Devanagari
पदं द्वितीयं क्रमतस्त्रिविष्टपं
न वै तृतीयाय तदीयमण्वपि ।
उरुक्रमस्याङ्घ्रिरुपर्युपर्यथो
महर्जनाभ्यां तपस: परं गत: ॥ ३४ ॥
Verse text
padaṁ dvitīyaṁ kramatas triviṣṭapaṁ
na vai tṛtīyāya tadīyam aṇv api
urukramasyāṅghrir upary upary atho
mahar-janābhyāṁ tapasaḥ paraṁ gataḥ
Synonyms
padam
—
step
;
dvitīyam
—
second
;
kramataḥ
—
advancing
;
tri
—
viṣṭapam — all of the heavenly planets
;
na
—
not
;
vai
—
indeed
;
tṛtīyāya
—
for the third step
;
tadīyam
—
of the Lord
;
aṇu api
—
only a spot of land remained
;
urukramasya
—
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who performs uncommon activities
;
aṅghriḥ
—
steps occupying above and below
;
upari upari
—
higher and higher
;
atho
—
now
;
mahaḥ
—
janābhyām — than Maharloka and Janaloka
;
tapasaḥ
—
that Tapoloka
;
param
—
beyond that
;
gataḥ
—
approached .
Translation
As the Lord took His second step, He covered the heavenly planets. And not even a spot remained for the third step, for the Lord’s foot extended higher and higher, beyond Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and even Satyaloka.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
As the Lord took his second step, he covered the heavenly planets. And not even a spot remained for the third step, for the Lord's foot extended higher and higher, beyond Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and even Satyaloka.
After covering the earth, the second step using his left foot covered the heavens, Bali’s dwelling place. For the third step, there was no room left (anu api). Though Vāmana requested only three steps of land, his arms and upper body spread over the sky (above Svarga). This is not improper, since the word “land” also includes everything above the land. This is the explanation in the Sandarbha. Others explain that the second step itself included the sky, and thus the Lord covered everywhere with the second step.
The second step increased in size. From Maharloka and Janaloka, and then from Tapoloka it went to Brahmaloka (param). Some say that his toe nails broke the shell of the universe. Others say that after he broke the eight layers of the universal shell, the Virajā water entered.
Thus ends the commentary on the Twentieth Chapter of the Eighth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.
Chapter Twenty-one
Vāmana Punishes Bali
Purport
When the Lord’s footstep exceeded the height of all the
lokas,
including Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka, His nails certainly pierced the covering of the universe. The universe is covered by the five material elements (
bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ kham
). As stated in the
śāstra,
these elements are in layers, each ten times thicker than the previous one. Nonetheless, the nails of the Lord pierced through all these layers and made a hole penetrating into the spiritual world. From this hole, the water of the Ganges infiltrated into this material world, and therefore it is said,
pada-nakha-nīra janita jana-pāvana
(
Daśāvatāra-stotra
5). Because the Lord kicked a hole in the covering of the universe, the water of the Ganges came into this material world to deliver all the fallen souls.
Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Twentieth Chapter, of the
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
entitled “Bali Mahārāja Surrenders the Universe.”