156
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 1, Ch. 3]
pañcadaśam vāmanakam kṛtvāgād adhvaram baleḥ pada-trayam yācamānaḥ pratyāditsus tri-piṣṭapam
pañcadaśam—the fifteenth in the line; vāmanakam—the dwarf brāhmaṇa; kṛtvā—by assumption of; agāt—went; adhvaram—arena of sacrifice; baleḥ—of King Bali; pada-trayam—three steps only; yācamānaḥ—begging; pratyāditsuḥ—willing at heart to return; tri-piṣṭapam—the kingdom of the three planetary systems.
TRANSLATION
In the fifteenth incarnation, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf brāhmaṇa [ Vāmana ] and visited the arena of sacrifice arranged by Mahārāja Bali. Although at heart He was willing to regain the kingdom of the three planetary systems, He simply asked for a donation of three steps of land.
PURPORT
The Almighty God can bestow upon anyone the kingdom of the universe from a very small beginning, and similarly, He can take away the kingdom of the universe on the plea of begging a small piece of land.
TEXT 20
अवतारे षोडशमे पश्यन् ब्रह्मदुहो नृपान् । त्रिःसप्तकृत्वः कुपितो निःक्षत्रामकरोन्महीम् ॥२०॥
avatāre ṣoḍaśame paśyan brahma-druho nṛpān triḥ-sapta-kṛtvaḥ kupito niḥkṣatrām akaron mahīm
avatāre—in the incarnation of the Lord; ṣoḍaśame—sixteenth; paśyan—seeing; brahma-druhaḥ—disobedient to the orders of the brāhmaṇas; nṛpān—the kingly order; triḥ-sapta—thrice seven times; kṛtvaḥ—had done; kupitaḥ—being engaged; niḥ—negation; kṣatrām—the administrative class; akarot—did perform; mahīm—the earth.