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.
भगवानप्यसंपूर्णे तृतीये तु क्रमे विभुः
Even when the third step was not completed, the Lord, the all-pervading one—
त्वं पूरय पदं तन्मे नो चेद् बन्धं प्रतीच्छ भोः
"You must fulfill your promise of a step for me; if not, then accept bondage, O king!"
बाणः प्राहामरपतिं वचनं हेतुसंयुतम्
Bali spoke to the Lord of the Immortals words filled with reasoning.
कथं बलिं प्रार्थयसे सुविस्तृतां यां प्राग्भवान् नो विपुलामथाकरोत्
How do you ask for the vast gift from Bali, which you yourself once made immense before?
दत्ता च तातेन हि तावतीयं किं वाक्छलेनैष निबध्यते ऽद्य
For that much was already given by his father—why bind him today with mere words?
शक्तस्तु संपूजयितुं मुरारे प्रसीद मा बन्धनमादिशस्व
He is indeed able to honor you, O slayer of Mura; be gracious, do not command his binding.
देशे सुपुण्ये वरदे यच्च काले तच्चाशेषं दृश्यते चक्रपाणे
O wielder of the discus, in this most sacred place and auspicious time, everything is manifest.
कालो ज्येष्ठामूलयोगे मृगाङ्गः कुरुक्षेत्रं पुण्यदेशं प्रसिद्धम्
The time is under the influence of Jyeshtha Nakshatra, the moon is present, and Kurukshetra, the renowned holy land, is here.
स्वयं श्रुतीनामपि चादिकर्त्ता व्याप्य स्थितः सदसद् यो जगद् वै
You are yourself the original creator of the Vedas, pervading and abiding in the world, both manifest and unmanifest.
किं त्वं न गृह्णासि जगत्त्रयं भो रूपेण लोकत्रयवन्दितेन
O Lord, why do you not accept the three worlds with your form, which is worshipped by all realms?