Aditi’s Stotra to Vishṇu (Kūrma Purāṇa)
Aditi’s stotra to Bhagavān Vishṇu is found in the Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 17, in the account of the Trivikrama-carita (the deeds of Trivikrama). Aditi sang it when Nārāyaṇa appeared before her. She praises him as the highest form of time (kāla-svarūpa), as Narasiṃha, Varāha and Vāsudeva, and as the inner ruler (antaryāmin) of the three guṇas. Moved by her prayer, Bhagavān Vishṇu gave her the vara (boon) of being born as her son, to win back the rule of the devas.
The setting
The asura Bali, son of Virocana and grandson of Prahlāda, had conquered Indra and the devas and ruled the three worlds. Aditi, the mother of the devas, fell into great grief. She decided to win a son strong enough to destroy the rākshasas. She performed very fierce tapas (austerity) and took refuge in Bhagavān Vishṇu.
She meditated on Nārāyaṇa in his unmanifest form (avyakta-rūpa) in the lotus of her heart. She fixed her mind on him as kevalākāśarūpa (pure space-like), as ānanda-svarūpa (bliss itself), and as the highest goal. Then Bhagavān Vishṇu appeared before her in his full form as the master of yoga (yogātmika), holding the śaṅkha (conch) and the cakra. Aditi saw him and, full of devotion, sang this stotra.
The stotra
Aditi spoke:
“O destroyer of all sorrows, you are the first cause! O bearer of endless glory (ananta mahimā)! O one whose nature is vijñāna (knowledge), with no beginning, middle or end! O one who is bliss without desire (nirānanda-svarūpa), like space! O Deva, victory to you.
I bow to you, O Vishṇu in the form of time (kālarūpa). I bow to you, O Śeshātmaka (one whose self is Śesha), in the form of Narasiṃha. I bow to you, O Rudra of the end of the world, at the time of dissolution (pralaya-kāla). I bow to you, O Vāsudeva.
I bow to you who make the māyā of the world. I bow to you, O one whose form is truth, who can be reached through yoga. I bow to you who stand firm in dharma and vijñāna. Again and again I bow to you, whose form is Varāha.
I bow to you, whose radiance equals a thousand suns and moons. I bow to you who are known through the knowledge and dharma of the Vedas. I bow to you, bearer of the earth, the one who cannot be measured. Again and again I bow to you, Prabhu Vishṇu, the root cause.
I bow to you, O one who in truth has the form of Śambhu. I bow to you, O one whose form is the world, whose self is the cause. I bow to you who stand at the centre of the yoga-vidyāpīṭha (seat of the knowledge of yoga). Once more I bow to you, O one whose nature is the One alone (kevala-svarūpa).”
The answer of Bhagavān Vishṇu and the birth of Vāmana
Bhagavān Vishṇu was pleased with the stotra. He smiled and told Aditi to ask for a vara. She bowed her head and said: “For the good of the devas, be born as my son.”
Bhagavān Vishṇu is full of vātsalya (tender love) for those who take refuge in him. He agreed and said:
Tathaiva astu
The meaning is: “So be it.” Then he vanished.
In time, through Aditi and Kaśyapa Prajāpati, Bhagavān Vishṇu himself was born as Vāmana. He had four arms, a dark colour like a rain-cloud, and the mark of śrīvatsa. The devas, siddhas, sādhyas, cāraṇas, Indra and Brahmā all gathered to honour him. The account goes on with the Trivikrama-carita and the submission of Bali.
What the stotra names
In her stotra Aditi names Bhagavān Vishṇu as Rudra in the form of time, and as Varāha.
After the account of Trivikrama, Prahlāda advises Bali to take refuge in Vishṇu. Prahlāda says that Vishṇu alone is the unmanifest Purusha (avyakta Purusha). His tamo-guṇa is Śaṅkara, his rajo-guṇa is Brahmā, and his sattva-guṇa is Vishṇu himself.
Sources
- Kūrma Mahā Purāṇa, Pūrvārdha, chapter 17