भरद्वाजर्षिणा सार्धं यज्ञवाटं प्रवेशयत्
He entered the sacrificial enclosure together with the sage Bharadvāja.
प्रोवाच भगवन् ब्रूहि किं दद्मि तव मानद
He said: 'O venerable one, speak—what shall I give you, O bestower of honor?'
विहस्य सुचिरं कालं भरद्वाजमवेक्ष्य च
Smiling for a long time and gazing at Bharadvāja,
न स धारयते भूम्यां पारक्यां जातवेदसम्
He does not sustain the fire, Jātavedas, on foreign ground.
मच्छरीरप्रमाणेन देहि राजन् पदत्रयम्
Grant me, O king, three steps of land measured by my own body.
बाणं च तनयं वीक्ष्य इदं वचनमब्रवीत्
Looking at his son Bāṇa, he spoke these words:
येन क्रमत्रयं मौर्ख्याद् याचते बुद्धितो ऽपि च
Who, out of folly, asks for three steps, even though he is wise?
धनादिकं भूरि न वै ददाति यथेह विष्णोर्न बहुप्रयासः
He does not ask for abundant wealth and the like, for here, with Viṣṇu, there is not much effort.
मयि दातरि यश्चायमद्य याचेत् पदत्रयम्
Even as I am the giver, today he asks for three steps.
याचस्व विष्णो गजवाजिभूमिं दासीहिरण्यं यदभीप्सितं च
Ask of Viṣṇu for elephants, horses, land, maidservants, gold—whatever you desire.
दातुर्याचयितुर्लज्जा कथं न स्यात् पदत्रये
How could there not be shame for the giver and the petitioner in asking for just three steps?
एतभ्यः कतमं दद्यां स्थानं याचस्व वामन
Of these, which place should I give? Ask for it, O Vāmana.
एतावता त्वहं चार्थी देहि राजन् पदत्रयम्
With just this much, I am a supplicant; grant me, O king, three steps of land.
बलिर्भृङ्गारमादाय ददौ विष्णोः क्रमत्रयम्
Bali, taking up the ritual water, granted Viṣṇu the three strides.
त्रैलोक्यक्रमणार्थाय बहुरूपं जगन्मयम्
For the purpose of traversing the three worlds, he assumed many forms, embodying the universe.
सत्यं तपो जानुयुग्मे ऊरुभ्यां मेरुमन्दरौ
Truth and austerity were at his knees; Meru and Mandara were his thighs.
लिङ्गे स्थितो मन्मथश्च वृषणाभ्यां प्रजापतिः
Desire abided in his phallus, and Prajapati in his testicles.
वलिषु त्रिषु नद्यश्च यज्ञास्तु जठरे स्थिताः
In his three folds were the rivers, and sacrifices resided in his belly.
पृष्ठस्था वसवो देवाः स्कन्धौ रुद्रैरधिषठितौ
The Vasus, the gods, were on his back; his shoulders were presided over by the Rudras.
हृदये संस्थितो ब्रह्मा कुलिशो हृदयास्थिषु
Brahma was established in his heart, and the thunderbolt in the bones of his heart.
ग्रीवादितिर्देवमाता विद्यास्तद्वलयस्थिताः
Aditi, the mother of the gods, was at his neck; knowledge was situated in the circles thereof.
धर्मकामार्थमोक्षीयाः शास्त्रः शौचसमन्विताः
The scriptures concerning righteousness, desire, and liberation, endowed with purity, were there.
श्वासस्थो मातरिश्वा च मरुतः सर्वसंधिषु
Mātariśvan abided in his breath, and the Maruts in all his joints.
चन्द्रादित्यौ च नयने पक्ष्मस्थाः कृत्तिकादयः
The moon and sun were his eyes, and the Krittikas and others were at his eyelashes.
तारका रोमकूपेभ्यो रोमाणि च महर्षयः
The stars were in his hair pores, and the great sages were his hairs.
क्रमेणैकेन जगतीं जहार सचराचराम्
Step by step, with a single stride, he took possession of the earth with all its moving and unmoving beings.
नक्षश्चाक्रमतो नाभिं सूर्येन्दू सव्यदक्षिणौ
With his navel he encompassed the sky; the sun and moon were on his left and right.
क्रान्तार्धार्धेन वैराजं मध्येनापूर्यताम्बरम्
With half a stride he crossed the cosmic expanse, and with the middle he filled the heavens.
ब्रह्माण्डोदरमाहत्य निरालोकं जगाम ह
Having encompassed the interior of the cosmic egg, he entered into darkness.
कुटिला विष्णुपादे तु समेत्य कुटिला ततः
The crooked one, having reached Vishnu's foot, then became crooked.