Sri Vamana Jayanthi - Mananam Sept 10th 2019


Sri Vamana Avataara/Naama Mananam from Different Sources


1. Excerpts from Sri Sankara Bhasyam

2. Sri Rudram


3. Bramara Gita (of Gopis) – Bhagavatham 10.47.17


4. BHAGAVATHAM


- Vamana Jananam (8.18.5 & 6 Bhagavatham)

- Sri Vamana Upanayana Samskaara
- Asking Three Paces of Land – Discussion between Sri Bali & Sri Vamana.
- Sri Bali’s response to his Guru Sri Sukracharya, when advised to retract his promise.
- Aum Urukramaaya Namaha
- Third Step
- Sri Bhagavan Uvaca
- Sri Bali Uvaca
- Phala Sruti

5. Thiruppavai - 3rd Paasuram



Excerpts from Sri Sankara Bhasyam

 

·        Aum Trivikramaya Namaha
The Harivams'a (279-80) says: "The Sages have named the three worlds as ' Tri ' and as you walked them all thrice you are named Tri (vi) krama."

·        Aum Vikramaaya Namaha
As he traversed the Universe (again implied reference to Vamana)

·        Aum Amitavikramaaya Namaha
Whose steps were immeasurable (during the Trivikrama incarnation).

·        Aum Tripadaaya Namaha
The S'ruti (Tai. Br., 2-4-6) says : " He who stepped (the three worlds) by his strides."

·        Aum Mahakramaaya Namaha
The S'ruti (Tai. Up., 1-1) says: "The far-stepping Vishnu grant us welfare." (i.e. he takes steps to spread devotion)

·        Aum Vaamanaaya Namaha
As he appeared as a Dwarf Yaachaka in front of Bali. He checked (Vamayati) the pride of Bali, hence he is called (' Vamana ') Vamana is to be worshipped in that form. 

·        Aum Aadityaya Namaha
This refers to Vamana-incarnation, the son of Aditi to Kasyapa.

·        Aum Praamshave Namaha
As the very same (dwarf) instantly became taller than the three worlds. The Harivamsa (262-263) says : " When the water (accompanying the gift) was poured into his hands, the dwarf was no longer a dwarf. The Lord manifested His Universal form ; the earth was his feet, the sky, his head and the sun and moon his eyes." Having thus manifested His Cosmic form, He traversed the  earth. Then (when he rose up high) the sun and moon came up to his chest. When he walked up the middle region, they (the sun and moon) reached his navel ; and when he was in the world of gods they were below his knees."

·        Aum Vishnave Namaha
According to Yaska or Vyasa (Maha. Udyo., 70-13) ' Vishnu ' is he who traverses this Universe by three steps

Other Naama that remind us of Sri Vaamna - Aum Upendraaya Namaha

Sri Rudram

Namo hruswayaa cha vamanaaya cha 5.1.8

Salutations to him who is small and to him who is dwarf. 


(Small - to be contemplated in heart pundarikam -Daharopasyamurthi)
(Vamana - also to be thought as Sri Mahaganapathi Avataaram)

Bramara Gita (of Gopis) – Bhagavatham 10.47.17


mṛgayur iva kapīndraṁ vivyadhe lubdha-dharmā
striyam akṛta virūpāṁ strī-jitaḥ kāma-yānām
balim api balim attvāveṣṭayad dhvāṅkṣa-vad yas
tad alam asita-sakhyair dustyajas tat-kathārthaḥ

Like a crow eating up (boiled rice etc. offered in Bhuta yajna) He (as Vamana) ate up King Bali (i.e. accepted the worship offered by the King) and (ungratefully) bound him down (and threw him into Patala). Enough of friendship with one as black within as without ! But Lo ! We cannot still abandon the treasure of his deeds and excellences. - Bhramara Gita - 10.47.17 (Bhagavatham).

Mananam: If God were to eat the offering we put to him (as Naivedhyam) that would indeed be wonderous, but here *Sri Hari as Vamana ate not just the offering, but also the Offeror*!!

Vamana Jananam (8.18.5 & 6 Bhagavatham)

śroṇāyāṁ śravaṇa-dvādaśyāṁ
muhūrte ’bhijiti prabhuḥ
sarve nakṣatra-tārādyāś
cakrus taj-janma dakṣiṇam

On the day of Śravaṇa-dvādaśī [the twelfth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Bhādra], when the moon came into the lunar mansion Śravaṇa, 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.

dvādaśyāṁ savitātiṣṭhan
madhyandina-gato nṛpa
vijayā-nāma sā proktā
yasyāṁ janma vidur hareḥ

O King, when the Lord appeared—on dvādaśī, the twelfth day of the moon—the sun was at the meridian, as every learned scholar knows. This dvādaśī is called Vijayā.

babhūva tenaiva sa vāmano vaṭuḥ
sampaśyator divya-gatir yathā naṭaḥ

Then, in the presence of His father and mother, He assumed the form of Vāmana, a brāhmaṇa-dwarf, a brahmacārī, just like an actor.

Sri Vamana Upanayana Mahotsvam

At the sacred thread ceremony of Vāmana
the sun-god personally uttered the Gāyatrī mantra
Bṛhaspati offered the sacred thread, and 
Kaśyapa Muni offered a cord of munja grass (belt). 

Mother earth gave Him a deerskin, and 
the Soma who is the lord of plants & herbs gave Him a brahma-daṇḍa [the rod of a brahmacārī]. 

His mother, Aditi, gave Him cloth for Kaupinam and 
the deity presiding over the heavenly kingdom offered Him an umbrella. 

O King, Lord Brahmā offered a waterpot, 
the seven sages offered Him kuśa grass, and 
mother Sarasvatī gave Him a string of Rudrākṣa beads.

When Vāmanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread, Kuvera, King of the Yakṣas, gave Him a pot for begging alms, and 
mother Bhagavatī, the mother of the entire universe, gave Him His first alms.

bhikṣāṁ bhagavatī sākṣād umādād ambikā satī

Asking Three Paces of Land – Discussion between Sri Bali & Sri Vamana.

Bali: I am able to give You an entire island because I am the proprietor of the three divisions of the universe. You have come to take something from me and have pleased me by Your sweet words, but You are asking only three paces of land. Therefore You are not very intelligent.

Sri Vamana in response: If I were not satisfied with three paces of land, then surely I would not be satisfied even with possessing one of the seven islands, consisting of nine varṣas. Even if I possessed one island, I would hope to get others. We have heard that although powerful kings like Mahārāja Pṛthu and Mahārāja Gaya achieved proprietorship over the seven dvīpas, they could not achieve satisfaction or find the end of their ambitions.

yadṛcchayopapannena
santuṣṭo vartate sukham
nāsantuṣṭas tribhir lokair
ajitātmopasāditaiḥ

One should be satisfied with whatever he achieves by his previous destiny, for discontent can never bring happiness. A person who is not self-controlled will not be happy even with possessing the three worlds.

Therefore, O King, from you, the best of those who give charity, I ask only three paces of land. By such a gift I shall be very pleased, for the way of happiness is to be fully satisfied to receive that which is absolutely needed.

Sri Bali’s response to his Guru Sri Sukracharya, when advised to retract his promise.

 I am the grandson of Mahārāja Prahlāda. How can I withdraw my promise because of greed for money when I have already said that I shall give this land? How can I behave like an ordinary cheater, especially toward a brāhmaṇa? There is nothing more sinful than untruthfulness. Because of this, mother earth once said, “I can bear any heavy thing except a person who is a liar.”

Why not please Him with the riches one is destined to lose at death?

Dadhīci, Śibi and many other great personalities were willing to sacrifice even their lives for the benefit of the people in general. This is the evidence of history. So why not give up this insignificant land? What is the serious consideration against it?

O great sage, great saintly persons like you, being completely aware of the Vedic principles for performing ritualistic ceremonies and yajñas, worship Lord Viṣṇu in all circumstances. Therefore, whether that same Lord Viṣṇu has come here to give me all benedictions or to punish me as an enemy, I must carry out His order and give Him the requested tract of land without hesitation.

Aum Urukramaaya Namaha

dhātuḥ kamaṇḍalu-jalaṁ tad urukramasya
pādāvanejana-pavitratayā narendra
svardhuny abhūn nabhasi sā patatī nimārṣṭi
loka-trayaṁ bhagavato viśadeva kīrtiḥ 8 .21.4

The Water that was poured out of the Kamandalu of Brahma, for washing the feet of the lord of mighty strides (Urukramah), and being purified thereby, became the heavenly river (Ganga). Like the pure hallowing renown of the Lord, it sanctifies the three worlds, as it falls from the sky and flows through them from heavens. 

Third Step

Sri Vāmanadeva, then spoke to Bali Mahārāja whom He had arrested with the ropes of VaruṇaBali Mahārāja had lost all bodily luster, but he was nonetheless fixed in his determination.

O King you have promised to give Me three steps of land, but I have occupied the entire universe with two steps. Now think about where I should put My third.

śrī-balir uvāca
padaṁ tṛtīyaṁ kuru śīrṣṇi me nijam (8.22.2)

I cannot allow my promise to be false. Please, therefore, place Your third lotus footstep on my head.

puṁsāṁ ślāghyatamaṁ manye
daṇḍam arhattamārpitam
yaṁ na mātā pitā bhrātā
suhṛdaś cādiśanti hi

Although a father, mother, brother or friend may sometimes punish one as a well-wisher, they never punish their subordinate like this. But because You are the most adorable Lord, I regard the punishment You have given me as most exalted.

athāham apy ātma-ripos tavāntikaṁ
daivena nītaḥ prasabhaṁ tyājita-śrīḥ
idaṁ kṛtāntāntika-varti jīvitaṁ
yayādhruvaṁ stabdha-matir na budhyate (8.22.11)

Only by providence have I been forcibly brought under Your lotus feet and deprived of all my opulence. Because of the illusion created by temporary opulence, people in general, who live under material conditions, facing death at any moment, do not understand that this life is temporary. Only by providence have I been saved from that condition.

Prahlāda  appeared there, like the moon rising in the nighttime.

Being bound by the ropes of VaruṇaBali could not offer befitting respect to Prahlāda as he had before. Rather, he simply offered respectful obeisances with his head, his eyes being inundated with tears and his face lowered in shame.

śrī-prahrāda uvāca

My Lord, it is Your Lordship who gave this Bali the very great opulence of the post of heavenly king, and now, today, it is You who have taken it all away.  I consider great divine grace has been shown into Bali, by You, in that you have relived him of his fortune which infatuates the mind and bewilders the soul.

Sri Bhagavan Uvaca

yadā kadācij jīvātmā
saṁsaran nija-karmabhiḥ
nānā-yoniṣv anīśo ’yaṁ
pauruṣīṁ gatim āvrajet

It is only after great fortune that a jivatma according to the fruits of it's past actions is born as human being. 

eṣa dānava-daityānām
agranīḥ kīrti-vardhanaḥ
ajaiṣīd ajayāṁ māyāṁ
sīdann api na muhyati

Bali  leaders of Danavas and Daityas has vanquished the unconquerable Maya and hence he is not deluded by them in distress. 

nāyaṁ tyajati satya-vāk – He never forsake Truth.

He will become King of the heavenly regions during the period of the Manu known as Sāvarṇi. Until Bali Mahārāja achieves the position of King of heaven, he shall live on the planet Sutala, which was made by Viśvakarmā according to My order. Because it is especially protected by Me, it is free from mental and bodily miseries, fatigue, dizziness, defeat and all other disturbances. Bali, you may now go live there peacefully.

Sri Bali Uvaca

śrī-balir uvāca

aho praṇāmāya kṛtaḥ samudyamaḥ
prapanna-bhaktārtha-vidhau samāhitaḥ
yal loka-pālais tvad-anugraho ’marair
alabdha-pūrvo ’pasade ’sure ’rpitaḥ - 8.23.1

How wonderful Even an attempt made to offer your salutation was efficacious to accomplish the blessings coveted by your devotees who resorted to you for protection. This unique Grace has never been obtained by the protectors of world, devas (who are of sattvic tendencies), before. It has now been conferred upon a wretched Asura (like me).

Phala Sruti

ya idaṁ deva-devasya
harer adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ
avatārānucaritaṁ
śṛṇvan yāti parāṁ gatim (8.23.30)

If one hears about the miraculous deeds of Lord Hari, in this incarnation attains to the highest stage (Mukti). 

Thiruppaavai - 3rd Paasuram


ஓங்கி உலகளந்த உத்தமர் பேர் பாடி
நாங்கள் நம் பாவைக்குச் சாற்றி நீர் ஆடினால்
தீங்கின்றி நாடெல்லம் திங்கள் மும்மாரி பெய்து
ஓங்கு பெருஞ் செந்நெல் ஊடு கயல் உகளப்
பூங்குவளைப் போதில் பொறி வண்டு கண் படுப்பத்
தெங்காதெ புக்கிருந்து சேர்த்த முலை பற்றி
வாங்கக் குடம் நிறைக்கும் வள்ளல் பெரும் பசுக்கள்
நீங்காத செல்வம் நிறைந்தேலோர் எம்பாவாய்.


oongi ulagaLandha uththaman peer paadi
naangal nam paavaikkkuch chaaTRRI neer aadinaal
theenginDRI naaDellam thingal mummaari peythu
oongu perung chennel uutu kayal ukalap
puunguvaLai poothil poRi vaNtu kaN patuppath
theengaathe pukkirunthu seerththa mulai paTRRI
vaangkak kudam niRaikkum vaLLal perum pasukkaL
neengkaatha selvam niRaindhelor empaavai.

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