FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.19.34

क्रमतो गां पदैकेन द्वितीयेन दिवं विभो: । खं च कायेन महता तार्तीयस्य कुतो गति: ॥ ३४ ॥
kramato gāṁ padaikena
[kramato gaam padaikena]
dvitīyena divaṁ vibhoḥ
[dviteeyena divam vibhoh]
khaṁ ca kāyena mahatā
[kham cha kaayena mahataa]
tārtīyasya kuto gatiḥ
[taarteeyasya kuto gatih]
Word-for-word
kramataḥ — gradually gām — the surface of the land padā ekena — by one step dvitīyena — by the second step divam — the whole of outer space vibhoḥ — of the universal form kham ca — the sky also kāyena — by the expansion of His transcendental body mahatā — by the universal form tārtīyasya — as far as the third step is concerned kutaḥ — where is gatiḥ — to keep His step.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kramato gāṁ padaikena
kramataḥ
gradually
gām
the surface of the land
padā ekena
by one step
dvitīyena divaṁ vibhoḥ
dvitīyena
by the second step
divam
the whole of outer space
vibhoḥ
of the universal form
khaṁ ca kāyena mahatā
kham ca
the sky also
kāyena
by the expansion of His transcendental body
mahatā
by the universal form
tārtīyasya kuto gatiḥ
tārtīyasya
as far as the third step is concerned
kutaḥ
where is
gatiḥ
to keep His step.
Vāmanadeva will first occupy the three worlds with one step, then He will take His second step and occupy everything in outer space, and then He will expand His universal body to occupy everything. Where will you offer Him the third step?
Purport

Śukrācārya wanted to tell Bali Mahārāja how he would be cheated by Lord Vāmana. “You have promised three steps,” he said. “But with only two steps, all your possessions will be finished. How then will you give Him a place for His third step?” Śukrācārya did not know how the Lord protects His devotee. The devotee must risk everything in his possession for the service of the Lord, but he is always protected and never defeated. By materialistic calculations, Śukrācārya thought that Bali Mahārāja would under no circumstances be able to keep his promise to the brahmacārī, Lord Vāmanadeva.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Lord will occupy the earth with one step, by his second step he will occupy Svarga, and by his universal body will occupy antarīksa. Where will he put his third step? “How will my promise not be fulfilled?” Even in giving everything, your promise will not be fulfilled. Having taken two steps where will he put his third step? Or what will he gain by a third step?
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
One step will take three worlds, the next will cover outer space, then His universal body will fill all — where will you put the third step? Śukra calculates and finds the case impossible. Surrender exceeds calculation.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I using calculation to discover that surrender 'cannot work'?
  • What if the impossibility is precisely the point — that the gift exceeds capacity by design?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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