TEXT 1
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
balir evam grha-patih
kulacaryena bhasitah
tusnim bhutva ksanam rajann
uvacavahito gurum
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said: O King Pariksit, when Bali Maharaja was
thus advised by his spiritual master, Sukracarya, his family priest, he
remained silent for some time, and then, after full deliberation, he
replied to his spiritual master as follows.
TEXT 2
TEXT
sri-balir uvaca
satyam bhagavata proktam
dharmo ‘yam grhamedhinam
artham kamam yaso vrttim
yo na badheta karhicit
Bali Maharaja said: As you have already stated, the principle of
religion that does not hinder one’s economic development, sense
gratification, fame and means of livelihood is the real occupational duty
of the householder. I also think that this religious principle is
correct.
TEXT 3
TEXT
sa caham vitta-lobhena
pratyacakse katham dvijam
pratisrutya dadamiti
prahradih kitavo yatha
I am the grandson of Maharaja Prahlada. How can I withdraw my promise
because of greed for money when I have already said that I shall give
this land? How can I behave like an ordinary cheater, especially toward a
brahmana?
TEXT 4
TEXT
na hy asatyat paro ‘dharma
iti hovaca bhur iyam
sarvam sodhum alam manye
rte ‘lika-param naram
There is nothing more sinful than untruthfulness. Because of this,
mother earth once said, “I can bear any heavy thing except a person who
is a liar.”
TEXT 5
TEXT
naham bibhemi nirayan
nadhanyad asukharnavat
na sthana-cyavanan mrtyor
yatha vipra-pralambhanat
I do not fear hell, poverty, an ocean of distress, falldown from my
position or even death itself as much as I fear cheating a brahmana.
TEXT 6
TEXT
yad yad dhasyati loke ‘smin
samparetam dhanadikam
tasya tyage nimittam kim
vipras tusyen na tena cet
My lord, you can also see that all the material opulences of this
world are certainly separated from their possessor at death. Therefore,
if the brahmana Vamanadeva is not satisfied by whatever gifts one has
given, why not please Him with the riches one is destined to lose at
death?
TEXT 7
TEXT
sreyah kurvanti bhutanam
sadhavo dustyajasubhih
dadhyan-sibi-prabhrtayah
ko vikalpo dharadisu
Dadhici, Sibi and many other great personalities were willing to
sacrifice even their lives for the benefit of the people in general. This
is the evidence of history. So why not give up this insignificant land?
What is the serious consideration against it?
TEXT 8
TEXT
yair iyam bubhuje brahman
daityendrair anivartibhih
tesam kalo ‘grasil lokan
na yaso ‘dhigatam bhuvi
O best of the brahmanas, certainly the great demoniac kings who were
never reluctant to fight enjoyed this world, but in due course of time
everything they had was taken away, except their reputation, by which
they continue to exist. In other words, one should try to achieve a good
reputation instead of anything else.
TEXT 9
TEXT
sulabha yudhi viprarse
hy anivrttas tanu-tyajah
na tatha tirtha ayate
sraddhaya ye dhana-tyajah
O best of the brahmanas, many men have laid down their lives on the
battlefield, being unafraid of fighting, but rarely has one gotten the
chance to give his accumulated wealth faithfully to a saintly person who
creates holy places.
TEXT 10
TEXT
manasvinah karunikasya sobhanam
yad arthi-kamopanayena durgatih
kutah punar brahma-vidam bhavadrsam
tato vator asya dadami vanchitam
By giving charity, a benevolent and merciful person undoubtedly
becomes even more auspicious, especially when he gives charity to a
person like your good self. Under the circumstances, I must give this
little brahmacari whatever charity He wants from me.
TEXT 11
TEXT
yajanti yajnam kratubhir yam adrta
bhavanta amnaya-vidhana-kovidah
sa eva visnur varado ‘stu va paro
dasyamy amusmai ksitim ipsitam mune
O great sage, great saintly persons like you, being completely aware
of the Vedic principles for performing ritualistic ceremonies and yajnas,
worship Lord Visnu in all circumstances. Therefore, whether that same
Lord Visnu has come here to give me all benedictions or to punish me as
an enemy, I must carry out His order and give Him the requested tract of
land without hesitation.
TEXT 12
TEXT
yadyapy asav adharmena
mam badhniyad anagasam
tathapy enam na himsisye
bhitam brahma-tanum ripum
Although He is Visnu Himself, out of fear He has covered Himself in
the form of a brahmana to come to me begging. Under the circumstances,
because He has assumed the form of a brahmana, even if He irreligiously
arrests me or even kills me, I shall not retaliate, although He is my
enemy.
TEXT 13
TEXT
esa va uttamasloko
na jihasati yad yasah
hatva mainam hared yuddhe
sayita nihato maya
If this brahmana really is Lord Visnu, who is worshiped by Vedic
hymns, He would never give up His widespread reputation; either He would
lie down having been killed by me, or He would kill me in a fight.
TEXT 14
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
evam asraddhitam sisyam
anadesakaram guruh
sasapa daiva-prahitah
satya-sandham manasvinam
Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Thereafter, the spiritual master,
Sukracarya, being inspired by the Supreme Lord, cursed his exalted
disciple Bali Maharaja, who was so magnanimous and fixed in truthfulness
that instead of respecting his spiritual master’s instructions, he wanted
to disobey his order.
TEXT 15
TEXT
drdham pandita-many ajnah
stabdho ‘sy asmad-upeksaya
mac-chasanatigo yas tvam
acirad bhrasyase sriyah
Although you have no knowledge, you have become a so-called learned
person, and therefore you dare be so impudent as to disobey my order.
Because of disobeying me, you shall very soon be bereft of all your
opulence.
TEXT 16
TEXT
evam saptah sva-guruna
satyan na calito mahan
vamanaya dadav enam
arcitvodaka-purvakam
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Even after being cursed in this way by his
own spiritual master, Bali Maharaja, being a great personality, never
deviated from his determination. Therefore, according to custom, he first
offered water to Vamanadeva and then offered Him the gift of land he had
promised.
TEXT 17
TEXT
vindhyavalis tadagatya
patni jalaka-malini
aninye kalasam haimam
avanejany-apam bhrtam
Bali Maharaja’s wife, known as Vindhyavali, who was decorated with a
necklace of pearls, immediately came and had a large golden waterpot
brought there, full of water with which to worship the Lord by washing
His feet.
TEXT 18
TEXT
yajamanah svayam tasya
srimat pada-yugam muda
avanijyavahan murdhni
tad apo visva-pavanih
Bali Maharaja, the worshiper of Lord Vamanadeva, jubilantly washed the
Lord’s lotus feet and then took the water on his head, for that water
delivers the entire universe.
TEXT 19
TEXT
tadasurendram divi devata-gana
gandharva-vidyadhara-siddha-caranah
tat karma sarve ‘pi grnanta arjavam
prasuna-varsair vavrsur mudanvitah
At that time, the residents of the higher planetary system, namely the
demigods, the Gandharvas, the Vidyadharas, the Siddhas and the Caranas,
all being very pleased by Bali Maharaja’s simple, nonduplicitous act,
praised his qualities and showered upon him millions of flowers.
TEXT 20
TEXT
nedur muhur dundubhayah sahasraso
gandharva-kimpurusa-kinnara jaguh
manasvinanena krtam suduskaram
vidvan adad yad ripave jagat-trayam
The Gandharvas, the Kimpurusas and the Kinnaras sounded thousands and
thousands of kettledrums and trumpets again and again, and they sang in
great jubilation, declaring, “How exalted a person is Bali Maharaja, and
what a difficult task he has performed! Even though he knew that Lord
Visnu was on the side of his enemies, he nonetheless gave the Lord the
entire three worlds in charity.”
TEXT 21
TEXT
tad vamanam rupam avardhatadbhutam
harer anantasya guna-trayatmakam
bhuh kham diso dyaur vivarah payodhayas
tiryan-nr-deva rsayo yad-asata
The unlimited Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had assumed the form
of Vamana, then began increasing in size, acting in terms of the material
energy, until everything in the universe was within His body, including
the earth, the planetary systems, the sky, the directions, the various
holes in the universe, the seas, the oceans, the birds, beasts, human
beings, the demigods and the great saintly persons.
TEXT 22
TEXT
kaye balis tasya maha-vibhuteh
sahartvig-acarya-sadasya etat
dadarsa visvam tri-gunam gunatmake
bhutendriyarthasaya-jiva-yuktam
Bali Maharaja, along with all the priests, acaryas and members of the
assembly, observed the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s universal body,
which was full of six opulences. That body contained everything within
the universe, including all the gross material elements, the senses, the
sense objects, the mind, intelligence and false ego, the various kinds of
living entities, and the actions and reactions of the three modes of
material nature.
TEXT 23
TEXT
rasam acastanghri-tale ‘tha padayor
mahim mahidhran purusasya janghayoh
patattrino januni visva-murter
urvor ganam marutam indrasenah
Thereafter, Bali Maharaja, who was occupying the seat of King Indra,
could see the lower planetary systems, such as Rasatala, on the soles of
the feet of the Lord’s universal form. He saw on the Lord’s feet the
surface of the globe, on the surface of His calves all the mountains, on
His knees the various birds, and on His thighs the varieties of air.
TEXT 24
TEXT
sandhyam vibhor vasasi guhya aiksat
prajapatin jaghane atma-mukhyan
nabhyam nabhah kuksisu sapta-sindhun
urukramasyorasi carksa-malam
Bali Maharaja saw beneath the garments of the Lord, who acts
wonderfully, the evening twilight. In the Lord’s private parts he saw the
Prajapatis, and in the round portion of the waist he saw himself with his
confidential associates. In the Lord’s navel he saw the sky, on the
Lord’s waist he saw the seven oceans, and on the Lord’s bosom he saw all
the clusters of stars.
TEXTS 25-29
TEXT
hrdy anga dharmam stanayor murarer
rtam ca satyam ca manasy athendum
sriyam ca vaksasy aravinda-hastam
kanthe ca samani samasta-rephan
indra-pradhanan amaran bhujesu
tat-karnayoh kakubho dyaus ca murdhni
kesesu meghan chvasanam nasikayam
aksnos ca suryam vadane ca vahnim
vanyam ca chandamsi rase jalesam
bhruvor nisedham ca vidhim ca paksmasu
ahas ca ratrim ca parasya pumso
manyum lalate ‘dhara eva lobham
sparse ca kamam nrpa retasambhah
prsthe tv adharmam kramanesu yajnam
chayasu mrtyum hasite ca mayam
tanu-ruhesv osadhi-jatayas ca
nadis ca nadisu sila nakhesu
buddhav ajam deva-ganan rsims ca
pranesu gatre sthira-jangamani
sarvani bhutani dadarsa virah
My dear King, on the heart of Lord Murari he saw religion; on the
chest, both pleasing words and truthfulness; in the mind, the moon; on
the bosom, the goddess of fortune, with a lotus flower in her hand; on
the neck, all the Vedas and all sound vibrations; on the arms, all the
demigods, headed by King Indra; in both ears, all the directions; on the
head, the upper planetary systems; on the hair, the clouds; in the
nostrils, the wind; on the eyes, the sun; and in the mouth, fire. From
His words came all the Vedic mantras, on His tongue was the demigod of
water, Varunadeva, on His eyebrows were the regulative principles, and on
His eyelids were day and night. [When His eyes were open it was daytime,
and when they were closed it was night.] On His forehead was anger, and
on His lips was greed. O King, in His touch were lusty desires, in His
semen were all the waters, on His back was irreligion, and in His
wonderful activities or steps was the fire of sacrifice. On His shadow
was death, in His smile was the illusory energy, and on the hairs of His
body were all the drugs and herbs. In His veins were all the rivers, on
His nails were all the stones, in His intelligence were Lord Brahma, the
demigods and the great saintly persons, and throughout His entire body
and senses were all living entities, moving and stationary. Bali Maharaja
thus saw everything in the gigantic body of the Lord.
TEXT 30
TEXT
sarvatmanidam bhuvanam niriksya
sarve ‘surah kasmalam apur anga
sudarsanam cakram asahya-tejo
dhanus ca sarngam stanayitnu-ghosam
O King, when all the demons, the followers of Maharaja Bali, saw the
universal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who held everything
within His body, when they saw in the Lord’s hand His disc, known as the
Sudarsana cakra, which generates intolerable heat, and when they heard
the tumultuous sound of His bow, all of these caused lamentation within
their hearts.
TEXT 31
TEXT
parjanya-ghoso jalajah pancajanyah
kaumodaki visnu-gada tarasvini
vidyadharo ‘sih sata-candra-yuktas
tunottamav aksayasayakau ca
The Lord’s conchshell, named Pancajanya, which made sounds like that
of a cloud; the very forceful club named Kaumodaki; the sword named
Vidyadhara, with a shield decorated with hundreds of moonlike spots; and
also Aksayasayaka, the best of quivers–all of these appeared together to
offer prayers to the Lord.
TEXTS 32-33
TEXT
sunanda-mukhya upatasthur isam
parsada-mukhyah saha-loka-palah
sphurat-kiritangada-mina-kundalah
srivatsa-ratnottama-mekhalambaraih
madhuvrata-srag-vanamalayavrto
raraja rajan bhagavan urukramah
ksitim padaikena baler vicakrame
nabhah sarirena disas ca bahubhih
These associates, headed by Sunanda and other chief associates and
accompanied by all the predominating deities of the various planets,
offered prayers to the Lord, who wore a brilliant helmet, bracelets, and
glittering earrings that resembled fish. On the Lord’s bosom were the
lock of hair called Srivatsa and the transcendental jewel named
Kaustubha. He wore a yellow garment, covered by a belt, and He was
decorated by a flower garland, surrounded by bees. Manifesting Himself in
this way, O King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose activities
are wonderful, covered the entire surface of the earth with one footstep,
the sky with His body, and all directions with His arms.
TEXT 34
TEXT
padam dvitiyam kramatas trivistapam
na vai trtiyaya tadiyam anv api
urukramasyanghrir upary upary atho
mahar-janabhyam tapasah param gatah
As the Lord took His second step, He covered the heavenly planets. And
not even a spot remained for the third step, for the Lord’s foot extended
higher and higher, beyond Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and even
Satyaloka.
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