Atrarsr, 187-5.] THE GIBNAr MAhATMYA. 2W Sivn, who woa thereby plowed, ami told him that he (Vaman) wu now free front hi* curse, and that In a shor. limy his body would begin to enlarge, Siva further told him to ml. whatever boon he desired. Vaman r for direction* a* to the method to he followed in performing the pilgrimage of the Yastriipatha, h he desired to do. biva replied, * On ihc north-west of tha Yaxtrapaths there ia a largo tank, and to the w«t of the tank is a wood of Hil'.u trees, which contains an earthen lings, by seeing which an tha Sivaratri day a I obtained admission to KaihW, and Tndra was absolved from tha sin of tho slaughter Brahman. Tbru h another liuga to the west of this, which was established by K Libera. South- east of Rli avam.it ha ia tho apat of tha RAkahaaa called Ilidambs, and near it is a consecrated spot dedicated by Yama to &vn. There h also u place near it dedicated to Siva, which was eatab- liihed by Ohitragnpta, and which ia called lgnpteivara. On thrr weit of Khavanutha ia a lingu which was urtluhl i ihed by BrohnM known hy tha nanus of Kediresvura, and Brahma is always present there. There is a linga on the north-mat of Blm vaunt ha which la culled lndreiraira from its being founded by India at the time of hia visit to tho earthen liiiga, hy was adeemed from the a in of the murder of a llruhmau. Toa should therefore see all the.«e places, aa also D&modar on the Itaiva- takn.' Having said ibis, Siva disappeared. Then m, according to Siva's direction, different places and took up hia abode o west of Bhavanu tha. ' Muanwldle Narada thought in hia mind that Vishnu would descend on the earth and over- throw Bali. Tot hia mind was not at ease, us thorn was no struggle going on. Ho Raid to himself,
- I went Co instigate Inrira, but llnhaspati
defeated my object. : I shall tlutroforC BOW go to Raja Bali. 1 Accordingly he went to Bali, who received him with great respect and worshipped hint, NArada told Bali that Che i brook bispru*|hjriLy. and that they had contrived a plan for hia overthrow. He also told him thai be, -,!i,,uM be mi his guard. He added thaT lm was going to Vishnu, who had oorae to Ifoivufaka, having assumed a small shape with a purticnlar motive. Narada then went to Vaman and told nit he ought to go a?jd snbdue Bali, who was going to make a sacrifice. Veniau replied that Rija Bali was a worshipper of Vishnu, and besides ho himself was destitute of power, and was therefore unable to undertake the tank. Narada said, * You are the aame Vishnu who became incarnate as Variiha and Nrisinha, and your present incarnation ia also for accom- plishing tho work of god I V ,, 1 1 will berenftar bewmu incarnate ae Paraaurama, ltd ma, Bud- dha, and Knlki; and Indra and other gods desire that yon should press Bali down to PatftMb PleaK. ,rv, fulGl Ilia datira of the gods by i sing Bali.' Vaman complied and came to Mil- town of Bali. Then hf lived and took bis meals at the houses of BrahmauB, punming bi« studies oft , :iudatthtiBame timo impart - ing in In tbum to thi> sons of the Hrih- ■nana. Some time passed in thi* way. < >no day while Buh waa nngngnd in hi& saeriBoo, Vaman came to hia pavilion and was reeeiv <kl with great reverence by Bali. Bali iipretsfid to his priest. So km Aoharyn. that it waa a moat fnrtunaio ixjitaucu that Vaman, a sage deeply read in the Vedaa, hud honoured hia sacrifice, and tliat ho (Bali) would grout whatever request might he made by I dm. Sukrn Acharya showed tho It ija that charities bestowed on the blind and the deaf, on dwarfs and on cripples, bore no fruit. Bali said, however that might he, in his uyos a man learned in the Vcdas was like Vishnu. Etc tktin told Vuiusu that all his wealth was his, and thai he might ask whatever -itred. Vaumn sutid he was not covi r| like other Brubmaes. He only desired space
- ueh as he conld cover in three steps, wherein
to give instruction to his pupils. Bali grouted the request* and as lie was pouring water on the palm of Vaman, the bitter became so tall and huge that the sun appeared no higher I bis navel. Thus by two steps bo ooeqpied the whole world and all the regions, and there was no room for tho third step. Vaman there* upon asked Bali where In* should step foi third time, Bali said that his head was the r place for his foot. Vaman thereupon pressed Bali down to Patila. This gave great joy to the gods, Yfonan then founded a town, oallnd after him Vamanapur, on tho wo«t of Ittiavauiisha, on a site which was recoinu,- n i> I by Oargn Aehtirya.' There rvuniin ouly two or three stories in the
- i Honed. One of them
is a long one relating to the Mn'gi KunrLi. TJn
