When the noble king Bali was approached by the diminutive Brahmin, Vāmana, the wise Shukra cautioned him, “O King, this is none other than Vishnu himself, the Supreme Lord, who has come at the behest of the gods. By subtle means, he seeks to reclaim all the earth from you. Therefore, heed my words: do not grant him any land. Instead, offer him something else, as I advise you, O lord of the earth.” But Bali, serene and smiling, replied respectfully to his revered teacher, “O revered one, all the meritorious deeds I have performed have been for the pleasure of Vasudeva. Today, I am truly blessed, for Vishnu himself stands before me. To him, I must give everything—even my life and happiness.” With unwavering resolve, Bali declared, “Therefore, I shall give him the three worlds without delay.” He then devotedly washed the feet of Vāmana, as custom prescribed, and poured water to solemnize the gift. Circumambulating and bowing in reverence, he offered the desired land, along with wealth and the traditional fee. Filled with joy, Bali spoke to the Brahmin, “I am truly blessed. My life’s purpose is fulfilled by giving you the earth, O Brahmin. Take this earth, as you wish, best of Brahmins.” At that moment, Vishnu addressed the king, who stood nearby, “Today, in your presence, I will measure the earth with my foot.” Having spoken, the Supreme Lord abandoned his dwarf form and revealed his cosmic aspect as Trivikrama. With this immense form, he took possession of the earth, vast as fifty crores, along with its oceans and mountains. With a single stride, Madhusudana covered the entire earth—seas, islands, gods, asuras, humans, and all beings. Then the eternal Lord said to Bali, king of the Daityas, “What shall I do now?” The dazzling form of Trivikrama, of boundless might, was invisible even to the gods, sages, Brahmā, or Śaṅkara themselves. O gentle Girijā, when the Lord’s foot spanned the whole earth, it extended a hundred yojanas beyond. In his compassion, the eternal one granted divine sight to Bali and revealed his own wondrous form. Beholding this universal form of the Lord, Bali was overwhelmed with joy; tears of happiness filled his eyes. He bowed low, his heart overflowing, and praised the Lord with hymns, his voice choked with emotion. “O Supreme Lord,” Bali exclaimed, “I am blessed and fulfilled, having seen you. You alone are worthy to possess these three worlds.” Then, as all watched, Vishnu, the Lord of all, lifted his second, imperishable step upwards, reaching the very world of Brahmā. That stride, accompanied by stars, planets, and all the gods, filled the entire cosmos. Brahmā, the Grandfather, saw the Lord’s foot, adorned with the wheel and lotus, and his heart overflowed with joy. Proclaiming himself blessed, Brahmā took his water pot and, with deep devotion, washed the Lord’s foot with its sacred water. By Vishnu’s power, that water became inexhaustible and fell upon the summit of Meru as a pure and holy stream. For the purification of the worlds, the water flowed in all directions: first as Sitā, then Ālakanandā, and then Cakṣurbhadrā. To the south of Meru, the blissful river is known as Alakanandā, and she is called by three names—Tripathagā, Trisrotā, and the purifier of the worlds. In heaven she is Mandākinī, below she is Bhogavatī, and in the middle realm, she is the swift-flowing Gaṅgā, auspicious and purifying. O beautiful-faced one, when Gaṅgā sprang forth in the midst of Meru, for my own purification, I bore her upon my head. Having held the pure water of Gaṅgā for a divine thousand years, I attained auspiciousness and was worshipped in all the worlds. Whoever bears upon his head or drinks the water of Gaṅgā, which arose from Vishnu’s feet, will surely be revered throughout the world—of this, there is no doubt. Even one who utters “Gaṅgā! Gaṅgā!” from hundreds of yojanas away is freed from all sins and reaches the realm of Vishnu. Later, King Bhagīratha and the great ascetic Gautama, after performing severe austerities and worshipping me, requested the descent of Gaṅgā. For the welfare of all beings, I gladly granted them that most excellent river, Gaṅgā, who is Vishnu’s and supremely auspicious. Brought by Gautama, she became known as Gautamī, and because she was chosen by Bhagīratha, she became famous as Bhāgīrathī. Thus have I described, in context, the matchless origin of Gaṅgā. Then, the glorious Nārāyaṇa, the Lord, out of affection for his devotees, granted Bali the splendid realm of Rasātala, along with all the Dānavas, Nāgas, and Yādavas. He made Bali their king until the great dissolution, having accepted the worlds from him in the form of a dwarf, the slayer of Daityas. Thereafter, Vishnu, the imperishable, joyfully restored the worlds to Mahendra, the son of Kaśyapa. The gods, Gandharvas, and mighty sages praised the Lord with divine hymns and worshipped him. Then, for their vision, he condensed his great form, and, honored by the gods, Hari vanished from sight. Thus, Indra was protected by the mighty Vishnu, and the lord of the three worlds attained great sovereignty. This is the glorious story of Vāmana, as I have recounted it to you. Whatever remains of his glory, O goddess, I shall narrate in due course.