The mighty Bali, king of the Daityas, stood invincible—his arrows, once brimming with pride, lay shattered; his sword of renown was broken. The gods, struck by his command and power, found themselves restless and unable to find peace. Troubled and scorched by the brilliance of Bali’s glory, the gods set aside their envy and gathered together in deep deliberation. Their bodies aflame with anxiety, they approached Viṣṇu, seeking his guidance. “O bearer of the conch, discus, and mace,” they pleaded, “we are afflicted, our strength has faded. For our sake, you always wield your weapons. With you as our Lord, O Lord of the universe, how can we suffer such distress? If our speech bows to you, how can it honor a demon? In mind, deed, and word, we have taken refuge in you alone; seeking shelter at your feet, how can we bow to a demon? We worship you through grand sacrifices, we praise you with words, O Acyuta; devoted to you alone, how can we bow to a demon? Led by Indra, the gods always rely on your power; having attained the position you granted, how can we bow to a demon? You are the creator as Brahmā, the protector as Viṣṇu, the destroyer as Rudra; how can we bow to a demon? Sovereignty is the cause in the world; what is the use of powerlessness? Deprived of dominion, O Lord of gods, how can we bow to a demon? You are beginningless, the sustainer of the world; you are infinite, the teacher of the universe. How can we bow to a demon, our enemy who is finite? Strengthened by your power, having conquered the three worlds by your might, may we remain steadfast, O Lord of gods; how can we bow to a demon?” Listening to their heartfelt appeals, Viṣṇu, the slayer of the Daityas, spoke to the immortals to fulfill their purpose: “That Daitya, Bali, is my devotee; he cannot be slain by gods or demons. Just as you are nourished by me, so is Bali. Without battle, I will bind Bali with a mantra and, having slain him, I will restore the kingdom of heaven to you.” With these words, the hosts of gods joyfully returned to heaven, and the blessed Lord of gods entered the womb of Aditi. As he was born, celebrations erupted; he emerged as Vāmana, O Brahman, the Lord of sacrifice, the very personification of the sacrificial rite. Meanwhile, Bali, the strongest among the strong, was consecrated for a horse-sacrifice, surrounded by eminent sages. Śukra, his priest, a master of the Vedas and their branches, presided over the ritual as Bali performed the sacrifice. For the sake of the offerings, Śukra, chief among officiating sages, was present, surrounded by gods, Gandharvas, and Nāgas. The sacrificial statement rang out repeatedly: “Let it be given, let it be enjoyed, let worship be performed separately and fully.” Gradually, Vāmana, singing the Sāma hymns, arrived at the sacrificial site. Adorned with radiant earrings, he entered the sacred enclosure. Bhārgava, seeing Vāmana and praising the sacrifice, recognized him as the god in the form of Brahma, the slayer of demons. Knowing Vāmana as the giver, the fruit of sacrificial austerities, and the destroyer of demons, Bhārgava quickly addressed Bali, the energetic king. “He is the conqueror by the duty of kṣatriyas, the giver of wealth through devotion,” Bhārgava declared. Bali, foremost among the powerful, was consecrated with his wife at the sacrifice. Śukra, wise among Bhṛgus, spoke to Bali, who was meditating on the sacrificial person and offering oblations separately. “That Brahmin who has arrived at your sacrifice in the form of Vāmana is not a true Brahmin, O Bali; he is the lord of sacrifice, the bearer of sacrifice. A child has come to ask you—surely for the benefit of the gods. After consulting with me, O master, you should give afterwards.” But Bali, the subduer of enemies, responded to Bhārgava, his priest: “Blessed am I, for the lord of sacrifice comes to my house in person; having arrived, he asks for something—what remains to be discussed?” Having spoken thus, Bali, together with his wife and Śukra, approached the foremost Brahmin, Vāmana, son of Aditi. With hands joined in reverence, he asked, “For what purpose have you come?” Vāmana replied, “Grant me land measuring three steps.” “Give, O king, for there is no other purpose; what use is wealth?” Vāmana said. Bali agreed, saying, “So be it,” and brought vessels adorned with jewels. Pouring water as a preliminary rite, Bali gave land to Vāmana, as the chief among sages and Śukra looked on. As the lords of the worlds watched, Bali gave land to Vāmana; the assembly of demons looked on, and shouts of victory arose. Vāmana spoke gently, “Blessings, O king, be happy; give me the measured land of three steps, it will be quickly taken.” The lord of demons replied, “So be it,” gazing at Vāmana, the lord of sacrifice, the sacrificial person, with the moon and sun shining on his chest. As the gods stood at the fore, Vāmana’s form began to expand—the mighty stride grew. The endless, infallible Lord, valiant and powerful, took on the form of the stride. Seeing this, the king of the Daityas, together with his wife, addressed him humbly: “Stride forth, O Viṣṇu, Lord of the worlds, as much as your power allows, O embodiment of the universe. O Lord of the gods, O creator of all, I have given you all I possess.” At that moment, the great sacrificer Viṣṇu responded: “O lord of the Daityas, mighty-armed one, I shall stride; watch, O king of the Daityas.