Chapter summary
शुक्रपुरीमाहात्म्यम् Śukra Purī Māhātmyam
The Revered Guru said:
There once lived a Daitya named Mahābali, pre-eminent among the mighty. He was devoted to Brahmins, immensely generous, true to his word, and unshakeable in his vows. With the foremost sages, the Bhārgavas, he performed the Viśvajit sacrifice, from which he obtained victory over the universe and thus became the lord of all worlds. Swollen with pride, he constantly resided on the banks of the Narmadā, in the great sacred place of Bhṛgukaccha, where he repeatedly performed grand sacrifices (v.1-3). By the sheer strength of his arms, all the gods were vanquished. Abandoning heaven, they wandered the earthly realm, greatly distressed (v.4).
Witnessing her sons thus defeated, the glorious mother of the gods, Aditi, prompted by the sage Kaśyapa, undertook a solemn vow. Pleased by her unwavering devotion, the Lord, whose banner bears Garuḍa and who is an ocean of mercy, became her son on the auspicious day of Śravaṇa Dvādaśī (v.5-6). He was known as Upendra, and due to his short stature, Vāmana. Initiated according to the sacred scriptures, the Lord—a young boy with a top-knot, carrying a staff, adorned with a single sacred thread, clad in a loincloth, dark in complexion, and holding a water pot—proceeded to Bali's sacrificial arena (v.7-8). Beholding Vāmana, whose eyes were like lotus petals and who was exceedingly beautiful, all the sages and Mahābali himself were utterly enchanted. The great hero Mahābali brought him forth, worshipped him with reverence, and with hands folded, spoke words of heartfelt welcome (v.9-10).
**Mahābali said:**
"Welcome to you, O fortunate one, O exceedingly beautiful boy! Merely by your sight, even the foremost of sages are bewildered (v.11). Truly, you possess such great power, O you whose face is graced with a gentle smile! O you who are dark as a cloud, O you with eyes like lotuses, my salutations to you! (v.12). Today, our ancestors are satisfied, and our family deities are worshipped. By your arrival alone, I am blessed; there is no doubt (v.13). I shall give you everything, whatever you desire, O Vāmana. There is no other donor like me in the world, greater even than the wish-fulfilling tree" (v.14).
**The Lord said:**
"You speak in a manner befitting your noble lineage, O King. You are also a disciple of the Bhṛgus; therefore, you speak thus (v.15). Grant me land of just three paces, O best of kings. For all should acquire only as much wealth as is necessary" (v.16).
**Mahābali said:**
"O scion of a Brahmin! Choose as much gold as you wish. I will give you the entire earth, or heaven, or even the three worlds (v.17). I wish to give you everything; do not be hesitant, O Lord. By accepting my gift, you yourself will become a giver of wealth" (v.18).
**The Lord said:**
"Let this be true indeed; you are such a great donor. However, I am but a mendicant. I choose a piece of land for my austerities (v.19). If you have even a little good fortune, O Mahābali, give this gift. I am satisfied with just this much; indeed, I am already complete in myself" (v.20).
**The Revered Guru said:**
As Vāmana spoke these sweet words, Bali, not recognizing him as the supreme Viṣṇu, desired to make the grant (v.21). But Śukra, the preceptor of the Daityas, recognizing Vāmana as Viṣṇu, was intent on protecting his disciple and hastily spoke to him (v.22).
**Śukra said:**
"This is an illusory boy-celibate; he is Śrīpati [Lord of Lakṣmī, i.e., Viṣṇu], there is no doubt. He is no mere Brahmacārī, but Viṣṇu, who has the universe as his family (v.23). He is deceiving you, O great hero. By accepting this excellent gift, he wishes to give everything to your enemy, Indra (v.24). Tell the boy, 'I will not give it,' O Mahābali. Quickly send this deceitful Brahmacārī back to his home (v.25). In matters concerning women, in jest, in marriage, for one's livelihood, when life is in danger, for the sake of cows and Brahmins, and in case of violence—a falsehood is not considered reprehensible" (v.26).
**Mahābali said:**
"I will give everything if this boy is the Lord of all. Indeed, it is my great fortune to have obtained such an opportunity in this world (v.27). He who maintains his adherence to truth even in the midst of great calamity is himself worthy of worship in the world by all the gods; there is no doubt" (v.28).
**The Revered Guru said:**
Having spoken thus, as Bali fearlessly prepared to make the grant, Bhārgava (Śukra), desiring to protect his disciple, devised a plan (v.29). Then the great-minded Śukra entered the spout of the water pot and, at the time of Bali's grant, blocked the stream of water (v.30). Knowing this, Lord Viṣṇu, with the tip of a darbha grass [a sacred grass used in rituals], poked the eye of Śukra, who was inside the spout (v.31). Śukra came out, and consequently became blind in one eye. For his transgression against Viṣṇu, he was thus taught a lesson by Viṣṇu himself (v.32).
**At that very moment, Viṣṇu grew, assuming a most wondrous form of supreme measure. With one step, the mighty one traversed the earth, and with another, the heavens (v.33). Seeing him as Trivikrama [the one who took three steps], the lotus-seated Brahmā performed worship with profound devotion. He offered the supremely sacred foot-wash water, and that very holy water became the divine Gaṅgā (v.34). Then, the ocean of compassion, seeing Bali with folded hands seated before him, said:**
"Give me my third step, O King, otherwise your word will become untrue" (v.35). Bali, his eyes filled with tears of love, then bowed to Viṣṇu and spoke again: "This head of mine is the third step. O ocean of mercy, protect my truthfulness" (v.36). Then Viṣṇu, the destroyer of his devotees' afflictions, mercifully placed his lotus foot on the head of the Daitya lord and bestowed his supreme grace upon the grandson of Prahlāda (v.37).
Śukra, deprived of his eye and exceedingly distressed, desiring to worship Hari, came to the bank of the Kāverī river (v.40). Reaching the northern bank of the Kāverī, the great sage performed a most severe penance with the fervent desire to regain his sight (v.41). At that very time, Lord Viṣṇu, holding the conch, discus, and mace, appeared before Śukra and restored his sight (v.42). That very place became a pre-eminent and divinely beautiful holy site. In the Chola kingdom, it became famous as the city of Śukrapurī [one of the 108 Divya Deśams, sacred abodes of Viṣṇu] (v.43). Beholding the eternal god Viṣṇu, named Śṛṅgārasundara (the Beautifully Adorned One), one is freed from all sins; of this, there is no doubt (v.44). Even one who is blind, if he serves the god Viṣṇu situated in Śukrapurī with faith every day, he indeed regains his sight (v.45).
Thus the fourteenth chapter, named "The Glory of Śukrapurī," in the Third Part of the Divyadeśavaibhavam, composed by Śrī Kṛṣṇapremi Mahāprabhu.
