Whether as a petitioner myself, or for the sake of my family, my kin, or any guest who comes to my house—whatever is proper in such circumstances, let that be done, said Bāṣkali, his voice steady with resolve. Turning to the mighty lord of the Dānavas, he continued, “If it pleases you, then let the three steps of land be given swiftly to this great-souled Vāmana.” At that moment, Bāṣkali greeted Indra with warmth, “Welcome, O Indra! May auspiciousness be yours without delay. Reflect upon your own self, the ultimate refuge of all beings. Having entrusted the burden to you, Pitāmaha, the Grandfather of the worlds, now rests peacefully, absorbed in meditation upon the supreme state. Keśava, too, wearied by countless battles, has set aside all concern for the world and dwells upon the island in the milk ocean, sleeping in perfect peace.” He continued, “All the other powerful Dānavas, armed and mighty, have been vanquished by you alone, O Śakra, without any aid. Here stand the twelve Ādityas, the eleven Rudras, the two Aśvins, the Vasus, and Dharma, the eternal one. Relying on the strength of your arms, they partake in the sacrifices of heaven; you have performed hundreds of rituals, each completed with the granting of boons and gifts.” “By your hand, Vṛtra and Namuci were slain, O lord of the gods; it was by Viṣṇu’s command that these mighty foes were destroyed. Hiraṇyākṣa, brother of Hiraṇyakaśipu, was also killed, and Hiraṇyakaśipu himself was slain, placed upon the divine thigh. Seeing you, bearing the thunderbolt and mounted on Airāvata’s head, all the Dānavas perish on the battlefield. Those Dānavas, more powerful than any, whom you have conquered before—even a thousandth part of your strength I could never match.” “Such as you are, O Indra, what am I in comparison? It is for my sake that you have come here to rescue me. I will certainly do what is necessary; I would even give my life, without doubt. But tell me, O king of the gods, why have you spoken of this land to me?” He went on, “These wives, sons, cows, all wealth, and the entire kingdom of the three worlds—let all this be given to this Brāhmaṇa. Disgrace would fall upon me and my ancestors if, having come to my house, Śakra were to receive a gift from Bāṣkali, but not otherwise. Any supplicant is always dear to me, but especially you—never hesitate here.” “Great shame is mine, O Indra, for the three steps of land; it was especially requested by you for the Brāhmaṇa, O lord. I will give the best villages, and for you, the heavenly realm; horses, elephants, land, wealth, and women with beautiful forms. By merely seeing them, even the old become youthful; these women and this earth are to be given as an offering to Vāmana. I will give it all back, O lord of the gods; let your favor be upon me.” When Bāṣkali had spoken thus, the wise priest Uśanā addressed the lord of the Daityas: “You are the king, O lord of the Daityas, established in the ritual of sovereignty. But you do not know what is proper or improper, nor to whom something should be given by me at any time. After thorough consultation with your ministers, and careful examination of what is right and wrong, decisions should be made.” “Having conquered the gods along with Indra, you have attained the sovereignty of the three worlds. But, at the end of this very speech, you will find yourself in bondage. This dwarf, O king, is in truth Viṣṇu, the eternal one. You must not give to him; your father was slain by him personally. He who stands before you is the killer of your father, the slayer of your mother, the destroyer of your kin; he has been, and will be, the one who brings about the end of your lineage.” “He does not know righteousness, being ever devoted to Indra and the others. He is a deceiver, by whom the Dānavas have been conquered through trickery. By his illusion, he has assumed the form of a brāhmaṇa, appearing as a dwarf. What more need be said? Nothing at all should be given to him. If you give him even as much land as the footprint of a fly, you will quickly come to ruin—this is the truth, the truth, as I have heard it.” Even so, when thus admonished by his teacher, Bāṣkali replied again, “All this has been promised by me, O teacher, for the sake of righteousness. The keeping of a promise must be done; it is the eternal duty of the virtuous. If this is indeed the Blessed Viṣṇu, there is no one more fortunate than I. If he wishes to accept a gift from me, desiring to favor the gods, then I am made even more blessed by this god, O teacher.” “He whom yogis, absorbed in meditation, do not obtain a vision of—such a one I have seen today, indeed. Those who give gifts with hands holding kuśa grass and water—may the Blessed Viṣṇu, the supreme soul, the eternal one, be pleased.” When these words were spoken, a doubt arose in me regarding what action should be taken, for I am one who seeks liberation. Yet, I have been instructed by you, and it has been determined since my youth: even if an enemy comes to my house, nothing should be refused by you. Reflecting on this very matter, I say, O teacher, that I would give even my own life; I will give to Vāmana even the heaven of Indra. A gift that causes no harm is indeed a true gift; but a gift that causes harm is regarded as tainted. Hearing this, the teacher stood with his head bowed in shame. Bāṣkali then declared, “O Lord, since you have requested, all the earth shall be given by me. It would be a cause of embarrassment to me if only three steps of land are given.” Indra replied, “O lord of the Dānavas, what you have said to me is indeed true.