekhalaya—with a belt; vitam—circled; upavita—sacred thread; ajina-uttaram—wearing a deerskin upper garment; jatilam—having matted locks of hair; vamanam—Lord Vamana; vipram—a brahmana; maya-manavakam—the illusory son of a human being; harim—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pravistam—entered; viksya—seeing; bhrgavah—the priests who were descendants of Bhrgu; sa-sisyah—with their disciples; te—all of them; saha-agnibhih—with the fire sacrifice; pratyagrhnan—properly welcomed; samutthaya—standing up; sanksiptah—being diminished; tasya—His; tejasa—by brilliance.

TRANSLATION

Appearing as a brahmana 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.

SB8.18.26

TEXT 26

yajamanah pramudito

darsaniyam manoramam

rupanurupavayavam

tasma asanam aharat

SYNONYMS

yajamanah—Bali Maharaja, who had engaged all the priests in performing the sacrifice; pramuditah—being very jubilant; darsaniyam—pleasing to see; manoramam—so beautiful; rupa—with beauty; anurupa—equal to His bodily beauty; avayavam—all the different parts of the body; tasmai—unto Him; asanam—a sitting place; aharat—offered.

TRANSLATION

Bali Maharaja, jubilant at seeing Lord Vamanadeva, whose beautiful limbs contributed equally to the beauty of His entire body, offered Him a seat with great satisfaction.

SB8.18.27

TEXT 27

svagatenabhinandyatha

padau bhagavato balih

avanijyarcayam asa

mukta-sanga-manoramam

SYNONYMS

su-agatena—by words of welcome; abhinandya—welcoming; atha—thus; padau—the two lotus feet; bhagavatah—of the Lord; balih—Bali Maharaja; avanijya—washing; arcayam asa—worshiped; mukta-sanga-manoramam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beautiful to the liberated souls.

TRANSLATION

Thus offering a proper reception to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always beautiful to the liberated souls, Bali Maharaja worshiped Him by washing His lotus feet.

SB8.18.28

TEXT 28

tat-pada-saucam jana-kalmasapaham

sa dharma-vin murdhny adadhat sumangalam

yad deva-devo girisas candra-maulir

dadhara murdhna paraya ca bhaktya

SYNONYMS

tat-pada-saucam—the water that washed the lotus feet of the Lord; jana-kalmasa-apaham—which washes away all the sinful reactions of the people in general; sah—he (Bali Maharaja); dharma-vit—completely aware of religious principles; murdhni—on the head; adadhat—carried; su-mangalam—all-auspicious; yat—which; deva-devah—the best of the demigods; girisah—Lord Siva; candra-maulih—who carries on his forehead the emblem of the moon; dadhara—carried; murdhna—on the head; paraya—supreme; ca—also; bhaktya—with devotion.

TRANSLATION

Lord Siva, 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 Visnu. Being aware of religious principles, Bali Maharaja knew this. Consequently, following in the footsteps of Lord Siva, he also placed on his head the water that had washed the Lord’s lotus feet.

PURPORT

Lord Siva is known as Ganga-dhara, or one who carries the water of the Ganges on his head. On Lord Siva’s forehead is the emblem of the half-moon, yet to give supreme respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Siva placed the water of the Ganges above this emblem. This example should be followed by everyone, or at least by every devotee, because Lord Siva is one of the mahajanas. Similarly, Maharaja Bali also later became a mahajana. One mahajana follows another mahajana, and by following the parampara system of mahajana activities one can become advanced in spiritual consciousness. The water of the Ganges is sanctified because it emanates from the toe of Lord Visnu. Bali Maharaja washed the lotus feet of Vamanadeva, and the water with which he did so became equal to the Ganges. Bali Maharaja, who perfectly knew all religious principles, therefore took that water on his head, following in the footsteps of Lord Siva.

SB8.18.29

TEXT 29

sri-balir uvaca

svagatam te namas tubhyam

brahman kim karavama te

brahmarsinam tapah saksan

manye tvarya vapur-dharam

SYNONYMS

sri-balih uvaca—Bali Maharaja said; su-agatam—all welcome; te—unto You; namah tubhyam—I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; brahman—O brahmana; kim—what; karavama—can we do; te—for You; brahma-rsinam—of the great brahmana sages; tapah—austerity; saksat—directly; manye—I think; tva—You; arya—O noble one; vapuh-dharam—personified.

TRANSLATION

Bali Maharaja then said to Lord Vamanadeva: O brahmana, 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 brahmana-sages.

SB8.18.30

TEXT 30

adya nah pitaras trpta

adya nah pavitam kulam

adya svistah kratur ayam

yad bhavan agato grhan

SYNONYMS

adya—today; nah—our; pitarah—forefathers; trptah—satisfied; adya—today; nah—our; pavitam—purified; kulam—the whole family; adya—today; su-istah—properly executed; kratuh—the sacrifice; ayam—this; yat—because; bhavan—Your Lordship; agatah—arrived; grhan—at our residence.

TRANSLATION

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.

SB8.18.31

TEXT 31

adyagnayo me suhuta yatha-vidhi

dvijatmaja tvac-caranavanejanaih

hatamhaso varbhir iyam ca bhur aho

tatha punita tanubhih padais tava

SYNONYMS

adya—today; agnayah—the sacrificial fires; me—executed by me; su-hutah—properly offered oblations; yatha-vidhi—in terms of the sastric injunction; dvija-atmaja—O son of a brahmana; tvat-carana-avanejanaih—which washed Your lotus feet; hata-amhasah—who have become cleansed of all sinful reactions; varbhih—by the water; iyam—this; ca—also; bhuh—the surface of the globe; aho—oh; tatha—as well; punita—sanctified; tanubhih—small; padaih—by the touch of the lotus feet; tava—Your.

TRANSLATION

O son of a brahmana, today the fire of sacrifice is ablaze according to the injunction of the sastra, 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.

SB8.18.32

TEXT 32

yad yad vato vanchasi tat praticcha me

tvam arthinam vipra-sutanutarkaye

gam kancanam gunavad dhama mrstam

tathanna-peyam uta va vipra-kanyam

graman samrddhams turagan gajan va

rathams tatharhattama sampraticcha

SYNONYMS

yat yat—whatever; vato—O brahmacari; vanchasi—You desire; tat—that; praticcha—You may take; me—from me; tvam—You; arthinam—desiring something; vipra-suta—O son of a brahmana; anutarkaye—I consider; gam—a cow; kancanam—gold; gunavat dhama—a furnished residence; mrstam—palatable; tatha—as well as; anna—food grains; peyam—drink; uta—indeed; va—either; vipra-kanyam—the daughter of a brahmana; graman—villages; samrddhan—prosperous; turagan—horses; gajan—elephants; va—either; rathan—chariots; tatha—as well as; arhat-tama—O best of those who are worshipable; sampraticcha—You may take.

TRANSLATION

O son of a brahmana, 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 brahmana for Your wife, prosperous villages, horses, elephants, chariots or whatever You desire.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Lord Vamanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation.”

Next chapter (SB 8.19)