प्रतिज्ञापालनं कार्यं सतां धर्मः सनातनः। यद्येष भगवान्विष्णुर्नास्ति धन्यतरो मया
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.
गृह्य प्रतिग्रहं मत्तो यदि देवान्बुभूषति। भूयोपि धन्यतां नीतो देवेनानेन वै गुरो
If he wishes to accept a gift from me, desiring the gods, then I am made even more blessed by this god, O teacher.
यं योगिनो ध्यानयुक्ता ध्यायमाना हि दर्शनम्। न लभंते तथा विप्रास्सोयं दृष्टो मयाद्य वै
He whom yogis, absorbed in meditation, do not obtain a vision of—such a one I have seen today, indeed.
दानानि ये प्रयच्छंति सकुशोदकपाणिना। प्रीयतां भगवान्विष्णुः परमात्मा सनातनः
Those who give gifts with hands holding kuśa grass and water—may the Blessed Viṣṇu, the supreme soul, the eternal one, be pleased.
एवमुक्ते तु वचने अपवर्गस्य भागिनः। यदत्र कार्यकरणे विकल्पो मे बभूव ह
When these words were spoken, of those who are entitled to liberation, there arose in me a doubt regarding what action should be taken here.
उपदिष्टोस्मि भवता बालत्वे चावधारितम्। शत्रावपि गृहायाते मास्त्वदेयं तु किंचन
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.
एतदेव विचिंत्याहं प्राणानपि स्वकान्गुरो। वामनस्य प्रदास्यामि शक्रस्यापि त्रिविष्टपम्
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.
अपीडाकारि यद्दानं तद्दानमिह दीयते। पीडाकारि च यद्दानं तद्दानं समलं स्मृतम्
A gift that causes no harm is indeed a true gift; but a gift that causes harm is regarded as tainted.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा गुरुस्तत्र त्रपयाधोमुखः स्थितः। बाष्कलिरुवाच। अर्थिता भवतो देव देया सर्वा धरा मया
Hearing this, the teacher there stood with his head bowed in shame. Bāṣkali said: 'O Lord, since you have requested, all the earth shall be given by me.'
त्रपाकरं भवेन्मह्यं यदस्य भूपदत्रयम्। इंद्र उवाच। सत्यमेतद्दानवेन्द्र यदुक्तं भवता हि मे
'It would be a cause of embarrassment to me if only three steps of land are given.' Indra said: 'O lord of the Dānavas, what you have said to me is indeed true.'
भूमेः पदत्रयार्थित्वं द्विजेनानेन मे कृतम्। एतावता त्वयं चार्थी मयाप्यस्य कृते भवान्
'This Brāhmaṇa has asked me for three steps of earth; and you, too, have been requested by me on his behalf.'
दनुपुत्रो याचितोसि वरमेतत्प्रदीयताम्। बाष्कलिरुवाच। पदत्रयं वामनाय देवराज प्रतीच्छ मे
'O son of Danu, you have been asked; let this boon be granted.' Bāṣkali said: 'O king of the gods, accept from me three steps of land for Vāmana.'
तत्र त्वं सुचिरं कालं सुखी सुरपते वस। एवमुक्त्वा बाष्कलिना वामनाय पदत्रयम्
'There, may you dwell happily for a long time, O lord of the gods.' Having thus spoken, Bāṣkali gave three steps of land to Vāmana.
तोयपूर्वं तदा दत्तं प्रीयतां मे हरिः स्वयम्। दत्ते तु दानवेंद्रेण त्यक्त्वा रूपं च वामनम्
Then, with water as a ritual, it was given; may Hari himself be pleased with me. When the lord of the Dānavas had given it, Hari abandoned the form of Vāmana.
हरिराचक्रमे लोकान्देवानां हितकाम्यया। यज्ञपर्वतमासाद्य गत्वा चैव उदङ्मुखः
Hari then strode across the worlds, desiring the welfare of the gods. Reaching the Yajña mountain, he went facing north.
देवस्य वामचरणे निविष्टो दानवालयः। तत्र क्रमं स प्रथमं ददौ सूर्ये जगत्पतिः
The abode of the Dānavas was placed at the left foot of the god. There, the Lord of the universe made his first step on the sun.
द्वितीयं च ध्रुवे देवस्तृतीयेन च पार्थिव। ब्रह्मांडस्ताडितस्तेन देवेनाद्भुतकर्मणा
The god made his second step on Dhruva, and with the third, O king, the cosmic egg was struck by that god of wondrous deeds.
अंगुष्ठाग्रेण भिन्नेंडे जलं भूरि विनिःसृतम्। प्लावयित्वा ब्रह्मलोकान्सर्वान्लोकाननुक्रमात्
From the tip of his big toe, when the egg was pierced, abundant water flowed forth, flooding all the worlds, including Brahmaloka, in succession.
ध्रुवस्थानं सूर्यलोकं प्लाव्य तं यज्ञपर्वतम्। प्रविष्टा पुष्करं धारा धौत्वा विष्णुपदानि सा
Flooding the realm of Dhruva, the world of the sun, and that Yajña mountain, the stream entered Puṣkara, washing the footprints of Viṣṇu.
पदानि यानि जातानि वैष्णवानि धरातले। तत्राश्रमे तु यो गत्वा स्नानं वाप्यां समाचरेत्
The footprints that appeared on the earth are called Vaiṣṇava. Whoever goes to that hermitage and bathes in the pond there,
अश्वमेधफलं तस्य दर्शनादेव जायते। एकविंशगणोपेतो वैकुंठे वासमाप्नुयात्
He attains the fruit of an Aśvamedha sacrifice merely by seeing it, and, accompanied by twenty-one groups, obtains residence in Vaikuṇṭha.
भुक्त्वा तु विपुलान्भोगान्कल्पानां तु शतत्रयम्। तदंते जायते राजा सार्वभौमः क्षिताविह
After enjoying vast pleasures for three hundred kalpas, at the end of that, he is born as a universal monarch on this earth.
तोयधारा तु सा भीष्म अंगुष्ठाग्राद्विनिःसृता। नदी सा वैष्णवी प्रोक्ता विष्णुपादसमुद्भवा
O Bhīṣma, that stream of water which issued from the tip of the big toe is called the Vaiṣṇavī river, born from the foot of Viṣṇu.
अनेन कारणेनाभूद्गंगा विष्णुपदी नृप। यया सर्वमिदं व्याप्तं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्
For this reason, O king, the Gaṅgā became Viṣṇupadī, by which this entire threefold world, with all that moves and does not move, was pervaded.
अंगुष्ठाग्रक्षतादंडाद्यत्प्रविष्टं जलं शुभम्। प्राप्तं देवनदीत्वं तु यातु विष्णुपदी नदी
The pure water that entered from the wound at the tip of the big toe attained the status of the divine river, and became the river Viṣṇupadī.
देवनद्या तया व्याप्तं ब्रह्मांडं सचराचरम्। विभूतिभिर्महाभाग सर्वानुग्रहकाम्यया
By that divine river, the entire cosmic egg, with all that moves and does not move, was pervaded, O greatly fortunate one, out of the desire to bestow grace upon all.
स बाष्कलिर्वामनेन उक्तः पूरय मे क्रमान्। अधोमुखस्तदा जात उत्तरं नास्य विंदति
Then Bāṣkali, addressed by Vāmana, was told, 'Fulfill my steps.' At that, he became downcast and found no reply.
मौनीभूतं तु तं दृष्ट्वा पुरोधा वाक्यमब्रवीत्। स्वाभाविकी दानशक्तिर्न तु स्रष्टुं वयं क्षमाः
Seeing him rendered silent, the priest spoke these words: 'The power to give is innate; we are not able to create it ourselves.'
यावतीयं धरा देव सा दत्तानेन ते प्रभो। उक्तो बाष्कलिना विष्णुर्यावन्मात्रा वसुंधरा
'O Lord, as much as this earth exists, so much has been given to you by him,' said Bāṣkali to Viṣṇu, 'as much as the earth extends.'
या सृष्टा भवता पूर्वं सा मया न च गोपिता। अल्पाभूमिर्भवान्दीर्घो न तु सृष्टेरहं क्षमः
'What was created by you before, that I have not withheld; the land is small, you are vast, but I am not able to create more.'