Glories of Lord Vamanadev and Bali Maharaj - Part 3

Date: 2017-09-05 Author: Sudarshana devi dasi

Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

This is in continuation of the previous offering titled, "Glories of Lord Vamanadev and Bali Maharaj" wherein we were meditating on some of the verses from Chapter 18 of eighth canto of Srimad Bhagavatam. In the previous offering we saw how Bali Maharaj welcomed Lord Vamanadev and encouraged Him to ask for whatever charity He wanted.

Now we shall see further.

Pleased by Bali Maharaj's behaviour, Lord Vamanadev appreciated him and also glorified the ancestors of Bali Maharaj - Prahlad Maharaj, Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyaksha. Prahlad Maharaj was a pure devotee of the Lord and so it is not surprising to hear about his praise. But here we find that although Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu had behaved inimically towards Him, still being Supreme Lord, Lord Vamanadev was able to see the good qualities in the whole dynasty and appreciated the same. In fact, Lord Vamana very nicely appreciates the bravery of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu and said how Lord Vishnu was very satisfied by their fighting prowess. Generally our tendency is to find faults even when one possess so many good qualities. But here we find Lord very genuinely appreciating the fighting spirit of Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu. When Lord killed Hiranyakasha, his brother Hiranyakashipu wanted to take revenge on Him and was looking out for Lord Vishnu. But Lord knowing his tendency to search for him outside, decided to enter inside him. In Srimad Bhagavatam verse 8.19.10 Sukadev Goswami says,

evaṁ sa niścitya ripoḥ śarīram ādhāvato nirviviśe ’surendra śvāsānilāntarhita-sūkṣma-dehas tat-prāṇa-randhreṇa vivigna-cetāḥ

Lord Vamanadeva continued: O King of the demons, after Lord Vishnu made this decision, He entered the body of His enemy Hiranyakashipu, who was running after Him with great force. In a subtle body inconceivable to Hiranyakashipu, Lord Vishnu, who was in great anxiety, entered Hiranyakashipu nostril along with his breath.

Srila Prabhupada translates the word vivigna-cetāḥ in the above verse as 'being very anxious'. His Divine Grace mentions in the purport, "The word vivigna-cetaah, "very anxious," is significant. It is not that Lord Vishnu was afraid of Hiranyakashipu; rather, because of compassion, Lord Vishnu was in anxiety about how to act for his welfare."

Lord being Supreme Father is always anxious to take us back home, back to Gohead, even though conditioned souls like us, under the influence of material modes of nature, forget to recognsie His Supremacy and glorify Him. Hiranyakashipu was hell-bent to fight and kill Lord Vishnu. But even in such circumstances, Lord was anxious about his welfare. Such is inconceivable causeless mercy of Supreme Lord.

Krishna willing, we shall continue to meditate more on this topic in the subsequent offering. Hare Krishna. Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva, Sudarshana devi dasi.