Lord Vamanadeva Appearance

Information – On Śrī Vāmana Dvādaśī, the divine appearance day of Lord Vāmanadeva, devotees worldwide come together to reflect on His glorious pastimes and honor this auspicious occasion. In ISKCON Mayapur, the tradition includes a young gurukula boy taking on the role of Lord Vāmanadeva. At midday, the altar curtains are drawn back to reveal Lord Vāmanadeva’s appearance. A young brahmachārī boy, dressed in a saffron dhoti and deerskin, stands on the altar adorned with a flower garland. He holds a chatram (umbrella) in one hand and a kamandalu (water pot) in the other, symbolizing the Lord’s divine presence.

Urukrama is a name for Lord Vāmanadeva, who performed the wonderful act of occupying the three worlds with three footsteps. Lord Vāmanadeva requested three paces of land from Mahārāja Bali, and when Mahārāja Bali agreed to grant them, the Lord immediately covered the entire world with two footsteps, and for His third step He placed His foot upon Bali Mahārāja’s head. Śrī Jayadeva Gosvāmī says: ‘

chalayasi vikramaṇe balim adbhuta-vāmana

pada-nakha-nīra-janita-jana-pāvana

keśava dhṛta-vamāna-rūpa jaya jagadīśa hare’

“All glories to Lord Keśava, who assumed the form of a dwarf. O Lord of the universe, who takes away everything inauspicious for the devotees! O wonderful Vāmanadeva! You tricked the great demon Bali Mahārāja by Your steps. The water that touched the nails of Your lotus feet when You pierced through the covering of the universe purifies all living entities in the form of the River Ganges.”
(SB 5.1.35 purport)

The Supreme Personality of Godhead was pleased by the behavior of Bali Mahārāja. Thus the Lord placed him on the planet Sutala, and there, after bestowing benedictions upon him, the Lord agreed to become his doorman.
(SB Eighth Canto – Chapter 22: Bali Mahārāja Surrenders His Life)

Prahlāda Mahārāja said: My Lord, it is Your Lordship who gave this Bali the very great opulence of the post of heavenly king, and now, today, it is You who have taken it all away. I think You have acted with equal beauty in both ways. Because his exalted position as King of heaven was putting him in the darkness of ignorance, You have done him a very merciful favor by taking away all his opulence.
(SB 8.22.16)

So when Bamandev appeared, Bali Maharaj was attracted by His beauty as a Dwarf Brahmin, and as he was charitably disposed, he wanted to give Him some charity. But Sukaracharya, being elevated in mystic yogic powers, he could understand that Bamandev was Vishnu. And in order to favor the demigods, He had come there to cheat Bali Maharaj in the shape of begging some charities. Bali Maharaj was puffed up with his material vanities, and Bamandev as He is Vishnu, all-peaceful, without interrupting his attitude, just approached him in the form of a Brahmin, Who has a right to beg something from the princely order. And the princely orders also are always disposed, to make charities to the Brahmins.
Question, para. 2, answer: Sukracharya as spiritual master of Bali taught him that everything should be offered to Vishnu. But when Vishnu actually appeared before Bali, he was afraid of Bali Maharaj’s charitable disposition. He warned Bali Maharaj that this Bamandev had come there to take everything from him in the shape of charity, therefore he should not promise Him to give anything. This advice revolted Bali Maharaj because he was formerly instructed that everything should be offered to Visnu, now, why Sukaracharya was asking him not to act by his previous instructions? Sukaracharya was afraid of his own position. He was living at the cost of Bali Maharaj, so if Bamandev would take away everything from Bali Maharaj, he was thinking how he would live. That is a materialistic temperament. The materialist does not want to serve or to give to Vishnu, because he thinks that by giving away to Vishnu he will be put into poverty-stricken condition. This is materialistic estimation. But actually that is not the fact, as it will be evidenced by the dealing of Bali Maharaj and Bamandev.
(680703 – Letter to Satsvarupa written from Montreal)

But the foolish persons, they do not know it. Therefore God . . . like Bali Mahārāja. He goes, like Vāmanadeva, He goes to beg from Bali Mahārāja. And His representative, devotees of God, sannyāsīs, they also go to beg: “My dear sir, give us some contribution for our temple.” It is not that he’s beggar. It is for the person’s benefit. He’s spoiling his life in sense enjoyment, and this representative goes to him and takes some money from that hell-going activity and offers it to the Deity, so he’ll be saved. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40). Willingly or unwillingly, if you offer something to God, that will be a permanent credit. A permanent credit. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (BG 2.40). Even little done, it can act so nicely that sometimes it can save you from the greatest danger.
(680817 – Lecture SB 07.09.11 – Montreal)

So God, as incarnation of Vāmanadeva, He . . . Bali Mahārāja was also a grandson of a great devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja. He had that blood of devotional blood. He had some devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa also. But at the same time he was king. He was conquering life. He was making disturbance like that. So all the demigods prayed to Kṛṣṇa to settle up this thing. So Kṛṣṇa as Vāmanāvatāra, incarnation of Vāmana . . . dwarf. Vāmana means dwarf. He went to Bali Mahārāja, and He was Brāhmin. So as a Brāhmin boy, so He asked some charity, because the Kṣatriyas, the kings, are meant for give in charity.
So he was very much pleased to see that beautiful dwarf boy, “Yes, what do You want? I will give You charity.” But his spiritual master, so-called spiritual master, he could understand that, “This boy is Viṣṇu, God Himself. He has come to cheat this Bali.” So he asked his disciple, “Don’t promise any charity to Him. Because He is God, He will take your everything. (laughs) Once you agree to offer something, then He will take yourself also.” God is very intelligent. Once you engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no way out. You cannot go out. (laughter) You cannot go out. He is so kind. As once you become sincerely a surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa, then there is no way out. You have to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. You have to continue to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. You cannot do otherwise.
So this guru, the so-called guru, he thought, “Oh, if Kṛṣṇa, the Vāmana God, if He takes away everything from my disciple, then how I shall live? I am living at his cost, and if he becomes a beggar, then I also become beggar.” So he was very cautious. He said: “Don’t promise. Don’t promise.” “Why? He is a little boy. Let me give Him something.” “No, no, He is not little boy. He is God. He is . . .” “Oh! He is God! Oh, then you ask me not to give Him? And you formerly taught me that everything should be given to God. Now God is at my door, and you ask me not to give? Oh, I reject you. I don’t want you, a spiritual master like you.” So any spiritual . . . so-called spiritual master who is against God, he should be at once rejected just like Bali Mahārāja.
So Bali Mahārāja is one of the mahājana whose footprints we have to follow. He has given tacit example. Anyone who is against God, he should be at once rejected, never mind what he is. Yes. Never mind what he is. He should at once be rejected. This is the example of Bali Mahārāja.
(661216 – Lecture BG 09.26-27 – New York)

Kṛṣṇa, as Vāmanadeva, He punished Bali Mahārāja by capturing his whole kingdom. Mardana means punishment. And after all, Bali Mahārāja became an authority, because he showed the example of surrendering everything, sarvātma-snapane, even his body. First of all he gave his kingdom. Then, when it was not finished, then Kṛṣṇa demanded Vāmanadeva that “You have finished all your kingdom. Still you are debtor for one step, another. Where shall I keep another step?” So Bali Mahārāja said, “Yes. I have got still place on my head. You can place head on my . . . er . . . place Your step on my head.” So he delivered his kingdom, his everything, at last his body, and Kṛṣṇa became purchased by him. And since then, Bali Mahārāja is one of the twelve authorities.
(680729 – Lecture Initiation – Montreal)