Fourteen gems emerge from the churning of the ocean, and Amrit (nectar) emerges among them. The gods and demons fight over Amrit, and then the mother of the gods, Aditi, prays to God to rescue the gods from their defeat, and by the grace of God, Lord Krishna himself emerges from the womb of Aditi.
Mother Aditi gives birth to Lord Vaman, who is a small God. King Bali is performing a yagya, and if he completes the yagya, he will gain control over the entire world and heaven, so Lord Vaman arrives at Bali's door to ask for something.
Bali was busy performing the yagya, but then a gatekeeper came and informed Bali that Maharaj, a Brahmin God has arrived at your door. He told Bali that Maharaj, what can we say about his beauty, he is very short in stature, but is extremely beautiful. There is an amazing radiance on his face. The light on his face is telling that he is a very accomplished Brahmin.
On hearing this, Bali stopped the Yagya right there and ran to Lord Vaman. If a Brahmin comes to our door, then it is our duty to leave all our work and first of all welcome the Brahmin who comes to our door.
So Bali stopped the Yagya in the middle and came to the door to welcome Lord Vaman. He came and bowed to Lord Vaman and then with folded hands requested him and said that Lord please tell me what service I can do for you.
Vaman said that no no we have not come here to get any service done for us, I was passing by and there was a lot of noise that Bali is doing Yagya, so I thought that I should go and see the Yagya once, so I came.
Bali said that what are you saying Brahmin Devta, it has never happened that any Brahmin Devta has gone empty handed from my door, so you will have to accept my hospitality. He said that okay you tell me what should I offer in your service, wealth, grains, diamonds, pearls, what do you want from these. Lord Vaman said that we have no one in front or behind us, no wife or children, so what do we need for anything.
Bali said that if that is the case then if you don't want anything then we will call a girl and get you married.
Lord Vaman said that you will get me married but where will I keep her after getting her married. Bali said don't worry about it, we will get a beautiful palace made for you and you and your queen will live happily in it.
Lord Vaman said that tell me that if we get married then we will have children too, then who will bear the expenses of their education. Bali said that I am here, don't worry about it, I will bear the expenses of educating them in the best Gurukul. God said that suppose I have eight to ten children and if one or two of them die in childhood, then who will cry? Bali said that this is too much Maharaj, now if your children die, I will not hire people to cry, if your children die, you yourself will have to cry.
Now Lord Vaman said laughingly that why should I do that work for which I will have to cry? Bali said that oh Brahmin god, you have come back to the same place after roaming around, you should ask for something. God said that we are very contented Brahmins, we do not want anything.
God is a big cheater, he came to rob everything, but from outside he is showing that we are very contented Brahmins, we don't want anything. When Bali prayed a lot, God said that okay you are saying so much, then give me three steps of land in donation.
Bali said that oh Lord, what did you ask for, such a small thing, what did you ask from such a great king, I will not feel happy in giving such a small thing, you ask for something else.
Vaman God said that I asked for three steps of land, if you give me this then give it, otherwise I will leave. Then Bali said that okay, you only want three steps of land, so in whichever kingdom you want to go, you measure three steps of land there.
Vaman God said that I will not take three steps of land like this, how can I trust you that you go back on your word later. Bali said, "O Maharaj, what are you saying? Why should I refuse in such a small piece of land? You can measure three steps of land anywhere, one, two, three, I will give it to you right now." Lord Vaman was laughing in his mind that this is your one, two, three son, I will show you right now what three steps of land mean. Lord said that first there should be a resolution, then I will take three steps of land in donation. Bali said, "Okay Lord, let's take a resolution." He asked his wife to go and bring water. His wife brought water from Ganga Sagar, and when water was being taken from that vessel for resolution, Bali's Gurudev Shukracharya understood that though he looked very small in stature, but he was Vishnu himself, and he had come to rob not just three steps of land but everything of Bali.
So Shukracharya took a subtle form and sat in the vessel from where the water was to flow out. Now Bali is taking out water for Sankalp, but water is not flowing out of the vessel. Vaman Bhagwan said, what happened, is the water not flowing out, wait I will see, and he took a small straw and then slowly put the straw in the vessel. That straw went straight and hit one of Shukracharya's eyes, and one of his eyes burst.
Now Shukracharya ji thought that I have lost one eye due to interfering with God, now if I interfere more then I will lose my other eye too, so before that I should run away from here, and he came out of that vessel in great anger, and cursed Bali, that go you become poor. You did not listen to me, may everything of yours be looted, and saying this Shukracharya went away from there.
Now Lord Vaman made Bali take a pledge by taking water, and as soon as Bali took the pledge, Lord Vaman appeared from Vaman in his Virat form. The Lord took such a huge form that the three steps of land which seemed very big till now, in one step the Lord measured the entire sky, in the second step the entire earth, and all the empire that Bali had, all the wealth that he had, the Lord finished it all by measuring it in two steps of land.
Now God asked Bali that what will you give in the third step, then Bali gave a very beautiful answer with folded hands that Lord you have measured my mind and my wealth in two steps of land, but my body is still left. Therefore, you measure my body in the third step of land and save my life.
Lord Vaman was very pleased, and kept his foot on Bali's head, and in this way Bali fulfilled his resolution. Lord Vaman was very pleased with Bali, and being pleased, handed over the kingdom of Sutala Lok to Bali, that is, God made Bali the king of Sutala Lok.
In this way, Shri Shukdev Goswami narrated this divine character of King Bali and Lord Vaman to King Parikshit, and narrated the story of a true donor and a true beggar. He told that God is very unique, who sometimes becomes subtle as per the time and then becomes huge as per the need. In this way Lord Shri Vaman returned the kingdom to the Gods and blessed Bali.
