Bhagavatapurana 8.22: atha dvāviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

8.22.1

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
evaṃ viprakṛto rājan balirbhagavatāsuraḥ /
bhidyamāno 'py abhinnātmā pratyāhāviklavaṃ vacaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said:
Being thus rebuked by the Lord, O King, the Asura Bali, / though shattered, remained unshaken in self and replied with unperturbed words.

1. Sri Suka said:—Thus worsted by the Lord, Bali the Asura, O king, though compelled to change, remained unchanged in his mind and nature and nobly spoke in reply thus:—

8.22.2

/0 śrībaliruvāca
yady uttamaśloka bhavān mameritaṃ vaco vyalīkaṃ suravarya manyate /
karomy ṛtaṃ tan na bhavet pralambhanaṃ padaṃ tṛtīyaṃ kuru śīrṣṇi me nijam //

Śrī Bali said:
"If, O He of highest renown, You, the foremost of gods, consider my spoken word deceitful, / I will make it true so that there may be no deception: place Your third footstep on my head!

2. Bali said:—"O Most glorious One, the foremost Lord of the gods, if Thou thinkest my word to be insincere and worthless, I shall make it true; let it not be a word of insincerity. Be Thou pleased to set Thy third step (foot) on my head.

8.22.3

bibhemi nāhaṃ nirayāt padacyuto na pāśabandhādvyasanādduratyayāt /
naivārthakṛcchrādbhavato vinigrahād asādhuvādādbhṛśamudvije yathā //

I do not fear hell, nor falling from my post, nor being bound by ropes, nor inescapable calamity, / nor distress of wealth, nor Your punishment, so much as I intensely dread a bad name.

3. "Fallen as I am from my position, hell I fear not, or the bonds of Varuna, or any insuperable suffering, or want of wealth, or Thy punishment so much as I am afraid of being called an unrighteous creature.

8.22.4

puṃsāṃ ślāghyatamaṃ manye daṇḍamarhattamārpitam /
yaṃ na mātā pitā bhrātā suhṛdaścādiśanti hi //

I consider the punishment inflicted by the most venerable to be the most praiseworthy for men, / which neither mother, nor father, nor brother, nor friends indeed bestow.

4. "The punishment inflicted by the most worthy persons is, I think, the most laudable attainment, which a mother, a father or a brother or even friends does not (cannot) indeed deal out.

8.22.5

tvaṃ nūnamasurāṇāṃ naḥ parokṣaḥ paramo guruḥ /
yo no 'nekamadāndhānāṃ vibhraṃśaṃ cakṣurādiśat //

You are surely the unseen, supreme guru of us Asuras, / who have granted ruin as an eye to us who were blinded by many forms of pride.

5. "Indirectly, _i.e._, in the guise of an enemy, Thou art certainly the highest preceptor to us, Asuras; for, Thou hast given an eye in this fall to us who have been blinded by pride of many (sources).

8.22.6

yasmin vairānubandhena vyūḍhena vibudhetarāḥ /
bahavo lebhire siddhiṃ yāmu haikāntayoginaḥ //

Fixing steady enmity toward Him, / many enemies of the gods attained that very perfection which exclusive practitioners of yoga reach.

6. "By cherishing deep-rooted enmity towards Thee many an Asura has attained the high purpose, which only the most devoted and unswerving yogins do attain.

8.22.7

tenāhaṃ nigṛhīto 'smi bhavatā bhūrikarmaṇā /
baddhaśca vāruṇaiḥ pāśairnātivrīḍe na ca vyathe //

By You, who perform wondrous deeds, I have been punished in this way, / and bound by the ropes of Varuṇa; I am not overly ashamed, nor do I suffer.

7. "I am now put down by Thee of numerous glorious deeds. Bound with the cords of Varuna I do not feel ashamed; I am not pained (by it).

8.22.8

pitāmaho me bhavadīyasammataḥ prahrāda āviṣkṛtasādhuvādaḥ /
bhavadvipakṣeṇa vicitravaiśasaṃ samprāpitastvaṃ paramaḥ svapitrā //

My grandfather Prahrāda, esteemed by You, whose goodness was made manifest, / was subjected to various persecutions by his own father, Your adversary, yet You remained his supreme refuge.

8. "My grandfather Prahlada highly regarded amongst Thy devotees, earned the reputation of being a good devotee; believing Thee to be the highest Lord and devoted to Thee he was subjected to astounding cruelties by his father who was opposed to Thee.

8.22.9

kimātmanānena jahāti yo 'ntataḥ kiṃ rikthahāraiḥ svajanākhyadasyubhiḥ /
kiṃ jāyayā saṃsṛtihetubhūtayā martyasya gehaiḥ kimihāyuṣo vyayaḥ //

What is the use of this body which leaves one in the end? What of heirs who are robbers named 'kin'? / What of a wife who is the cause of transmigration? What of houses where a mortal's life is wasted?

9. "What is the worth of this body which falls off at the end, or of the sons (children) and relations who are robbers that carry

away one's wealth? what is the value of a wife who is only the cause of Samsara (birth and death), or of houses to a mortal? There is but mere wasting of life-time here.

8.22.10

itthaṃ sa niścitya pitāmaho mahān agādhabodho bhavataḥ pādapadmam /
dhruvaṃ prapede hy akutobhayaṃ janād bhītaḥ svapakṣakṣapaṇasya sattama //

Resolving thus, that great grandfather of unfathomable understanding, afraid of the people / who destroy their own side, took refuge in Your eternal lotus feet which grant freedom from all fear, O best of virtuous devotees!

10. "Having thus conclusively known the truth my great and worthy grand-father of deep wisdom, afraid of rebirth, betook himself to the eternal asylum of Thy lotus-like feet where no fear exists; hence he has become the most worthy in the eyes of Him who destroys his own Asura race.

8.22.11

athāhamapy ātmaripostavāntikaṃ daivena nītaḥ prasabhaṃ tyājitaśrīḥ /
idaṃ kṛtāntāntikavarti jīvitaṃ yayādhruvaṃ stabdhamatirna budhyate //

Then I too, by destiny, have been brought near You, the enemy of my false ego, and forcibly stripped of fortune— / that fortune through which a dull-minded man does not understand that this life, situated near the god of death, is unsteady."

11. "Now I am also luckily brought to Thy presence and by force made to abandon wealth and power by which one is rendered an obstinate fool, does not perceive the life to be uncertain and (thus) remains within the reach of Yama"

8.22.12

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
tasyetthaṃ bhāṣamāṇasya prahrādo bhagavatpriyaḥ /
ājagāma kuruśreṣṭha rākāpatirivotthitaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said:
While he was speaking thus, Prahrāda, beloved of the Lord, / arrived, O best of Kurus, appearing like the full moon rising.

12. Sri Suka said:—When Bali was thus speaking, Prahlada, beloved of the Lord, came in, O foremost of the Kurus, (shining) like the full-moon above the horizon.

8.22.13

tamindrasenaḥ svapitāmahaṃ śriyā virājamānaṃ nalināyatekṣaṇam /
prāṃśuṃ piśaṅgāmbaramañjanatviṣaṃ pralambabāhuṃ śubhagarṣabhamaikṣata //

Indrasena saw his grandfather, shining with splendor, with long lotus-like eyes, / tall, dressed in yellow, having the dark hue of collyrium, with long arms, the best of the blessed.

13. Bali saw his grand-father of radiant glory about him, with eyes broad like lotus-petals, of high stature, wearing Pitambara, dark in complexion, of very long arms and charming appearance and disposition.

8.22.14

tasmai balirvāruṇapāśayantritaḥ samarhaṇaṃ nopajahāra pūrvavat /
nanāma mūrdhnāśruvilolalocanaḥ savrīḍanīcīnamukho babhūva ha //

Bound by the nooses of Varuṇa, Bali did not offer him worship as before; / he bowed with his head, his eyes trembling with tears, and his face was cast down in shame.

14. Bound down with the cords of Varuna Bali could not as before offer him now the worship due, but bent his head in reverence, his eyes confounded with tears and his head hung down out of shame.

8.22.15

sa tatra hāsīnamudīkṣya satpatiṃ hariṃ sunandādyanugairupāsitam /
upetya bhūmau śirasā mahāmanā nanāma mūrdhnā pulakāśruviklavaḥ //

Seeing Hari, the Lord of the virtuous devotees, seated there,
worshipped by attendants such as Sunanda,
the noble-minded one approached, bowed with his head to the ground,
his head bowed, overwhelmed with bristling hair and tears.

15. Prahlada saw the Lord of the righteous seated there and waited upon by Sunanda, Nanda and other attendants; and, approaching, made his obeisance with his head touching the ground, with a full-mind, almost forgetting his self as tears flowed and his hair stood on end.

8.22.16

/0 śrīprahrāda uvāca
tvayaiva dattaṃ padamaindramūrjitaṃ hṛtaṃ tadevādya tathaiva śobhanam /
manye mahān asya kṛto hy anugraho vibhraṃśito yac chriya ātmamohanāt //

Śrī Prahrāda said:
By you alone was the mighty position of Indra given, and today that very position has been taken away; and that is truly auspicious.
Indeed, I consider a great favor to have been done to him,
in that he has been cast down from fortune, which causes delusion of the self.

16. Prahlada said:—"This great position of Indra was given him (Bali) by Thyself and to-day it is taken away by Thyself; and it is well done, for, I think, great is the grace (thereby) shown unto him; since he has been rescued from wealth which deludes the mind and self-consciousness.

8.22.17

yayā hi vidvān api muhyate yatas tat ko vicaṣṭe gatimātmano yathā /
tasmai namaste jagadīśvarāya vai nārāyaṇāyākhilalokasākṣiṇe //

For even a wise man is bewildered by it, so how can anyone perceive the true course of his own self?
Obeisance unto you, the Lord of the universe,
unto Nārāyaṇa, the witness of all the worlds.

17. "Though well under self-control and learned, man is deluded by his (wealth and power); and in that condition who could perceive the course beneficial to Atman (the course leading to

Atman)? I therefore bow to Thee, most merciful Lord of the Universe, who is Sri Narayana, the one witness of all the worlds.”

8.22.18

/0 śrīśuka uvāca
tasyānuśṛṇvato rājan prahrādasya kṛtāñjaleḥ /
hiraṇyagarbho bhagavān uvāca madhusūdanam //

Śrī Śuka said:
As Prahrāda was listening, O king, with folded hands,
the Lord, the creator Brahmā, spoke to the slayer of Madhu.

18. Sri Suka said:—Then, O king, in the presence of Prahlada who stood listening with folded hands, the worshipful Brahma said to Madhusudana (Hari).

8.22.19

baddhaṃ vīkṣya patiṃ sādhvī tatpatnī bhayavihvalā /
prāñjaliḥ praṇatopendraṃ babhāṣe 'vāṅmukhī nṛpa //

Seeing her husband bound, the chaste wife, distraught with fear,
with folded hands and face downcast, bowed before Upendra and spoke, O king.

19. Having seen her husband tied down, Bali’s chaste wife was confused with face; with joined hands she bowed down and with a drooping face said to the Lord Vamana (before Brahma spoke).

8.22.20

/0 śrīvindhyāvaliruvāca
krīḍārthamātmana idaṃ trijagat kṛtaṃ te svāmyaṃ tu tatra kudhiyo 'para īśa kuryuḥ /
kartuḥ prabhostava kimasyata āvahanti tyaktahriyastvadavaropitakartṛvādāḥ //

Śrī Vindhyāvali said:
These three worlds were made by you for your own divine play, but foolish people would claim ownership over them, O Lord.
What can they bring to you, the maker and master, when they are cast out by you,
their boast of agency abandoned, devoid of shame?

20. Vindhyavali said:—This Universe (the three-fold) is produced by Thee for Thy own sport, O Lord; others by virtue of their crooked understanding might claim it as their property; to Thee the all-powerful Lord that makes, protects and destroys this, what could those who are of poor sense and are by Thee deprived even of the talk that they are free agents, shamelessly proceed to offer? (Those that think, as Bali now did in offering his head, that they have something of their own are quite mistaken, since everything is thine own and is given by Thee to others).

8.22.21

/0 śrībrahmovāca
bhūtabhāvana bhūteśa devadeva jaganmaya /
muñcainaṃ hṛtasarvasvaṃ nāyamarhati nigraham //

Śrī Brahmā said:
O creator of beings, O Lord of beings, O God of gods, O all-pervading one,
release this one whose everything has been taken away; he does not deserve punishment.

21. Brahma said:—“O Creator of beings, their ruler, O God of the gods, pervading the Universe, be pleased to release him since he is deprived of everything and does not deserve restraint.

8.22.22

kṛtsnā te 'nena dattā bhūrlokāḥ karmārjitāśca ye /
niveditaṃ ca sarvasvamātmāviklavayā dhiyā //

The entire earth was given to you by him, as well as the worlds won by his actions;
and his entire self was surrendered with an untroubled mind.

22. “To Thee everything has been yielded by him, also Bhu and other lokas which he has earned by virtue of his righteous works; he has offered all that he owned, even his own body, with an unflinching mind.

8.22.22.p1

yatpādayoraśaṭhadhīḥ salilaṃ pradāya $ dūrvāṅkurairapi vidhāya satīṃ saparyām &

He who with an honest mind offers water at your feet, and performs a true offering even with dūrvā sprouts,

23. “Even he, who, with a sincere mind and heart pours water on Thy feet and performs blameless worship with tender Doorva grass attains to the highest place; could then this Bali who with a cheerful mind and heart has given away the three worlds come to grief?”

8.22.23

apy uttamāṃ gatimasau bhajate trilokīṃ % dāśvān aviklavamanāḥ kathamārtimṛcchet //

attains even the highest destination; having given the three worlds with an untroubled mind, how should he suffer distress?

8.22.24

/0 śrībhagavān uvāca
brahman yamanugṛhṇāmi tadviśo vidhunomy aham /
yanmadaḥ puruṣaḥ stabdho lokaṃ māṃ cāvamanyate //

The Lord said:
O Brahmā, whomever I favor, I strip of his wealth,
for intoxicated by pride, a man becomes arrogant and disdains the world and me.

24. The Lord said:—“O Four-faced One, I put an end to the wealth of that person to whom I show My Grace; for he who is intoxicated with wealth, gets deprived of reasoning, and disregards the world and Myself.

8.22.25

yadā kadācij jīvātmā saṃsaran nijakarmabhiḥ /
nānāyoniṣvanīśo 'yaṃ pauruṣīṃ gatimāvrajet //

When at any time the living self, wandering through the cycle of rebirth by its own deeds
helplessly among various wombs, attains human birth,

25. Passing through Samsara and taking birth in diverse wombs the Jivatma, incapable of controlling himself and his actions (lives) might by chance, be born as a human creature.

8.22.26

janmakarmavayorūpa vidyaiśvaryadhanādibhiḥ /
yady asya na bhavet stambhastatrāyaṃ madanugrahaḥ //

if he should not have pride through birth, actions, youth, beauty,
learning, power, wealth, and the like, therein lies my favor.

26. "If, in that state, he should not become blinded by his birth (lineage), actions, youth, beauty, learning, authority, wealth and other circumstances, that is certainly My grace.

8.22.27

mānastambhanimittānāṃ janmādīnāṃ samantataḥ /
sarvaśreyaḥpratīpānāṃ hanta muhyen na matparaḥ //

Birth and the rest are the causes of pride and obstinacy, and are universally opposed to all highest good;
indeed, one dedicated to me is not bewildered by them.

27. He who is devoted to Me must not be deluded (otherwise it would be very regrettable) by the circumstances of birth, wealth, etc. which lead to stubborn arrogance and stand in every way opposed to the attainment of all good purposes.

8.22.28

eṣa dānavadaityānāmagranīḥ kīrtivardhanaḥ /
ajaiṣīdajayāṃ māyāṃ sīdannapi na muhyati //

This leader of the Dānavas and Daityas, increaser of fame,
has conquered unconquerable creative power; though suffering, he is not bewildered.

28. "This Bali, the great leader of Danavas, and Daityas capable of promoting their glory, has conquered the invincible Maya, and, though cast in suffering, has not lost his sense.

8.22.29

kṣīṇarikthaścyutaḥ sthānāt kṣipto baddhaśca śatrubhiḥ /
jñātibhiśca parityakto yātanāmanuyāpitaḥ //

Deprived of his inheritance, fallen from his position, cast down and bound by enemies,
abandoned by his kinsmen, and subjected to torment,

29. "Deprived of wealth, fallen from his position, thrown down and bound by enemies, abandoned by relations and put to torture.

8.22.30

guruṇā bhartsitaḥ śapto jahau satyaṃ na suvrataḥ /
chalairukto mayā dharmo nāyaṃ tyajati satyavāk //

chided and cursed by his guru, he of steadfast vows did not abandon truth;
though tested by me with deceptive speech, this truthful speaker does not forsake dharma.

30. "Threatened and cursed by the preceptor, yet firm in his vow and word, he did not forsake the truth; only in specious expressions Dharma was by Me described to him; still being true to his word he does not forsake it.

8.22.31

eṣa me prāpitaḥ sthānaṃ duṣprāpamamarairapi /
sāvarṇerantarasyāyaṃ bhavitendro madāśrayaḥ //

He has been granted a place by me that is difficult even for the gods to attain;
during the age of Sāvarṇi, taking refuge in me, he shall become Indra.

31. "He has been bestowed the position which even the gods cannot easily attain; protected by Me he will be Indra during the Manvantara of Savarni.

8.22.32

tāvat sutalamadhyāstāṃ viśvakarmavinirmitam /
yadādhayo vyādhayaśca klamastandrā parābhavaḥ /
nopasargā nivasatāṃ sambhavanti mamekṣayā //

Until then, let him reside in Sutala, constructed by Viśvakarman,
where mental distress, diseases, exhaustion, lethargy, defeat,
and misfortunes do not occur to the inhabitants, by my glance.

32. "Till then let him remain in Sutala constructed by Visvakarma; wherein under My eyes the dwellers do not suffer from anxieties, diseases, fatigue, laziness or defeat, or contempt of others or from other dangers.

8.22.33

indrasena mahārāja yāhi bho bhadramastu te /
sutalaṃ svargibhiḥ prārthyaṃ jñātibhiḥ parivāritaḥ //

O Indrasena, great king! Go, may all be well with you,
surrounded by your kinsmen to Sutala, desired even by the denizens of heaven.

33. "O Indrasena (Bali), great king, be thou happy; go surrounded by thy relations to Sutala worthy of being sought after by the celestials.

8.22.34

na tvāmabhibhaviṣyanti lokeśāḥ kimutāpare /
tvacchāsanātigān daityāṃścakraṃ me sūdayiṣyati //

The lords of the worlds shall not overcome you, much less others;
and my discus shall destroy any Daityas who transgress your command.

34. "Even the protectors of the world will not overcome thee. What then could others do; and My Chakra will put an end to the Daityas that may violate thy command.

8.22.35

rakṣiṣye sarvato 'haṃ tvāṃ sānugaṃ saparicchadam /
sadā sannihitaṃ vīra tatra māṃ drakṣyate bhavān //

I will protect you from all sides, along with your followers and possessions;
always standing close by there, O hero, you will see me.

35. "I shall in every respect protect thee along with thy followers and retinue; and thou wilt, O heroic One, see Me there always present.

8.22.36

tatra dānavadaityānāṃ saṅgāt te bhāva āsuraḥ /
dṛṣṭvā madanubhāvaṃ vai sadyaḥ kuṇṭho vinaṅkṣyati //

There, your demonic nature arising from contact with the Dānavas and Daityas,
upon seeing my power, will immediately be dulled and perish.

36. "Whatever Asura disposition might there arise in thee

from association with Danavas and Daityas, will at once vanish, being powerless at the sight of My glory.''