Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 8 Chapter 20:14-28

Book 8: Chapter 20

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 8: Chapter 20: Verses 14-28 A vision of the Cosmic Body (of the Lord) Sri Suka continued : Impelled by Providence, Sukracarya (the preceptor) cursed (in the following words) his high-minded disciple (Bali), who, being true to his promise, had thus grown (apparently) irreverent (towards his preceptor) and refused to obey him:- "You, who have grown so arrogant as to violate my command, a highly conceited fool that you are, will soon fall from your high position through disregard shown to us." Though imprecated in this way by his own teacher, the great soul did not deviate from truth and gifted the land (asked by Him) to the divine Dwarf after (duly) worshipping Him and pouring water (from his right palm in order to solemnize the gift). His wife, Vindhyavali, who was adorned with a pearl necklace, then came and brought a pitcher of gold, full of water to wash His feet with. The sacrificer (Bali) himself washed with delight the glorious feet of the Lord and bore on his head that water, which was capable of consecrating the (whole) universe. Applauding that action (of Bali) as well as his guilelessness, all the hosts of gods in heaven, as well as Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, Siddhas and Caranas, full of joy, greeted the lord of the demons at that time with showers of flowers, even though they were his enemies. Kettledrums were sounded in thousands again and again; while Gandharvas, Kimpurusas and Kinnaras sang (in the following strain): "A most difficult task has been done by this noble soul in that he has knowingly given away all the three worlds to his enemy." (In the meantime) that diminutive form of Sri Hari, the infinite Lord, which comprised in Itself the three Gunas (as well as their product, the universe) grew to such a wonderful extent that the earth, the sky (the aerial region), the (four) quarters, heaven, the subterranean regions and the (seven) oceans as well as (the various species of living beings such as) human beings, gods, Rsis, and the subhuman creation (all) found their place in it. In the Body of that Lord (of extraordinary powers), which is the Ground of the three Gunas (of which this universe is constituted), Bali along with the priests (officiating at the sacrifice), the preceptor and the superintending priests beheld (the whole of) this universe, made up of the (aforesaid) three Gunas, including the five (gross) elements, the (ten) Indriyas (the five senses of perception as well as the five organs of action), the (five) objects of the senses (viz., sound, touch colour, taste and smell), the mind (in its four aspects) and the Jiva (the embodied soul). Bali (who had an army as strong and equipped as that of Indra, whose throne he was now occupying) saw the (seven) subterranean regions at the sole of the feet of the Supreme Person, appearing in His cosmic form, the earth in His feet, mountains in His shanks, (the realm of) the feathered kingdom (viz., the atmosphere) in His knees and the host of gods (forty-nine in number) presiding over the air in His thighs. He (further) beheld Sandhya (the deity presiding over the morning and evening twilights) in the loin-cloth of the universal Lord, the Asuras headed by himself (Bali) in His anus, the sage Marici and others (the lords of created beings) in His genitals, the firmament in His navel, the seven oceans in His sides and the host of stars in the chest of the Lord of wide strides. Again, he saw Dharma (the god of piety), O dear Pariksit, in the heart of Lord Visnu (the Slayer of the demon Mura), (the gods presiding over) Rta (truthful and polite language) and Satya (seeing all with the same eye) in His breasts, and the moon-god in His mind, Sri (the goddess presiding over riches and beauty) with a lotus in Her hand in His bosom and the Samas (sacred texts forming part of Samaveda) as well as all sounds in His throat. He also beheld the immortals with Indra as their head in His arms and the (four) quarters in His ears, heaven in His crown, clouds in His looks, the air in His nostrils, the sun in His eyes and fire in His mouth.(26) He further witnessed the Vedas in the speech of the Supreme Person. Varuna (the god of water) in His palate, the interdictory as well as the injunctive part of the sacred texts in His eyebrows, the day and the night in (the two rows of) His eyelashes, and Anger in His forehead and Greed precisely in His lips. And He saw Love in His tactile sense, O protector of men, water in His generative fluid and Unrighteousness in His back, sacrificial activity in His strides, Death in His shadow and Maya (creative energy) in His laughter and the (innumerable) species of herbs and annual plants in the hair on His body.