This Nineteenth Chapter describes how Lord Vamanadeva asked for three paces of land in charity, how Bali Maharaja agreed to His proposal, and how Sukracarya forbade Bali Maharaja to fulfill Lord Vamanadevas request.

When Bali Maharaja, thinking Vamanadeva to be the son of a brahmana, told Him to ask for anything He liked, Lord Vamanadeva praised Hiranyakasipu and Hiranyaksa for their heroic activities, and after thus praising the family in which Bali Maharaja had been born, He begged the King for three paces of land. Bali Maharaja agreed to give this land in charity, since this was very insignificant, but Sukracarya, who could understand that Vamanadeva was Visnu, the friend of the demigods, forbade Bali Maharaja to give this land. Sukracarya advised Bali Maharaja to withdraw his promise. He explained that in subduing others, in joking, in responding to danger, in acting for the welfare of others, and so on, one could refuse to fulfill ones promise, and there would be no fault. By this philosophy, Sukracarya tried to dissuade Bali Maharaja from giving land to Lord Vamanadeva.