yajamānaḥ pramudito
darśanīyaṁ manoramam
rūpānurūpāvayavaṁ
tasmā āsanam āharat
“Bali Mahārāja who had engaged the Brahmins to perform sacrifices was delighted to see Lord Vāmana
so beautiful in each of His lustrous limbs, offered Him a seat”
According to Padma purana, it is mentioned that when Lord Vamana appeared in the womb of mother Aditi, various auspicious signs manifested simultaneously-the air became full of fragrance, the trees started shedding flowers on their own and all the desires of living beings were fulfilled. The different gods and goddess from svarloka showered this celibated brahmin dwarf with numerous gifts and thus taking an umberlla made of bamboo he enters the sancitifed yajna sacrifical arena of Bali Mahārāja who was within reach to take over the seat of Indra. This Brahmin boy was seeking to have a direct audience with Bali Mahārāja. Shukracharya being the Guru of Bali Mahārāja noticed that the teacherous Vishnu has arrived with a plan and warned his disciple.
Bali Mahārāja was not disturbed by his Guru’s words, or Vishnu coming to fulfil the motives of Indra who wanted to protect his position. He simply wants to have his dharsan knowing that he is the Supreme controller of all the three worlds, sarva-loka-mahesvaram-the Supreme Lord of all planets (Gita 5.29). “If the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa has come, seeking charitable alms from me, what could be greater fortune for me than this?” Bali Mahārāja remarked. Therefore a seat was offered, but in the end Bali Mahārāja with folded palms, bowing down, requested the Lord to place his final step on his head, thus fully surrendered, he gave away everything he had.
Written by; Sankarshan Das