Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Eighteen
Lord Vamanadeva, the Dwarf Incarnation
SB8.18Summary
This chapter describes how Lord Vamanadeva appeared and how He went to the sacrificial arena of Maharaja Bali, who received Him well and fulfilled His desire by offering Him benedictions.
Lord Vamanadeva appeared in this world from the womb of Aditi completely equipped with conchshell, disc, club and lotus. His bodily hue was blackish, and He was dressed in yellow garments. Lord Visnu appeared at an auspicious moment on Sravana-dvadasi when the Abhijit star had arisen. At that time, in all the three worlds (including the higher planetary system, outer space and this earth), all the demigods, the cows, the brahmanas and even the seasons were happy because of God’s appearance. Therefore this auspicious day is called Vijaya. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has a sac-cid-ananda body, appeared as the son of Kasyapa and Aditi, both of His parents were very astonished. After His appearance, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf (Vamana). All the great sages expressed their jubilation, and with Kasyapa Muni before them they performed the birthday ceremony of Lord Vamana. At the time of Lord Vamanadeva’s sacred thread ceremony, He was honored by the sun-god, Brhaspati, the goddess presiding over the planet earth, the deity of the heavenly planets, His mother, Lord Brahma, Kuvera, the seven rsis and others. Lord Vamanadeva then visited the sacrificial arena on the northern side of the Narmada River, at the field known as Bhrgukaccha, where brahmanas of the Bhrgu dynasty were performing yajnas. Wearing a belt made of munja straw, an upper garment of deerskin and a sacred thread and carrying in His hands a danda, an umbrella and a waterpot (kamandalu), Lord Vamanadeva appeared in the sacrificial arena of Maharaja Bali. Because of His transcendentally effulgent presence, all the priests were diminished in their prowess, and thus they all stood from their seats and offered prayers to Lord Vamanadeva. Even Lord Siva accepts on his head the Ganges water generated from the toe of Lord Vamanadeva. Therefore, after washing the Lord’s feet, Bali Maharaja immediately accepted the water from the Lord’s feet on his head and felt that he and his predecessors had certainly been glorified. Then Bali Maharaja inquired of Lord Vamanadeva’s welfare and requested the Lord to ask him for money, jewels or anything He might desire. SB8.18.1 TEXT 1 sri-suka uvaca ittham virinca-stuta-karma-viryah pradurbabhuvamrta-bhur adityam catur-bhujah sankha-gadabja-cakrah pisanga-vasa nalinayateksanah SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; ittham—in this way; virinca-stuta-karma-viryah—the Personality of Godhead, whose activities and prowess are always praised by Lord Brahma; pradurbabhuva—became manifested; amrta-bhuh—whose appearance is always deathless; adityam—from the womb of Aditi; catuh-bhujah—having four arms; sankha-gada-abja-cakrah—decorated with conchshell, club, lotus and disc; pisanga-vasah—dressed in yellow garments; nalina-ayata-iksanah—having blooming eyes like the petals of a lotus. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: After Lord Brahma 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. PURPORT The word amrta-bhuh is significant in this verse. The Lord sometimes appears like an ordinary child taking birth, but this does not mean that He is subject to birth, death or old age. One must be very intelligent to understand the appearance and activities of the Supreme Lord in His incarnations. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.9): janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah. One should try to understand that the Lord’s appearance and disappearance and His activities are all divyam, or transcendental. The Lord has nothing to do with material activities. One who understands the appearance, disappearance and activities of the Lord is immediately liberated. After giving up his body, he never again has to accept a material body, but is transferred to the spiritual world (tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so ’rjuna [Bg. 4.9]). SB8.18.2 TEXT 2 syamavadato jhasa-raja-kundala- tvisollasac-chri-vadanambujah puman srivatsa-vaksa balayangadollasat- kirita-kanci-guna-caru-nupurah SYNONYMS syama-avadatah—whose body is blackish and free from inebriety; jhasa-raja-kundala—of the two earrings, made in the shape of sharks; tvisa—by the luster; ullasat—dazzling; sri-vadana-ambujah—having a beautiful lotus face; puman—the Supreme Person; srivatsa-vaksah—with the mark of Srivatsa on His bosom; balaya—bracelets; angada—arm bands; ullasat—dazzling; kirita—helmet; kanci—belt; guna—sacred thread; caru—beautiful; nupurah—ankle bells. TRANSLATION 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. SB8.18.3 TEXT 3 madhu-vrata-vrata-vighustaya svaya virajitah sri-vanamalaya harih prajapater vesma-tamah svarocisa vinasayan kantha-nivista-kaustubhah SYNONYMS madhu-vrata—of bees always hankering for honey; vrata—with a bunch; vighustaya—resounding; svaya—uncommon; virajitah—situated; sri—beautiful; vana-malaya—with a flower garland; harih—the Supreme Lord; prajapateh—of Kasyapa Muni, the Prajapati; vesma-tamah—the darkness of the house; sva-rocisa—by His own effulgence; vinasayan—vanquishing; kantha—on the neck; nivista—worn; kaustubhah—the Kaustubha gem. TRANSLATION 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 Prajapati Kasyapa. SB8.18.4 TEXT 4 disah praseduh salilasayas tada prajah prahrsta rtavo gunanvitah dyaur antariksam ksitir agni-jihva gavo dvijah sanjahrsur nagas ca SYNONYMS disah—all directions; praseduh—became happy; salila—of water; asayah—the reservoirs; tada—at that time; prajah—all living entities; prahrstah—very happy; rtavah—the seasons; guna-anvitah—full of their respective qualities; dyauh—the upper planetary system; antariksam—outer space; ksitih—the surface of the earth; agni-jihvah—the demigods; gavah—the cows; dvijah—the brahmanas; sanjahrsuh—all became happy; nagah ca—and the mountains. TRANSLATION 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 brahmanas and the hills and mountains were all filled with joy. SB8.18.5 TEXT 5 sronayam sravana-dvadasyam muhurte ’bhijiti prabhuh sarve naksatra-taradyas cakrus taj-janma daksinam SYNONYMS sronayam—when the moon was situated in the Sravana lunar mansion; sravana-dvadasyam—on the twelfth lunar day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhadra, the day famous as the Sravana-dvadasi; muhurte—in the auspicious moment; abhijiti—in the first portion of the Sravana lunar mansion known as the Abhijit-naksatra and in the Abhijit-muhurta (occurring at midday); prabhuh—the Lord; sarve—all; naksatra—stars; tara—planets; adyah—beginning with the sun and followed by the other planets; cakruh—made; tat-janma—the birthday of the Lord; daksinam—very munificent. TRANSLATION 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. PURPORT Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, an expert astrologer, explains the word naksatra-taradyah. The word naksatra means “the stars,” the word tara in this context refers to the planets, and adyah means “the first one specifically mentioned.” Among the planets, the first is Surya, the sun, not the moon. Therefore, according to the Vedic version, the modern astronomer’s proposition that the moon is nearest to the earth should not be accepted. The chronological order in which people all over the world refer to the days of the week—Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday—corresponds to the Vedic order of the planets and thus circumstantiates the Vedic version. Apart from this, when the Lord appeared the planets and stars became situated very auspiciously, according to astrological calculations, to celebrate the birth of the Lord. SB8.18.6 TEXT 6 dvadasyam savitatisthan madhyandina-gato nrpa vijaya-nama sa prokta yasyam janma vidur hareh SYNONYMS dvadasyam—on the twelfth day of the moon; savita—the sun; atisthat—was staying; madhyam-dina-gatah—on the meridian; nrpa—O King; vijaya-nama—by the name Vijaya; sa—that day; prokta—is called; yasyam—on which; janma—the appearance; viduh—they know; hareh—of Lord Hari. TRANSLATION O King, when the Lord appeared—on dvadasi, the twelfth day of the moon—the sun was at the meridian, as every learned scholar knows. This dvadasi is called Vijaya. SB8.18.7 TEXT 7 sankha-dundubhayo nedur mrdanga-panavanakah citra-vaditra-turyanam nirghosas tumulo ’bhavat SYNONYMS sankha—conchshells; dundubhayah—kettledrums; neduh—vibrated; mrdanga—drums; panava-anakah—drums named panavas and anakas; citra—various; vaditra—of these vibrations of musical sound; turyanam—and of other instruments; nirghosah—the loud sound; tumulah—tumultuous; abhavat—became. TRANSLATION Conchshells, kettledrums, drums, panavas and anakas vibrated in concert. The sound of these and various other instruments was tumultuous. SB8.18.8 TEXT 8 pritas capsaraso ’nrtyan gandharva-pravara jaguh tustuvur munayo deva manavah pitaro ’gnayah SYNONYMS pritah—being very pleased; ca—also; apsarasah—the celestial dancing girls; anrtyan—danced; gandharva-pravarah—the best of the Gandharvas; jaguh—sang; tustuvuh—satisfied the Lord by offering prayers; munayah—the great sages; devah—the demigods; manavah—the Manus; pitarah—the inhabitants of Pitrloka; agnayah—the fire-gods. TRANSLATION Being very pleased, the celestial dancing girls [Apsaras] 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. SB8.18.9-10 TEXTS 9–10 siddha-vidyadhara-ganah sakimpurusa-kinnarah carana yaksa-raksamsi suparna bhujagottamah gayanto ’tiprasamsanto nrtyanto vibudhanugah aditya asrama-padam kusumaih samavakiran SYNONYMS siddha—the inhabitants of Siddhaloka; vidyadhara-ganah—the inhabitants of Vidyadhara-loka; sa—with; kimpurusa—the inhabitants of Kimpurusa-loka; kinnarah—the inhabitants of Kinnaraloka; caranah—the inhabitants of Caranaloka; yaksa—the Yaksas; raksamsi—the Raksasas; suparnah—the Suparnas; bhujaga-uttamah—the best of the inhabitants of the serpent loka; gayantah—glorifying the Lord; ati-prasamsantah—praising the Lord; nrtyantah—dancing; vibudhanugah—the followers of the demigods; adityah—of Aditi; asrama-padam—the place of residence; kusumaih—by flowers; samavakiran—covered. TRANSLATION The Siddhas, Vidyadharas, Kimpurusas, Kinnaras, Caranas, Yaksas, Raksasas, 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. SB8.18.11 TEXT 11 drstvaditis tam nija-garbha-sambhavam param pumamsam mudam apa vismita grhita-deham nija-yoga-mayaya prajapatis caha jayeti vismitah SYNONYMS drstva—seeing; aditih—mother Aditi; tam—Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); nija-garbha-sambhavam—born of her own womb; param—the Supreme; pumamsam—the Personality of Godhead; mudam—great happiness; apa—conceived; vismita—being very much astonished; grhita—accepted; deham—body, or transcendental form; nija-yoga-mayaya—by His own spiritual potency; prajapatih—Kasyapa Muni; ca—also; aha—said; jaya—all glories; iti—thus; vismitah—being astonished. TRANSLATION 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, Prajapati Kasyapa exclaimed, “Jaya! Jaya!” in great happiness and wonder. SB8.18.12 TEXT 12 yat tad vapur bhati vibhusanayudhair avyakta-cid-vyaktam adharayad dharih babhuva tenaiva sa vamano vatuh sampasyator divya-gatir yatha natah SYNONYMS yat—which; tat—that; vapuh—transcendental body; bhati—manifests; vibhusana—with regular ornaments; ayudhaih—and with weapons; avyakta—unmanifested; cit-vyaktam—spiritually manifested; adharayat—assumed; harih—the Lord; babhuva—immediately became; tena—with that; eva—certainly; sah—He (the Lord); vamanah—dwarf; vatuh—a brahmana brahmacari; sampasyatoh—while both His father and mother were seeing; divya-gatih—whose movements are wonderful; yatha—as; natah—a theatrical actor. TRANSLATION 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 brahmana-dwarf, a brahmacari, just like a theatrical actor. PURPORT The word natah is significant. An actor changes dress to play different parts, but is always the same man. Similarly, as described in the Brahma-samhita (5.33, 39), the Lord assumes many thousands and millions of forms (advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam). He is always present with innumerable incarnations (ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu [Bs. 5.39]). Nonetheless, although He appears in various incarnations, they are not different from one another. He is the same person, with the same potency, the same eternity and the same spiritual existence, but He can simultaneously assume various forms. When Vamanadeva appeared from the womb of His mother, He appeared in the form of Narayana, with four hands equipped with the necessary symbolic weapons, and then immediately transformed Himself into a brahmacari (vatu). This means that His body is not material. One who thinks that the Supreme Lord assumes a material body is not intelligent. He has to learn more about the Lord’s position. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.9), janma karma ca me divyam evam yo vetti tattvatah. One has to understand the transcendental appearance of the Lord in His original transcendental body (sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]). SB8.18.13 TEXT 13 tam vatum vamanam drstva modamana maharsayah karmani karayam asuh puraskrtya prajapatim SYNONYMS tam—Him; vatum—the brahmacari; vamanam—dwarf; drstva—seeing; modamanah—in a happy mood; maha-rsayah—the great saintly persons; karmani—ritualistic ceremonies; karayam asuh—performed; puraskrtya—keeping in front; prajapatim—Kasyapa Muni, the Prajapati. TRANSLATION When the great sages saw the Lord as the brahmacari-dwarf Vamana, they were certainly very pleased. Thus they placed before them Kasyapa Muni, the Prajapati, and performed all the ritualistic ceremonies, such as the birthday ceremony. PURPORT According to Vedic civilization, when a child is born in the family of a brahmana, the birthday ceremony, known as jata-karma, is first performed, and then other ceremonies are also gradually performed. But when this vamana-rupa appeared in the form of a vatu, or brahmacari, His sacred thread ceremony was also performed immediately. SB8.18.14 TEXT 14 tasyopaniyamanasya savitrim savitabravit brhaspatir brahma-sutram mekhalam kasyapo ’dadat SYNONYMS tasya—of Lord Vamanadeva; upaniyamanasya—at the time of His being offered the sacred thread ceremony; savitrim—the Gayatri mantra; savita—the sun-god; abravit—chanted; brhaspatih—Brhaspati, the guru of the demigods; brahma-sutram—the sacred thread; mekhalam—the belt of straw; kasyapah—Kasyapa Muni; adadat—offered. TRANSLATION At the sacred thread ceremony of Vamanadeva, the sun-god personally uttered the Gayatri mantra, Brhaspati offered the sacred thread, and Kasyapa Muni offered a straw belt. SB8.18.15 TEXT 15 dadau krsnajinam bhumir dandam somo vanaspatih kaupinacchadanam mata dyaus chatram jagatah pateh SYNONYMS dadau—gave, offered; krsna-ajinam—the skin of a deer; bhumih—mother earth; dandam—a brahmacari’s rod; somah—the moon-god; vanah-patih—the king of the forest; kaupina—the underwear; acchadanam—covering the body; mata—His mother, Aditi; dyauh—the heavenly kingdom; chatram—an umbrella; jagatah—of the whole universe; pateh—of the master. TRANSLATION 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 brahmacari]. His mother, Aditi, gave Him cloth for underwear, and the deity presiding over the heavenly kingdom offered Him an umbrella. SB8.18.16 TEXT 16 kamandalum veda-garbhah kusan saptarsayo daduh aksa-malam maharaja sarasvaty avyayatmanah SYNONYMS kamandalum—a waterpot; veda-garbhah—Lord Brahma; kusan—kusa grass; sapta-rsayah—the seven sages; daduh—offered; aksa-malam—a string of Rudraksa beads; maharaja—O King; sarasvati—the goddess Sarasvati; avyaya-atmanah—to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. TRANSLATION O King, Lord Brahma offered a waterpot to the inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead, the seven sages offered Him kusa grass, and mother Sarasvati gave Him a string of Rudraksa beads. SB8.18.17 TEXT 17 tasma ity upanitaya yaksa-rat patrikam adat bhiksam bhagavati saksad umadad ambika sati SYNONYMS tasmai—unto Him (Lord Vamanadeva); iti—in this way; upanitaya—who had undergone His sacred thread ceremony; yaksa-rat—Kuvera, the treasurer of heaven and King of the Yaksas; patrikam—a pot for begging alms; adat—delivered; bhiksam—alms; bhagavati—mother Bhavani, the wife of Lord Siva; saksat—directly; uma—Uma; adat—gave; ambika—the mother of the universe; sati—the chaste. TRANSLATION When Vamanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread, Kuvera, King of the Yaksas, gave Him a pot for begging alms, and mother Bhagavati, the wife of Lord Siva and most chaste mother of the entire universe, gave Him His first alms. SB8.18.18 TEXT 18 sa brahma-varcasenaivam sabham sambhavito vatuh brahmarsi-gana-sanjustam atyarocata marisah SYNONYMS sah—He (Vamanadeva); brahma-varcasena—by His Brahman effulgence; evam—in this way; sabham—the assembly; sambhavitah—having been welcomed by everyone; vatuh—the brahmacari; brahma-rsi-gana-sanjustam—filled with great brahmana sages; ati-arocata—surpassing, appeared beautiful; marisah—the best of the brahmacaris. TRANSLATION Having thus been welcomed by everyone, Lord Vamanadeva, the best of the brahmacaris, exhibited His Brahman effulgence. Thus He surpassed in beauty that entire assembly, which was filled with great saintly brahmanas.