The Devious Dwarf

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Srimate SrivanStakopa

Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikayanama:

The Devious Dwarf

The Lord, in His infinite mercy

and out of an ardent desire to emancipate errant mortals, comes down often to

the earth from His lofty residence at Sri Vaikunttam. Such descents of the Lord

into the mundane world are known as Avataaras. Though such Avataaras are

innumerable, the popular ones are thirty-odd in number, says Swami Desikan—"Muppatthu Chilvaanam". Agamas enumerate

a few more. Among these, ten are most popular, known collectively as

Dasaavataaras. Even among these, only two have the privilege of being

frequently adulated by Vedas: the Varaahaavataaram and the Trivikrama

Avataaram. And between these two, it is Trivikrama who is eulogized by Sri

Andal as "Utthaman". This is not to

belittle the Varaaha Avataaram, but somehow, when you consider the matter, it

is the Colossus Trivikrama, who measured the entire worlds above and below with

just two steps of His, who captures our imagination and hearts. However, it is

not with Trivikrama per se that we

are concerned with in this article, but His forerunner Vaamana, the juvenile

dwarf who later burgeoned into the titan Trivikrama.

The story of

the Vaamanavataara is one with which every one is familiar. Briefly, it relates

to the glorious act of the Lord in seeking and obtaining from

Emperor Mahabali just three feet of land, measured with the tiny footsteps of

the Vamana (dwarf) Brahmachaari and later growing into a colossus whose head

and shoulders shot through the various worlds above and whose giant tiruvadi measured all the universes with

a single step and all the higher worlds above with another, leaving no place

for the third step, which was ultimately placed upon the Emperor's head,

pushing him down to the worlds below, where he would be no threat to Indra,

from whom he had earlier captured the three worlds.

We are concerned in this piece with an interesting phenomenon.

While Trivikrama is adulated by Andal as "Ongi Ulagalanda Utthaman", His precursor, Vamana, attracts a

somewhat less complimentary reference from Azhwars—some of the less- than-

flattering epithets flung by Azhwars at Vamana are—"Vanja Kural" (the deceitful dwarf), "Maaya Kural", etc. Even Acharyas call Vamana devious—"Kapata Vaamanataam upeta" says Swami Desikan.

Why should Vaamana attract such uncomplimentary references, that

too from Azhwars who normally wax eloquent in praise of the Lord? The reasons

are perhaps not far to seek.

1.

1. The Lord is said to be a

colossus, with innumerable eyes, ears, hands and feet, ("Sahasra seershaa Purusha:")towering over the entire universes,

which form just a small part of His giant body—"Paadosya visvaa bhootaani" says the Purusha Sooktam. In this

avataara, however, at least initially, he compressed His cosmic form

considerably, to take on the dimensions of a mere three-foot tall young lad,

practically a dwarf. When a giant takes on the form of a dwarf, is it not

deviousness and deceit?

2.

2. Emperuman is happily

married to Sri and Bhoo Devis, who form His inseparable Consorts. Sri

Mahalakshmi has sworn never to be separated from Him for even a nano-second—"akalakillen irayum endru Alarmel Mangai urai

maarba!". The Vishnu Puranam too confirms that the Divine Duo is

inseparable—"Nityaivesha Jaganmaata Vishno:

Sri: anapaayinee". Such being the

case, during Vaamanaavataaram, the Lord took on the role of a Brahmachaari,

radiating the brilliance of one who has never known female company. Thus a

confirmed Grihasttha (Householder), who has not one but three wives (Shree,

Bhoo and Neela Devis), posed as an unmarried person. This is another reason for

Azhwars calling Vaamana "vanja kural".

3.

3. Though Mahabali was

prepared to offer Vaamana unimaginable riches and treasures, all that the

Divine Dwarf sought was three feet of land, measured with His own tiny feet. No

amount of persuasion from Mahabali to accept something more substantial like

ownership of whole nations, could make Vaamana opt for anything else other than

just three feet of land. And Mahabali agreed reluctantly, wondering at the

foolishness of the boy, who spurned the offer of entire worlds, preferring an

insignificant measure of land instead. However, when the actual measurement of

the three feet began, the dwarf grew into a colossus spanning the entire Cosmos

and naturally, His feet too grew with Him. As a result, against the offer of

three feet of land, what the Lord took was the entire worlds above and below,

with there being no space for the third foot to land and measure.

When you seek from someone a gift of Rs. 1000 and after obtaining

a blank cheque from the donor, fill it in and encash it for Rs. 100,000, is it

not deceit?

4.

4. Even though He posed as

a Brahmachari, the Lord was unwilling to abandon His Consort of long standing.

Remember, it was He who declared in the Ramaavataara that He wouldn't survive

even a short while without His eternal love Sita—"Muhoortamapi na jeeveyam, tam vinaa

asitekshanaam". Though His current role as a young bachelor strictly

prohibited Him from being accompanied by His Lady Love, He still managed to

take Her along, resplendent on His broad chest. Neither would He leave Her

behind, nor would She consent to being left behind. However, He hid Her with

the deerskin robe that He used as an upper cloth—"Krishnaajinena samvrunvan vadhoom vaksha:stthalaalayaam"—so that

His married state was effectively camouflaged.

Apart from the immeasurable love She had for Emperuman, was there

any other reason which prompted Her to accompany Him even when He posed as a

bachelor and for the Lord to hide Her behind a deerskin?

Yes indeed, She came along also

to keep an eye on Him, so to say. Wary of His practice of accumulating

Mahishis during each avataara, ("Padinaaraayiravar

Devimaar") Sri Mahalakshmi

intended to ensure that at least during this avataara, He remained committed to His existing Consorts and

did not add a few fresh ones.The Lord had another reason for

hiding Mahalakshmi behind the deer skin, when confronting Mahabali. Had

even Her fleeting glance fallen even for a moment on Mahabali, he would

have been blessed with unimaginable and everlasting aishvaryam and it

would have been difficult for the Lord to execute His precisely laid plans

for relieving Mahabali of all his wealth, power and status and pushing him

down to the nether worlds, ensuring that he was no more a competitor to

Indra. Hence, to make certain that Mahabali did not receive Lakshmi

Kataaksham, the Lord hid Her with krishnaajinam

(deerskin).

d.

A third reason for the Emperuman

hiding His lady love behind a deerskin was that He did not want Her to see Him

begging Mahabali, an occupation He was totally unused to and one that did not

behove Him, as the undisputed ruler of all the worlds. Had She been privy to

His plans, Sri Mahalakshmi would have definitely prohibited Him from adopting

the demeaning ploy of seeking alms. Being the personification of wealth,

prosperity and auspiciousness, She could not very well sit idle and see Her

husband beg an ordinary mortal for a mere three feet of land. Thus, in order to

avoid being seen begging, the Lord had to perforce hide Tirumagal.

e.

The Lord could not very

well expose His deceitful occupation before His wife, who held Him in high

regard.

f.

Since the mere sight of

Mahalakshmi on His chest would have revealed His indisputable status as the

Parabrahmam and given the show away, the Lord had to hide Her, to give the

impression that He was an ordinary Brahmachaari. Sri Devi being a swaroopa niroopaka dharmam or an

unfailing identification mark for the Paramaatma, He could not allow Her to be

seen by Mahabali, who would have known instantly that the alms-seeker was no humble

student, but saakshaat Mahavishnu.

New Insights into le affaire Mahabali

As we

are aware, Puranas are divided into Saatvic, Raajasic and Taamasic ones and it

is only Saatvika Puranas that we normally set store by. Saatvika Puranas

contain praises of Emperuman only, to the exclusion of other demi gods, while

Raajasic and Taamasic puranas offer liberal doses of unwanted material. Vaamana

Puraana is one such, which does not fall under the category of Saatvika

Puranas. However, it is worth while looking into, for the additional

information it provides regarding the Vaamanaavataram.

We are

told by this Puranam that during Mahabali's reign, Devas under the leadership

of Indra, were roundly defeated by Mahabali and stripped of all power, position

and havirbhaagam (sacrificial offerings). They appealed to Mahavishnu to

restore their lost splendor. Mahavishnu promised them that He would be born as

a son to Kasyapa and Aditi and would do the needful.

The

moment Aditi conceived the divine baby, Asuras began to experience all sorts of

bad omens. When Mahabali sought his grand father Prahlada's advice on the evil

portents, Prahlada went into a trance and was able to see that the Lord had

entered the womb of Aditi. When he told his grandson that the all-powerful Sri

Hari was on His way into the world and would eventually ensure Mahabali's fall

from power, Mahabali responded by casting aspersions on the Lord's capabilities

and swore that the combined power of asuras would be enough to vanquish any

destabilization attempt by Mahavishnu. Angered at Mahabali's insult to His

beloved Lord, Prahlada shot a curse at his grandson, that he would lose all his

glory, wealth, power because of his irreverence towards the Lord. When a

repentant Mahabali sought Prahlaada's forgiveness, Prahlada told him to develop

devotion to Sri Hari, who would be an infallible savior.

And

when Vaamana started for Mahabali's sacrifice-site (Yagya vaatika), the earth shook and reverberated with his footsteps

and all sorts of bad omens beset Mahabali, who sought the reason from his guru

Shukraacharya. With foresight born of penance, Shukracharya told his disciple

that it was the Vaamana Brahmachaari who was on his way and it was his steps

that were causing the earth to shake. He also cautioned Mahabali that Vaamana

would try to trick him into parting with all his ishwaryam. Hearing this, instead of being dismayed, Mahabali was

overjoyed and told Shukracharya that he would welcome Mahavishnu, in whatever

form He came. "Till date I have not said No to any seeker of alms, nor shall I

begin now, especially since the seeker is none other than the Pramapurusha"

vowed Bali, declaring that he would rather sacrifice his life, than deny alms

to someone.

Interestingly,

the Vaamana purana has no mention about Shukracharya following-up his oral

advice with positive action by sitting in the form of a fly in Mahabali's water

pot, blocking the nozzle through which water would flow out on to Vaamana's

palm, signifying completion of the 'daanam"

of three feet of land. The moment the water fell on Vaaman's palm, the dwarf

instantly burgeoned into a colossus, says the Purana—

"Paanou tu patite toye Vaamana: abhoot

aVaamana:" Everyone knows what followed.

 

The

Vaamanaavataram and its immediate sequel, the Trivikramaavataaram, are easily

the most dramatic of the Lord's avataaras. They also stand out because there

was absolutely no blood shed—(unlike the Nrisihmaavatara, Ramavatara and

Krishnavatara, where blood was shed by the gallons and lives lost by the

thousands)--the Trivikramaavataaram achieved its goal through peaceful means,

though some would say through subterfuge.

Shall

we end this piece with Swami Desikan's tribute to Trivikrama?

"Bhikshochitam prakatayan prathama aashramam

tvam

Krishnaajinam yavanikaam kritavaan priyaayaa:

Vyaktaakrite: tava sameekshya bhujaantare taam

Tvaam eva Gopa nagareesa! Janaa vidu: tvaam"

Srimate

Sri LakshmiNrisimha divya paaduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana Yatindra

mahadesikaya nama:

dasan,

sadagopan