- When ascendant lord and fifth lord are in shubha rashi and benefics and Jupier, Venus and Mercury are in fifth, one will have a son after many years of penance [chiratputra prapti].
- When Mars as lagnadhipati is exalted and Saturn, Sun is in eighth is aspected by benefics one will have offspring after many years of austerities.
- Benefics in lagna, malefics in 2nd and 3rd, fifth lord benefic placed in benefic rashi will give son in a old age after many prayers.
King Bali was the son of Virochan [son of Prahlad], he had defeated Indra and occupied the three worlds. In those days all the yagnya done were accepted by Demons in Swarga, as Indra had fled. Seeing the plight of her son, Indra’s mother ADITI, decided to get him his kingdom back. She started praying to Lord Vishnu, for twelve years she performed PAYOVRATA. After 12 years of penance Lord Vishnu appeared, and gave her a boon that he would be born to her as VAMAN and get her son Indra his kingdom back.
After some time Vaman was born to Aditi and Kashyap, he was accorded jatakarma upanayan etc. by Bramha himself. Then Lord Vaman proceeded to Bali’s Yagnya. As he kept his feet, entire earth trembled, and fire in the Yagnyashala extinguishes and Ritwij mantras misspelled. Seeing this Bali asked his Guru Shukracharya, what was the reason?
Shukracharya said Vaman is coming to take away your wealth and kingdom to give it back to Devatas, your oblations are hence not being accepted by Agni. Do not promise to give anything to Vaman. Bali says I cannot refuse alms to Lord or for that matter anyone during my yagnya.
Vaman appears before Bali, Bali welcomes Lord with arghya pada etc. He then pleads Hari to let know the purpose of his visit, Vaman asks for three steps Bhumi [land] dana. Bali agrees, So Vamana says if you have agreed then let the water from the kamandalu be poured onto my palm as promise. BALI prepares, but Shukracharya becomes tiny and obstructs the hole [mouth] of Kamandalu to prevent the fall of water. Vaman with a kusha [grass] clears the hole, Shukracharya loses his eye. He comes out and speed away to a distant land for penance. Water falls onto the palms of Hari.
Instantly the dwarf Vamana takes on a huge form spanning entire universe [this form is known as Trivikram] and with one step spans the entire earth, and with another he reaches and covers the top edge of Bramhanda. There remains no space in the universe for the third step.
This is achintyadbhut shakti of Lord [making impossible possible] changing form from small dwarf Vaman to huge gigantic Trivikram is an impossible task, as change of mass and density in time cannot be instantaneous for material bodies. But Lord exhibits this quality instantly, As his foot reaches the edge of Bramhanda, his toes nail pierces the Bramhanda Kharpar. Outside Bramhanda is a layer of Shudhodaka [the original water "Apa" one of the 24 mool tatvas, not the water on the earth which is panchabhutamaya "toyam" ]. This water as it touches, adorns [washes is not a right word] Lord’s lotus foot, it acquires the name of Haripadodaka [in temples, teertha is nothing but water that sweeps through God’s idol and collects at the feet, this is very sacred everyone takes it with reverence as it is sanctified by touch of Lord’s feet].
Here this water is touching not the idol but the Lord himself [Hari -> Lord, Pada-> feet, Udaka -> water] thus this is Haripadodaka, and is more important and sacred, shreshtha, it flows like a river into Bramhanda, Chaturmukha Bramha realising the opportunity to accept this, extends his kamandalu and collects the entire water, rest flows into the swarga as GANGA. If ordinary teertha in temples can wash off sins, then Ganga can assuredly can cleanse one of Sins as Ganga is very sacred because it has come from the feet of the Lord. But it was all in swarga [before Bali there was no ganga in universe]. Afterwards it came to earth only when Bhagirath brought it through penance.
So there was no space left for third step, those who fail in fulfilling promise, Varuna captivates them, thus Bali was tied down by Varun Pasha. Bali offers his head as the third step, Lord steps onto his head forcing him to Patala, and gives back the Kingdom to Indra and other devatas, killing all the demons.
Why did Lord not Kill Bali? Usually We hear Rakshasas troubling Devatas and Vishnu appearing and killing the Demon. But in this case Vishnu appeared to ask dana, he did not uses Danda neeti. Why?
Because Bali was Grandson of Prahalad. Prahalad never asked a boon in his life to the Lord. But Lord insisted to ask a Boon. Prahalad after much pursuing by Lord to ask for a boon asked Oh my Lord Narsimha let my offspring's never hurt or insult any Bramhin in their lives, and I ask your devotion to all my offspring's and my father [whom you have killed now], for Rakshasa as we are, they are bound to commit some mistakes. You [the Lord] forgives all the mistakes of devotee except hurt or insult to a bramhin. [Thus he ensured his offspring's be saved from being killed by Lord]
Having given this Boon to Prahalad, Lord never killed Bali or Banasur etc. Instead personally protected him in Patala and Promised him the seat of Indra in the next Manvantara.
Krishnarpanamastu
