What Do Three Steps Measure?
Of Ancient Stories Retold in Modern Ways.
Today, I share a short ancient story retold in a lighter vein. The Preserver-God is believed to have incarnated nine times1. It may surprise some to know that the Buddha is also considered one of his incarnations (the ninth). The tenth is prophesied when the end of this modern era draws to a close - but not just yet! ;-)
Those familiar with my retellings of ancient tales know that gods, demi-gods, and sages often battled formidable demon-kings.
These demon-kings with varying powers interfered with the established Universal order of good being greater than evil.
When evil increases beyond a tolerance threshold, the good sages and gods begin to fret and pray to the main Gods - the Creator, the Destroyer, and the Preserver - for relief.
These three gods then suggest a solution.
Or the Creator and Destroyer deflect and suggest that it is the purview of the Preserver-God to resolve the situation.
After all, the Preserver-God did give birth to the Creator-God and has to assume his duty - preservation of world order.
So it is with this story.
Long ago, when only saints, sages, gods, and a few humans inhabited Earth, engaging in rituals that would boggle a modern human’s mind, there also lived a demon-king named Bali.
While he was considerably less evil than his peers and forerunners of the demon dynasty, he had already established his dominion over the gods and continued to gain power.
Naturally, the gods were worried as their positions were being threatened.
Demon-kings with powers have a bad rap in ancient lore, and with good evidence too.
Ancient history shows that eventually, they help flip the balance of the world equation in favor of evil.
The demon-king in this story, though a kind and good king, still aimed to rule the Heavens in place of the gods.
How could that be allowed?
What would the gods be without the Heavens?
So it was that with trepidation, the gods sought to intervene in the demon-king’s latest endeavor to perform a powerful yagna (or sacrificial worship) that would give him dominion over the three worlds.
After all, the gods reasoned, who would want to be ruled by a demon-king whose values could shift unpredictably - one who owed loyalty to the demonic dynasties that had battled and been vanquished by the gods after immense struggles?
They fervently appealed to the Preserver-God for help and were assured of His intervention.
In pursuit of his goals, the demon-king initiated a grand yagna, closely supervised by his royal sage to ensure the precise observance of rituals.
Upon completion, it is customary for kings to donate generously or honor requests made of them.
Such generosity mirrored the giver's means, courage, or mystical abilities.
Discover the story of a renowned warrior known for his generosity.
On this day too, it was so.
Many waited to seek and receive the king’s largesse.
Among them, was a short-statured Brahmin, in white robes, carrying an umbrella, a set of beads in one hand, and wearing another around his neck.
He approached the King and sought permission to make his request.
The royal sage, eyeing the diminutive man warily, urged the King to refuse.
The thing with powerful kings and rulers, whether demonic, godly, or human, is that their pride and ego easily get in the way of their discernment.
So it was for the demon-king who was consumed by pride due to his power.
How could he deny this little person?
What would the people think?
That the mighty demon-king was intimidated by an unvoiced request from a Brahmin?
He brushed aside the well-intentioned objections of his royal sage.
Smiling generously at the young man, he said, “Ask little person, what it is you desire, and I shall fulfill it.”
The young Brahmin requested land.
“That’s it?” the king was surprised. “Specify, how much land do you wish?”
“Just enough that can be covered with three of my steps,” the young Brahmin said.
The demon-king began to feel kindly towards him.
The royal sage, growing increasingly agitated, made another attempt to dissuade the King from granting the Brahmin's peculiar request, his suspicions mounting.
But the King stood firm, agreeing to grant the Brahmin as much land as could be covered in three of his steps.
The custom that is still followed today is that any religious donation, or charitable act, is finalized only when the giver pours water from a special brass pot containing purified water onto the receiver’s hand.
Here too, the King prepared to formalize his pledge and reached for the special brass pot.
The sage, fearing the King was making a mistake, decided to intervene more actively.
He transformed into a miniature version of himself, using mystical powers, and entered the water-pot, blocking the spout from the inside.
Ant-man, anyone?
The King was puzzled when no water flowed from the spout.
The young Brahmin, aware of the cause, suggested that dirt might be clogging the spout and offered to clean it.
Using a blade of grass, he delicately prodded the opening.
In doing so, he poked the sage who was trying to see through the hole, in one eye, and forced him to abandon the clearing.
The sage, yelling in pain, reverted to his original form.
Rendered blind for life, he became famous as the one-eyed sage.
The king was then able to easily pour the water onto the folded palms of the Brahmin who then let the water fall to the ground.
The giver and receiver had completed the transaction.
The king then requested the young Brahmin to take his first step.
Instantly, in front of the astonished gathering, the little person slowly grew in form shooting past all known heights of living beings.
He continued to grow immensely until those on the ground could no longer see his face and the umbrella protecting him from the sun touched the sky.
With this immeasurable form, he took one giant step and covered all of the Heavens.
With his second step, he covered all of Earth.
The demon-king finally realized who he was dealing with, and stood in awe, his pride crushed.
The Brahmin, nay, the Preserver-God, asked the humbled King, where he should place his third step.
The King got on his knees, acknowledging the error of his ego wanting to rule the three worlds, and offered his head to the Preserver-God.
The Preserver-God, pleased, accepted.
Blessing the king with immortality, he took his final step on the king’s head, sending him to the netherworld.2
The demon-king was in fact the grandson of the Preserver-God’s young devotee who had been the cause of the half-man, half-lion incarnation. Read that story here.
This immense form of the Preserver-God - encompassing the three worlds - is rarely seen, and the next time, we hear of it, is during the famous Krishna incarnation.
But that story, let us save for another time!
This story is of the fifth incarnation, Vamana - meaning ‘little person.’
Though checked in his unlimited ambition, the demon-king - Bali - was blessed in the end, to return to Earth once a year, and that day is now celebrated during the annual festival of lights known as ‘Diwali.’ He is also heralded during the famous Onam festival, the annual harvest celebration in the southern state of Kerala.
Beautiful tale, as always. Already looking forward to another one. Thank you, Jayshree 💙💫🍀
Forgive my ignorance - which Avatara was this?