Bhagavatapurana 8.15: atha pañcadaśo'dhyāyaḥ

8.15.1

/0 śrīrājovāca
baleḥ padatrayaṃ bhūmeḥ kasmāddharirayācata /
bhūteśvaraḥ kṛpaṇaval labdhārtho 'pi babandha tam //

The king said:
Why did Hari beg Bali for three paces of land, / like a beggar, although He is the Lord of beings, and bind him even after obtaining His wish?

1. The king said:—Why did Hari beg of Bali for three feet of ground like a poor, helpless person and why did He, the Lord of beings, though he had got the thing asked for, bind him down?

8.15.2

etadveditumicchāmo mahat kautūhalaṃ hi naḥ /
yajñeśvarasya pūrṇasya bandhanaṃ cāpy anāgasaḥ //

We wish to know this, for our curiosity is indeed great— / [both the begging] of the Lord of sacrifice, who is complete, and the binding of one who was guiltless.

2. This we wish to know; great indeed our curiosity, why again did the Perfect One, the Lord of sacrifices, fetter down the innocent?

8.15.3

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
parājitaśrīrasubhiśca hāpito hīndreṇa rājan bhṛgubhiḥ sa jīvitaḥ /
sarvātmanā tān abhajadbhṛgūn baliḥ śiṣyo mahātmārthanivedanena //

Śrī Śuka said:
Having his fortune stripped away and having been deprived of his life-breaths by Indra, O king, / Bali was revived by the Bhṛgus; the noble disciple worshipped those Bhṛgus with all his heart by offering his wealth.

3. Sri Suka said:— It is said, O king, that once (in a battle) Bali was deprived of both his wealth and life by Indra, and that he was restored to life by Sukra and others of the Bhrigu race. So the noble-minded Bali became their disciple and absolutely attached himself to them, offering them all his wealth.

8.15.4

taṃ brāhmaṇā bhṛgavaḥ prīyamāṇā ayājayan viśvajitā triṇākam /
jigīṣamāṇaṃ vidhinābhiṣicya mahābhiṣekeṇa mahānubhāvāḥ //

Those exalted brāhmaṇas, the Bhṛgus, being pleased with him, / having consecrated him according to rule with the great consecration as he desired to conquer heaven, had him perform the Viśvajit sacrifice.

4. Much pleased the Brahmins of the Bhrigu race enabled him to perform the Viswajit sacrifice, since he desired to conquer Swarga; those Brahmins of great virtue having installed him by performing the Mahabhisheka (the process of bathing him with sacred waters to make him fit for Indra's place).

8.15.5

tato rathaḥ kāñcanapaṭṭanaddho hayāśca haryaśvaturaṅgavarṇāḥ /
dhvajaśca siṃhena virājamāno hutāśanādāsa havirbhiriṣṭāt //

Then from the sacrificial fire, worshipped with oblations, arose a chariot bound with golden plates, / horses of the same color as the steed of Indra, / and a banner adorned with a lion.

5. Then, from the fire into which oblations were thrown, came out a chariot, made strong with sheets of gold, horses of the same colour as those of Indra, a banner bearing the ensign of the Lion.

8.15.6

dhanuśca divyaṃ puraṭopanaddhaṃ tūṇāvariktau kavacaṃ ca divyam /
pitāmahastasya dadau ca mālām amlānapuṣpāṃ jalajaṃ ca śukraḥ //

And a celestial bow overlaid with gold, two inexhaustible quivers, and divine armor [arose]; / and his grandfather gave him a garland of unfading flowers, and Śukra gave him a conch shell.

6. An excellent bow with gold fastenings, two quivers full of arrows and a divine coat-of-mail; Prahlada-(his grand-father) gave him a garland of never-fading flowers and Sukra a conch.

8.15.7

evaṃ sa viprārjitayodhanārthas taiḥ kalpitasvastyayano 'tha viprān /
pradakṣiṇīkṛtya kṛtapraṇāmaḥ prahrādamāmantrya namaścakāra //

Thus supplied by the brāhmaṇas with the implements of war, and with auspicious rites performed by them, / he circumambulated the brāhmaṇas, bowed down, took leave of Prahrāda, and paid him homage.

7. Thus equipped with the necessaries of war obtained for him

by the Brahmins, and having through them performed the auspicious rites, he going then round them bowed to them and getting leave of Prahlada bowed to him also.

8.15.8

athāruhya rathaṃ divyaṃ bhṛgudattaṃ mahārathaḥ /
susragdharo 'tha sannahya dhanvī khaḍgī dhṛteṣudhiḥ //

Then mounting the celestial chariot given by the Bhṛgus, the great chariot warrior, / wearing a beautiful garland, putting on armor, armed with a bow, sword, and quivers,

8. Then, adorned with garlands, tightening his girdle, armed with the bow, the sword, and the quivers;

9. With his arms bright with golden angadas, with radiant ear-rings-he the warrior mounted the excellent chariot given him by Sukra: he shone like fire located in the appointed places of the sacrificial hall.

8.15.9

hemāṅgadalasadbāhuḥ sphuranmakarakuṇḍalaḥ /
rarāja rathamārūḍho dhiṣṇyastha iva havyavāṭ //

with his arms gleaming with golden armlets and earrings shaped like sea-monsters glittering, / shone mounted on the chariot like the fire on its altar.

8.15.10

tulyaiśvaryabalaśrībhiḥ svayūthairdaityayūthapaiḥ /
pibadbhiriva khaṃ dṛgbhirdahadbhiḥ paridhīn iva //

Surrounded by his troop leaders of the Daityas, who were equal in power, strength, and splendor, / who seemed to drink up the sky with their eyes and burn the quarters of the earth,

10. & 11. Surrounded by his own people and the Daitya leaders equal unto him in wealth, strength and splendour who seemed to drink in the sky and burn the cardinal points with their eyes and to throw heaven and earth into a state of agitation and leading a large army of asuras, the powerful Bali marched towards the most prosperous city of Indra.

8.15.11

vṛto vikarṣan mahatīmāsurīṃ dhvajinīṃ vibhuḥ /
yayāvindrapurīṃ svṛddhāṃ kampayanniva rodasī //

the mighty one, leading a vast army of asuras, / marched toward Indra's affluent city, as if causing heaven and earth to tremble:

8.15.12

ramyāmupavanodyānaiḥ śrīmadbhirnandanādibhiḥ /
kūjadvihaṅgamithunairgāyanmattamadhuvrataiḥ //

A city delightful with parks and magnificent gardens such as Nandana, / resounding with pairs of warbling birds and humming with intoxicated bees;

12. That city of Indra beautiful with gardens and parks of great splendour of which Nandana is the foremost, crowded with warbling pairs of birds, with bees humming in intoxication;

8.15.13

pravālaphalapuṣporu bhāraśākhāmaradrumaiḥ /
haṃsasārasacakrāhva kāraṇḍavakulākulāḥ /
nalinyo yatra krīḍanti pramadāḥ surasevitāḥ //

with celestial trees whose branches bore heavy burdens of fresh sprouts, fruits, and blossoms; / where lotus pools crowded with swans, cranes, cakravākas, and kāraṇḍavas / were sporting places for celestial maidens attended by the gods;

13. With celestial trees with branches overloaded with tender shoots, fruits and flowers, with lotus ponds densely inhabited by swans, Sarasas, Chakravakas, and Karandavas (water-fowls of various species), where women in the company of the gods are sporting;

8.15.14

ākāśagaṅgayā devyā vṛtāṃ parikhabhūtayā /
prākāreṇāgnivarṇena sāṭṭālenonnatena ca //

encircled by the divine river Ākāśagaṅgā acting as a moat, / and by a high rampart of the color of fire, equipped with turrets;

14. —the city surrounded by the godly river Ganga of the heavens forming a moat around and protected with high ramparts glowing like fire and furnished with towers (and embrasures) at their top;

8.15.15

rukmapaṭṭakapāṭaiśca dvāraiḥ sphaṭikagopuraiḥ /
juṣṭāṃ vibhaktaprapathāṃ viśvakarmavinirmitām //

furnished with doors having gates overlaid with gold plates, and crystal gateways, / with well-divided avenues, built by Viśvakarman;

15. —the city built by Viswakarma with doors and door-ways constructed with gold fastenings, with towers of crystals and royal roads symmetrically laid out.

8.15.16

sabhācatvararathyāḍhyāṃ vimānairnyarbudairyutām /
śṛṅgāṭakairmaṇimayairvajravidrumavedibhiḥ //

rich in assembly halls, courtyards, and streets, filled with hundreds of millions of aerial cars, / with crossroads of jewels and altars of diamonds and coral;

16. There were public halls, quadrangles and paved streets; the mansions therein numbered millions; with squares paved with precious stones and platforms built of diamonds.

8.15.17

yatra nityavayorūpāḥ śyāmā virajavāsasaḥ /
bhrājante rūpavannāryo hy arcirbhiriva vahnayaḥ //

where women of youthful beauty, eternally youthful, clad in spotless garments, / shone like flames of fire with their beauty;

17. There damsels of unfading youth, strong-built, clothed in purest raiment, endowed with exceeding beauty, shine like fires in flames.

8.15.18

surastrīkeśavibhraṣṭa navasaugandhikasrajām /
yatrāmodamupādāya mārga āvāti mārutaḥ //

where along the streets the breeze blows, gathering the fragrance / of fresh garlands of saugandhika flowers dropped from the hair of celestial women;

18. Through every pathway in the city blow winds bearing the fragrance of fresh Saugandhika wreaths that drop down from the heads of celestial damsels.

8.15.19

hemajālākṣanirgacchad dhūmenāgurugandhinā /
pāṇḍureṇa praticchanna mārge yānti surapriyāḥ //

and the beloveds of the gods walk along streets concealed / by white smoke carrying the scent of aguru drifting through the latticed windows of gold.

19. The celestial women walk through paths covered with white fragrant fumes of Aguru that escape through golden windows.

8.15.20

muktāvitānairmaṇihemaketubhir nānāpatākāvalabhībhirāvṛtām /
śikhaṇḍipārāvatabhṛṅganāditāṃ vaimānikastrīkalagītamaṅgalām //

It was covered with canopies of pearls, jeweled and golden banners, / and rooftops adorned with diverse pennants, echoed with peacocks, pigeons, and large bees, / and made auspicious by the sweet songs of women in aerial cars;

20. It was covered over with canopies of pearls, with flagstaffs wrought with jewels and gold, with numerous flags fixed in the balconies; it resounded with the voices of peacocks, pigeons, and bees and was auspicious with the sweet music of celestial women.

8.15.21

mṛdaṅgaśaṅkhānakadundubhisvanaiḥ satālavīṇāmurajeṣṭaveṇubhiḥ /
nṛtyaiḥ savādyairupadevagītakair manoramāṃ svaprabhayā jitaprabhām //

enchanting with the sounds of mṛdaṅgas, conches, kettle-drums, and dundubhis, / with lutes, murajas, and beloved flutes kept in rhythm, / and with dances accompanied by instrumental music and songs of demigods, outshining all brilliance by its own radiance.

21. The city was attractive with the sounds of Mridangas, Conches, Ānakas and Dundubhies, with the musical sounds of symbals, Vina, Muraja, Risti, and flutes, with various kinds of dance played to the music of instruments and the songs of Gandharvas and Kinnaras. It conquered the Deity of splendour by its own, (it was of un-equalled splendour).

8.15.22

yāṃ na vrajanty adharmiṣṭhāḥ khalā bhūtadruhaḥ śaṭhāḥ /
māninaḥ kāmino lubdhā ebhirhīnā vrajanti yat //

The unrighteous, the wicked, the tormentors of living beings, the deceitful, / the arrogant, the lustful, and the greedy do not go there; only those free from these vices reach it.

22. This city is not accessible to the unrighteous, the wicked, and rogues and also to those that are treacherous to other beings. Those who are full of pride as well as those who are addicted to base pleasures, or are covetous, cannot reach it. Only those who are free from these defects get entrance into it.

8.15.23

tāṃ devadhānīṃ sa varūthinīpatir bahiḥ samantādrurudhe pṛtanyayā /
ācāryadattaṃ jalajaṃ mahāsvanaṃ dadhmau prayuñjan bhayamindrayoṣitām //

That capital of the gods the commander of the army besieged from all sides with his forces; / he blew the conch shell given by his preceptor, which produced a great sound, striking fear into the wives of Indra.

23. At the head of his large army Bali beseiged this capital of the gods with his army on all sides; he blew the great conch of tremendous sound given him by his preceptor, infusing fear into the women of Indra.

8.15.24

maghavāṃstamabhipretya baleḥ paramamudyamam /
sarvadevagaṇopeto gurumetaduvāca ha //

Maghavan, perceiving this supreme effort of Bali, / accompanied by all the hosts of gods, spoke thus to their preceptor:

24. Cognisant of the supreme efforts of Bali, Indra accompanied by all the hosts of the gods met his preceptor Brihaspati and said this (as follows).

8.15.25

bhagavannudyamo bhūyān balernaḥ pūrvavairiṇaḥ /
aviṣahyamimaṃ manye kenāsīt tejasorjitaḥ //

"O revered one, great is the effort of Bali, our former enemy! / I consider this irresistible; by what means has he become so formidable in splendor?

25. O worshipful one, very great is the endeavour of Bali, our old enemy; I think it is irresistible; by what power has he been made so strong (what is the cause of his great power)?

8.15.26

nainaṃ kaścit kuto vāpi prativyoḍhumadhīśvaraḥ /
pibanniva mukhenedaṃ lihanniva diśo daśa /
dahanniva diśo dṛgbhiḥ saṃvartāgnirivotthitaḥ //

No one anywhere is able to confront him, / who seems to drink up this universe with his mouth, lick up the ten directions, / burn the quarters with his eyes, rising up like the fire of cosmic dissolution!

26. No body could by any means withstand him; he looks as if drinking this Universe with his mouth, as if licking up the ten cardinal points, as if burning them with his eyes: he has sprung upon

us like the fire of deluge.

8.15.27

brūhi kāraṇametasya durdharṣatvasya madripoḥ /
ojaḥ saho balaṃ tejo yata etat samudyamaḥ //

Tell us the cause of this invincibility of my enemy— / his vigor, power, strength, and radiance, from which comes this great enterprise!"

27. Be pleased to discover the cause or the means of this irresistible development of my enemy; whence and how did he attain this energy, this courage, strength, and prowess which have been at the root of this grand effort?

8.15.28

/0 śrīgururuvāca
jānāmi maghavan chatrorunnaterasya kāraṇam /
śiṣyāyopabhṛtaṃ tejo bhṛgubhirbrahmavādibhiḥ //

The preceptor said:
"I know, Maghavan, the reason for this elevation of your enemy: / the Bhṛgus, knowers of the Veda, have imparted their splendor to their disciple.

28. Brihaspati said:— I know, Indra, the cause of this growth of the enemy. This power was developed for their disciple by the Brahmins of the Bhrigu race, versed in the Vedic lore.

8.15.29

ojasvinaṃ baliṃ jetuṃ na samartho 'sti kaścana /
bhavadvidho bhavān vāpi varjayitveśvaraṃ harim //

No one is capable of conquering the mighty Bali— / neither anyone like you nor you yourself—except the Lord, Hari.

29. Neither thou nor any one like thee except the Supreme Ruler Hari could stand before him, just as mortals cannot before the god of Death.

8.15.30

vijeṣyati na ko 'py enaṃ brahmatejaḥsamedhitam /
nāsya śaktaḥ puraḥ sthātuṃ kṛtāntasya yathā janāḥ //

None will overcome him, enhanced as he is by brāhmaṇa radiance; / no one can stand before him, just as mortals cannot stand before Death.

8.15.31

tasmān nilayamutsṛjya yūyaṃ sarve triviṣṭapam /
yāta kālaṃ pratīkṣanto yataḥ śatrorviparyayaḥ //

Therefore, abandoning your abode, heaven, all of you / should depart, awaiting the time from which the enemy's downfall will come.

30. Therefore do you all abandon swarga and disappear, waiting for the time till the enemy begins to decline.

8.15.32

eṣa viprabalodarkaḥ sampraty ūrjitavikramaḥ /
teṣāmevāpamānena sānubandho vinaṅkṣyati //

His strength will end through the brāhmaṇas, though now his valor is mighty; / through contempt for them alone, he will perish along with his followers."

31. Too strong is he now with the Brahmin power and endowed with irresistible prowess; by his disregard of the same Brahmins, he will perish with all his kindred.

8.15.33

evaṃ sumantritārthāste guruṇārthānudarśinā /
hitvā triviṣṭapaṃ jagmurgīrvāṇāḥ kāmarūpiṇaḥ //

Thus well-advised on the matter by their preceptor, who perceived what was advantageous, / the gods, able to assume any form at will, abandoned heaven and departed.

32. Having thus obtained good counsel (having thus properly deliberated on the matter) of the preceptor capable of perceiving the truth, all the gods who can assume any form at will, went out of Swarga.

8.15.34

deveṣvatha nilīneṣu balirvairocanaḥ purīm /
devadhānīmadhiṣṭhāya vaśaṃ ninye jagattrayam //

When the gods had thus disappeared, Bali, son of Virocana, / having occupied the city of the gods, brought the three worlds under his dominion.

33. When the gods had disappeared, Bali, the son of Virochana, took possession of their capital and brought the three worlds under his control.

8.15.35

taṃ viśvajayinaṃ śiṣyaṃ bhṛgavaḥ śiṣyavatsalāḥ /
śatena hayamedhānāmanuvratamayājayan //

Affectionate toward their disciple, the Bhṛgus had him, who had conquered all / and was devoted to his vows, perform one hundred horse sacrifices.

34. Affectionate to their disciples Bhrigus helped this willing disciple, victorious over the world, to perform a hundred Aswamedha sacrifices.

8.15.36

tatastadanubhāvena bhuvanatrayaviśrutām /
kīrtiṃ dikṣuvitanvānaḥ sa reja uḍurāḍ iva //

Then, through the power of that, spreading across every quarter / his renown celebrated throughout the three worlds, he shone like the king of the stars.

35. Thereupon through the greatness of this sacrificial course he spread his name already known to the three worlds and shone like the lord of stars (Moon).

8.15.37

bubhuje ca śriyaṃ svṛddhāṃ dvijadevopalambhitām /
kṛtakṛtyamivātmānaṃ manyamāno mahāmanāḥ //

And he enjoyed abundant prosperity procured through the twice-born and the gods, / deeming himself to have achieved his purpose, high-minded as he was.

36. The noble-minded Bali thought that he had accomplished all his purpose and enjoyed the well-developed wealth which he had acquired with the help of the Brahmins.