पञ्चदशं वामनकं कृत्वागादध्वरं बले: । पदत्रयं याचमान: प्रत्यादित्सुस्त्रिविष्टपम् ॥१९॥

pañcadaÅ›aá¹ vÄmanakaá¹
ká¹›tvÄgÄd adhvaraá¹ baleḥ
pada-trayaá¹ yÄcamÄnaḥ
pratyÄditsus tri-piṣṭapam

1 times this text was mentioned in purports to other texts: LSB(1)

 pañcadaÅ›am - the fifteenth in the line; vÄmanakam - the dwarf brÄhmaṇa; ká¹›tvÄ - by assumption of; agÄt - went; adhvaram - arena of sacrifice; baleḥ - of King Bali; pada-trayam - three steps only; yÄcamÄnaḥ - begging; pratyÄditsuḥ - willing at heart to return; tri-piṣṭapam - the kingdom of the three planetary systems.


Text

In the fifteenth incarnation, the Lord assumed the form of a dwarf brÄhmaṇa [VÄmana] and visited the arena of sacrifice arranged by MahÄrÄja Bali. Although at heart He was willing to regain the kingdom of the three planetary systems, He simply asked for a donation of three steps of land.

Purport

The almighty God can bestow upon anyone the kingdom of the universe from a very small beginning, and similarly He can take away the kingdom of the universe on the plea of begging a small piece of land.