Bali Mahārāja Arrested by the Lord
VERSE 8.21.1
śrī-śuka uvāca
satyaṁ samīkṣyābja-bhavo nakhendubhir
hata-svadhāma-dyutir āvṛto ’bhyagāt
marīci-miśrā ṛṣayo bṛhad-vratāḥ
sanandanādyā nara-deva yoginaḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; satyam — the planet Satyaloka; samīkṣya — by observing; abja-bhavaḥ — Lord Brahmā, who appeared on the lotus flower; nakha-indubhiḥ — by the effulgence of the nails; hata — having been reduced; sva-dhāma-dyutiḥ — the illumination of his own residence; āvṛtaḥ — being covered; abhyagāt — came; marīci-miśrāḥ — with sages like Marīci; ṛṣayaḥ — great saintly persons; bṛhat-vratāḥ — all of them absolutely brahmacārī; sanandana-ādyāḥ — like Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumāra; nara-deva — O King; yoginaḥ — greatly powerful mystics.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: When Lord Brahmā, who was born of a lotus flower, saw that the effulgence of his residence, Brahmaloka, had been reduced by the glaring effulgence from the toenails of Lord Vāmanadeva, he approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Brahmā was accompanied by all the great sages, headed by Marīci, and by yogīs like Sanandana, but in the presence of that glaring effulgence, O King, even Lord Brahmā and his associates seemed insignificant.
VERSE 8.21.2-3
vedopavedā niyamā yamānvitās
tarketihāsāṅga-purāṇa-saṁhitāḥ
ye cāpare yoga-samīra-dīpita-
jñānāgninā randhita-karma-kalmaṣāḥ
vavandire yat-smaraṇānubhāvataḥ
svāyambhuvaṁ dhāma gatā akarmakam
athāṅghraye pronnamitāya viṣṇor
upāharat padma-bhavo ’rhaṇodakam
samarcya bhaktyābhyagṛṇāc chuci-śravā
yan-nābhi-paṅkeruha-sambhavaḥ svayam
SYNONYMS
veda — the four Vedas (Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg and Atharva), the original knowledge given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; upavedāḥ — the complementary and supplementary Vedic knowledge, like Āyur-veda and Dhanur-veda; niyamāḥ — regulative principles; yama — controlling processes; anvitāḥ — fully expert in such matters; tarka — logic; itihāsa — history; aṅga — Vedic education; purāṇa — old history recorded in the stories of the Purāṇas; saṁhitāḥ — Vedic complementary studies like the Brahma-saṁhitā; ye — others; ca — also; apare — other than Lord Brahmā and his associates; yoga-samīra-dīpita — ignited by the air of mystic yoga practice; jñāna-agninā — by the fire of knowledge; randhita-karma-kalmaṣāḥ — those for whom all pollution of fruitive activities has been stopped; vavandire — offered their prayers; yat-smaraṇa-anubhāvataḥ — simply by meditating on whom; svāyambhuvam — of Lord Brahmā; dhāma — the residence; gatāḥ — had achieved; akarmakam — which cannot be achieved by fruitive activities; atha — thereupon; aṅghraye — unto the lotus feet; pronnamitāya — offered obeisances; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; upāharat — offered worship; padma-bhavaḥ — Lord Brahmā, who appeared from the lotus flower; arhaṇa-udakam — oblation by water; samarcya — worshiping; bhaktyā — in devotional service; abhyagṛṇāt — pleased him; śuci-śravāḥ — the most celebrated Vedic authority; yat-nābhi-paṅkeruha-sambhavaḥ svayam — Lord Brahmā, who personally appeared from the lotus in the navel of whom (the Personality of Godhead).
TRANSLATION
Among the great personalities who came to worship the lotus feet of the Lord were those who had attained perfection in self-control and regulative principles, as well as experts in logic, history, general education and the Vedic literature known as kalpe [dealing with old historical incidents]. Others were experts in the Vedic corollaries like Brahma-saṁhitā, all the other knowledge of the Vedas [Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg and Atharva], and also the supplementary Vedic knowledge [Āyurveda, Dhanurveda, etc.]. Others were those who had been freed of the reactions to fruitive activities by transcendental knowledge awakened by practice of yoga. And still others were those who had attained residence in Brahmaloka not by ordinary karma but by advanced Vedic knowledge. After devotedly worshiping the upraised lotus feet of the Supreme Lord with oblations of water, Lord Brahmā, who was born of the lotus emanating from Lord Viṣṇu’s navel, offered prayers to the Lord.
VERSE 8.21.4
dhātuḥ kamaṇḍalu-jalaṁ tad urukramasya
pādāvanejana-pavitratayā narendra
svardhuny abhūn nabhasi sā patatī nimārṣṭi
loka-trayaṁ bhagavato viśadeva kīrtiḥ
SYNONYMS
dhātuḥ — of Lord Brahmā; kamaṇḍalu-jalam — water from the kamaṇḍalu; tat — that; urukramasya — of Lord Viṣṇu; pāda-avanejana-pavitratayā — because of washing the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu and thus being transcendentally pure; nara-indra — O King; svardhunī — the river named Svardhunī of the celestial world; abhūt — so became; nabhasi — in outer space; sā — that water; patatī — flowing down; nimārṣṭi — purifying; loka-trayam — the three worlds; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; viśadā — so purified; iva — just like; kīrtiḥ — the fame or the glorious activities.
TRANSLATION
O King, the water from Lord Brahmā’s kamaṇḍalu washed the lotus feet of Lord Vāmanadeva, who is known as Urukrama, the wonderful actor. Thus that water became so pure that it was transformed into the water of the Ganges, which went flowing down from the sky, purifying the three worlds like the pure fame of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
VERSE 8.21.5
brahmādayo loka-nāthāḥ
sva-nāthāya samādṛtāḥ
sānugā balim ājahruḥ
saṅkṣiptātma-vibhūtaye
SYNONYMS
brahma-ādayaḥ — great personalities, headed by Lord Brahmā; loka-nāthāḥ — the predominating deities of various planets; sva-nāthāya — unto their supreme master; samādṛtāḥ — with great respect; sa-anugāḥ — with their respective followers; balim — different paraphernalia of worship; ājahruḥ — collected; saṅkṣipta-ātma-vibhūtaye — unto the Lord, who had expanded His personal opulence but had now reduced His size to the Vāmana form.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā and all the predominating deities of the various planetary systems began to worship Lord Vāmanadeva, their supreme master, who had reduced Himself from His all-pervading form to His original form. They collected all the ingredients and paraphernalia for this worship.
VERSE 8.21.6-7
toyaiḥ samarhaṇaiḥ sragbhir
divya-gandhānulepanaiḥ
dhūpair dīpaiḥ surabhibhir
lājākṣata-phalāṅkuraiḥ
stavanair jaya-śabdaiś ca
tad-vīrya-mahimāṅkitaiḥ
nṛtya-vāditra-gītaiś ca
śaṅkha-dundubhi-niḥsvanaiḥ
SYNONYMS
toyaiḥ — by water required for washing the lotus feet and bathing; samarhaṇaiḥ — by pādya, arghya and other such items for worshiping the Lord; sragbhiḥ — by flower garlands; divya-gandha-anulepanaiḥ — by many kinds of pulp, like sandalwood and aguru, to smear upon the body of Lord Vāmanadeva; dhūpaiḥ — by incense; dīpaiḥ — by lamps; surabhibhiḥ — all of them extremely fragrant; lāja — by fried paddies; akṣata — by unbroken grains; phala — by fruits; aṅkuraiḥ — by roots and sprouts; stavanaiḥ — by offering prayers; jaya-śabdaiḥ — by saying “jaya, jaya”; ca — also; tat-vīrya-mahimā-aṅkitaiḥ — which indicated the glorious activities of the Lord; nṛtya-vāditra-gītaiḥ ca — by dancing, playing various musical instruments, and singing songs; śaṅkha — of vibrating conchshells; dundubhi — of the beating on kettledrums; niḥsvanaiḥ — by the sound vibrations.
TRANSLATION
They worshiped the Lord by offering fragrant flowers, water, pādya and arghya, sandalwood pulp and aguru pulp, incense, lamps, fused rice, unbroken grains, fruits, roots and sprouts. While so doing, they offered prayers indicating the glorious activities of the Lord and shouted “Jaya! Jaya!” They also danced, played instruments, sang, sounded conchshells and beat kettledrums, in this way worshiping the Lord.
VERSE 8.21.8
jāmbavān ṛkṣa-rājas tu
bherī-śabdair mano-javaḥ
vijayaṁ dikṣu sarvāsu
mahotsavam aghoṣayat
SYNONYMS
jāmbavān — who was named Jāmbavān; ṛkṣa-rājaḥ tu — the king in the form of a bear also; bherī-śabdaiḥ — by sounding the bugle; manaḥ-javaḥ — in mental ecstasy; vijayam — victory; dikṣu — in all directions; sarvāsu — everywhere; mahā-utsavam — festival; aghoṣayat — declared.
TRANSLATION
Jāmbavān, king of the bears, also joined in the ceremony. Sounding his bugle in all directions, he declared a great festival for Lord Vāmanadeva’s victory.
VERSE 8.21.9
mahīṁ sarvāṁ hṛtāṁ dṛṣṭvā
tripada-vyāja-yācñayā
ūcuḥ sva-bhartur asurā
dīkṣitasyātyamarṣitāḥ
SYNONYMS
mahīm — land; sarvām — all; hṛtām — lost; dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; tri-pada-vyāja-yācñayā — by simply asking three steps of land; ūcuḥ — said; sva-bhartuḥ — of their master; asurāḥ — the demons; dīkṣitasya — of Bali Mahārāja, who was so determined in the sacrifice; ati — very much; amarṣitāḥ — for whom the function was unbearable.
TRANSLATION
When the demoniac followers of Mahārāja Bali saw that their master, who had been determined in performing sacrifice, had lost all his possessions to Vāmanadeva, who had taken them away on the plea of begging three paces of land, they were very angry and spoke as follows.
VERSE 8.21.10
na vāyaṁ brahma-bandhur
viṣṇur māyāvināṁ varaḥ
dvija-rūpa-praticchanno
deva-kāryaṁ cikīrṣati
SYNONYMS
na — not; vā — either; ayam — this; brahma-bandhuḥ — Vāmanadeva, in the form of a brāhmaṇa; viṣṇuḥ — He is Lord Viṣṇu Himself; māyāvinām — of all cheaters; varaḥ — the greatest; dvija-rūpa — by assuming the form of a brāhmaṇa; praticchannaḥ — is disguised for the purpose of cheating; deva-kāryam — the interest of the demigods; cikīrṣati — He is trying for.
TRANSLATION
“This Vāmana is certainly not a brāhmaṇa but the best of cheaters, Lord Viṣṇu. Assuming the form of a brāhmaṇa, He has covered His own form, and thus He is working for the interests of the demigods.
VERSE 8.21.11
anena yācamānena
śatruṇā vaṭu-rūpiṇā
sarvasvaṁ no hṛtaṁ bhartur
nyasta-daṇḍasya barhiṣi
SYNONYMS
anena — by Him; yācamānena — who is in the position of a beggar; śatruṇā — by the enemy; vaṭu-rūpiṇā — in the form of a brahmacārī; sarvasvam — everything; naḥ — our; hṛtam — has been taken away; bhartuḥ — of our master; nyasta — had been given up; daṇḍasya — of whom the power of giving punishment; barhiṣi — because of taking the vow of a ritualistic ceremony.
TRANSLATION
“Our lord, Bali Mahārāja, because of his position in performing the yajña, has given up the power to punish. Taking advantage of this, our eternal enemy, Viṣṇu, dressed in the form of a brahmacārī beggar, has taken away all his possessions.
VERSE 8.21.12
satya-vratasya satataṁ
dīkṣitasya viśeṣataḥ
nānṛtaṁ bhāṣituṁ śakyaṁ
brahmaṇyasya dayāvataḥ
SYNONYMS
satya-vratasya — of Mahārāja Bali, who is fixed in truthfulness; satatam — always; dīkṣitasya — of he who was initiated into performing yajña; viśeṣataḥ — specifically; na — not; anṛtam — untruth; bhāṣitum — to speak; śakyam — is able; brahmaṇyasya — to the brahminical culture, or to the brāhmaṇa; dayā-vataḥ — of he who is always kind.
TRANSLATION
“Our lord, Bali Mahārāja, is always fixed in truthfulness, and this is especially so at present, since he has been initiated into performing a sacrifice. He is always kind and merciful toward the brāhmaṇas, and he cannot at any time speak lies.
VERSE 8.21.13
tasmād asya vadho dharmo
bhartuḥ śuśrūṣaṇaṁ ca naḥ
ity āyudhāni jagṛhur
baler anucarāsurāḥ
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — therefore; asya — of this brahmacārī Vāmana; vadhaḥ — the killing; dharmaḥ — is our duty; bhartuḥ — of our master; śuśrūṣaṇam ca — and it is the way of serving; naḥ — our; iti — thus; āyudhāni — all kinds of weapons; jagṛhuḥ — they took up; baleḥ — of Bali Mahārāja; anucara — followers; asurāḥ — all the demons.
TRANSLATION
“Therefore it is our duty to kill this Vāmanadeva, Lord Viṣṇu. It is our religious principle and the way to serve our master.” After making this decision, the demoniac followers of Mahārāja Bali took up their various weapons with a view to killing Vāmanadeva.
VERSE 8.21.14
te sarve vāmanaṁ hantuṁ
śūla-paṭṭiśa-pāṇayaḥ
anicchanto bale rājan
prādravañ jāta-manyavaḥ
SYNONYMS
te — the demons; sarve — all of them; vāmanam — Lord Vāmanadeva; hantum — to kill; śūla — tridents; paṭṭiśa — lances; pāṇayaḥ — all taking in hand; anicchantaḥ — against the will; baleḥ — of Bali Mahārāja; rājan — O King; prādravan — they pushed forward; jāta-manyavaḥ — aggravated by usual anger.
TRANSLATION
O King, the demons, aggravated by their usual anger, took their lances and tridents in hand, and against the will of Bali Mahārāja they pushed forward to kill Lord Vāmanadeva.
VERSE 8.21.15
tān abhidravato dṛṣṭvā
ditijānīkapān nṛpa
prahasyānucarā viṣṇoḥ
pratyaṣedhann udāyudhāḥ
SYNONYMS
tān — them; abhidravataḥ — thus going forward; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; ditija-anīka-pān — the soldiers of the demons; nṛpa — O King; prahasya — smiling; anucarāḥ — the associates; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; pratyaṣedhan — forbade; udāyudhāḥ — taking up their weapons.
TRANSLATION
O King, when the associates of Lord Viṣṇu saw the soldiers of the demons coming forward in violence, they smiled. Taking up their weapons, they forbade the demons to continue their attempt.
VERSE 8.21.16-17
nandaḥ sunando ’tha jayo
vijayaḥ prabalo balaḥ
kumudaḥ kumudākṣaś ca
viṣvaksenaḥ patattrirāṭ
jayantaḥ śrutadevaś ca
puṣpadanto ’tha sātvataḥ
sarve nāgāyuta-prāṇāś
camūṁ te jaghnur āsurīm
SYNONYMS
nandaḥ sunandaḥ — the associates of Lord Viṣṇu such as Nanda and Sunanda; atha — in this way; jayaḥ vijayaḥ prabalaḥ balaḥ kumudaḥ kumudākṣaḥ ca viṣvaksenaḥ — as well as Jaya, Vijaya, Prabala, Bala, Kumada, Kumudākṣa and Viṣvaksena; patattri-rāṭ — Garuḍa, the king of the birds; jayantaḥ śrutadevaḥ ca puṣpadantaḥ atha sātvataḥ — Jayanta, Śrutadeva, Puṣpadanta and Sātvata; sarve — all of them; nāga-ayuta-prāṇāḥ — as powerful as ten thousand elephants; camūm — the soldiers of the demons; te — they; jaghnuḥ — killed; āsurīm — demoniac.
TRANSLATION
Nanda, Sunanda, Jaya, Vijaya, Prabala, Bala, Kumuda, Kumudākṣa, Viṣvaksena, Patattrirāṭ [Garuḍa], Jayanta, Śrutadeva, Puṣpadanta and Sātvata were all associates of Lord Viṣṇu. They were as powerful as ten thousand elephants, and now they began killing the soldiers of the demons.
VERSE 8.21.18
hanyamānān svakān dṛṣṭvā
puruṣānucarair baliḥ
vārayām āsa saṁrabdhān
kāvya-śāpam anusmaran
SYNONYMS
hanyamānān — being killed; svakān — his own soldiers; dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; puruṣa-anucaraiḥ — by the associates of the Supreme Person; baliḥ — Bali Mahārāja; vārayām āsa — forbade; saṁrabdhān — even though they were very angry; kāvya-śāpam — the curse given by Śukrācārya; anusmaran — remembering.
TRANSLATION
When Bali Mahārāja saw that his own soldiers were being killed by the associates of Lord Viṣṇu, he remembered the curse of Śukrācārya and forbade his soldiers to continue fighting.
VERSE 8.21.19
he vipracitte he rāho
he neme śrūyatāṁ vacaḥ
mā yudhyata nivartadhvaṁ
na naḥ kālo ’yam artha-kṛt
SYNONYMS
he vipracitte — O Vipracitti; he rāho — O Rāhu; he neme — O Nemi; śrūyatām — kindly hear; vacaḥ — my words; mā — do not; yudhyata — fight; nivartadhvam — stop this fighting; na — not; naḥ — our; kālaḥ — favorable time; ayam — this; artha-kṛt — which can give us success.
TRANSLATION
O Vipracitti, O Rāhu, O Nemi, please hear my words! Don’t fight. Stop immediately, for the present time is not in our favor.
VERSE 8.21.20
yaḥ prabhuḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
sukha-duḥkhopapattaye
taṁ nātivartituṁ daityāḥ
pauruṣair īśvaraḥ pumān
SYNONYMS
yaḥ prabhuḥ — that Supreme Person, the master; sarva-bhūtānām — of all living entities; sukha-duḥkha-upapattaye — for administering happiness and distress; tam — Him; na — not; ativartitum — to overcome; daityāḥ — O demons; pauruṣaiḥ — by human endeavors; īśvaraḥ — the supreme controller; pumān — a person.
TRANSLATION
O Daityas, by human efforts no one can supersede the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can bring happiness and distress to all living entities.
VERSE 8.21.21
yo no bhavāya prāg āsīd
abhavāya divaukasām
sa eva bhagavān adya
vartate tad-viparyayam
SYNONYMS
yaḥ — the time factor, which represents the Supreme Personality of Godhead; naḥ — of us; bhavāya — for the improvement; prāk — formerly; āsīt — was situated; abhavāya — for the defeat; diva-okasām — of the demigods; saḥ — that time factor; eva — indeed; bhagavān — the representative of the Supreme Person; adya — today; vartate — is existing; tat-viparyayam — just the opposite of our favor.
TRANSLATION
The supreme time factor, which represents the Supreme Person, was previously in our favor and not in favor of the demigods, but now that same time factor is against us.
VERSE 8.21.22
balena sacivair buddhyā
durgair mantrauṣadhādibhiḥ
sāmādibhir upāyaiś ca
kālaṁ nātyeti vai janaḥ
SYNONYMS
balena — by material power; sacivaiḥ — by the counsel of ministers; buddhyā — by intelligence; durgaiḥ — by fortresses; mantra-auṣadha-ādibhiḥ — by mystic chanting or the influence of drugs and herbs; sāma-ādibhiḥ — by diplomacy and other such means; upāyaiḥ ca — by similar other attempts; kālam — the time factor, representing the Supreme Lord; na — never; atyeti — can overcome; vai — indeed; janaḥ — any person.
TRANSLATION
No one can surpass the time representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by material power, by the counsel of ministers, by intelligence, by diplomacy, by fortresses, by mystic mantras, by drugs, by herbs or by any other means.
VERSE 8.21.23
bhavadbhir nirjitā hy ete
bahuśo ’nucarā hareḥ
daivenarddhais ta evādya
yudhi jitvā nadanti naḥ
SYNONYMS
bhavadbhiḥ — by all of you demons; nirjitāḥ — have been defeated; hi — indeed; ete — all these soldiers of the demigods; bahuśaḥ — in great number; anucarāḥ — followers; hareḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; daivena — by providence; ṛddhaiḥ — whose opulence was increased; te — they (the demigods); eva — indeed; adya — today; yudhi — in the fight; jitvā — defeating; nadanti — are vibrating in jubilation; naḥ — us.
TRANSLATION
Previously, being empowered by providence, you defeated a great number of such followers of Lord Viṣṇu. But today those same followers, having defeated us, are roaring in jubilation like lions.
VERSE 8.21.24
etān vayaṁ vijeṣyāmo
yadi daivaṁ prasīdati
tasmāt kālaṁ pratīkṣadhvaṁ
yo no ’rthatvāya kalpate
SYNONYMS
etān — all these soldiers of the demigods; vayam — we; vijeṣyāmaḥ — shall gain victory over them; yadi — if; daivam — providence; prasīdati — is in favor; tasmāt — therefore; kālam — that favorable time; pratīkṣadhvam — wait until; yaḥ — which; naḥ — our; arthatvāya kalpate — should be considered in our favor.
TRANSLATION
Unless providence is in our favor, we shall not be able to gain victory. Therefore we must wait for that favorable time when our defeating them will be possible.
VERSE 8.21.25
śrī-śuka uvāca
patyur nigaditaṁ śrutvā
daitya-dānava-yūthapāḥ
rasāṁ nirviviśū rājan
viṣṇu-pārṣada tāḍitāḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; patyuḥ — of their master (Bali Mahārāja); nigaditam — what had been thus described; śrutvā — after hearing; daitya-dānava-yūtha-pāḥ — the leaders of the Daityas and demons; rasām — the lower regions of the universe; nirviviśūḥ — entered; rājan — O King; viṣṇu-pārṣada — by the associates of Lord Viṣṇu; tāḍitāḥ — driven.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: O King, in accordance with the order of their master, Bali Mahārāja, all the chiefs of the demons and the Daityas entered the lower regions of the universe, to which they were driven by the soldiers of Viṣṇu.
VERSE 8.21.26
atha tārkṣya-suto jñātvā
virāṭ prabhu-cikīrṣitam
babandha vāruṇaiḥ pāśair
baliṁ sūtye ’hani kratau
SYNONYMS
atha — thereafter; tārkṣya-sutaḥ — Garuḍa; jñātvā — knowing; virāṭ — the king of birds; prabhu-cikīrṣitam — the desire of Lord Viṣṇu as Vāmanadeva; babandha — arrested; vāruṇaiḥ — belonging to Varuṇa; pāśaiḥ — by the ropes; balim — Bali; sūtye — when soma-rasa is taken; ahani — on the day; kratau — at the time of sacrifice.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, on the day of soma-pāna, after the sacrifice was finished, Garuḍa, king of the birds, understanding the desire of his master, arrested Bali Mahārāja with the ropes of Varuṇa.
VERSE 8.21.27
hāhākāro mahān āsīd
rodasyoḥ sarvato diśam
nigṛhyamāṇe ’sura-patau
viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā
SYNONYMS
hāhā-kāraḥ — a tumultuous roar of lamentation; mahān — great; āsīt — there was; rodasyoḥ — in both the lower and upper planetary systems; sarvataḥ — everywhere; diśam — all directions; nigṛhyamāṇe — because of being suppressed; asura-patau — when Bali Mahārāja, the King of the demons; viṣṇunā — by Lord Viṣṇu; prabhaviṣṇunā — who is the most powerful everywhere.
TRANSLATION
When Bali Mahārāja was thus arrested by Lord Viṣṇu, who is the most powerful, there was a great roar of lamentation in all directions throughout the upper and lower planetary systems of the universe.
VERSE 8.21.28
taṁ baddhaṁ vāruṇaiḥ pāśair
bhagavān āha vāmanaḥ
naṣṭa-śriyaṁ sthira-prajñam
udāra-yaśasaṁ nṛpa
SYNONYMS
tam — unto him; baddham — who was so arrested; vāruṇaiḥ pāśaiḥ — by the ropes of Varuṇa; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; āha — said; vāmanaḥ — Vāmanadeva; naṣṭa-śriyam — unto Bali Mahārāja, who had lost his bodily luster; sthira-prajñam — but was all the same determined in his decision; udāra-yaśasam — the most magnanimous and celebrated; nṛpa — O King.
TRANSLATION
O King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāmanadeva, then spoke to Bali Mahārāja, the most liberal and celebrated personality whom He had arrested with the ropes of Varuṇa. Bali Mahārāja had lost all bodily luster, but he was nonetheless fixed in his determination.
VERSE 8.21.29
padāni trīṇi dattāni
bhūmer mahyaṁ tvayāsura
dvābhyāṁ krāntā mahī sarvā
tṛtīyam upakalpaya
SYNONYMS
padāni — footsteps; trīṇi — three; dattāni — have been given; bhūmeḥ — of land; mahyam — unto Me; tvayā — by you; asura — O King of the demons; dvābhyām — by two steps; krāntā — have been occupied; mahī — all the land; sarvā — completely; tṛtīyam — for the third step; upakalpaya — now find the means.
TRANSLATION
O King of the demons, you have promised to give Me three steps of land, but I have occupied the entire universe with two steps. Now think about where I should put My third.
VERSE 8.21.30
yāvat tapaty asau gobhir
yāvad induḥ sahoḍubhiḥ
yāvad varṣati parjanyas
tāvatī bhūr iyaṁ tava
SYNONYMS
yāvat — as far as; tapati — is shining; asau — the sun; gobhiḥ — by the sunshine; yāvat — as long or as far as; induḥ — the moon; saha-uḍubhiḥ — with the luminaries or stars; yāvat — as far as; varṣati — are pouring rain; parjanyaḥ — the clouds; tāvatī — to that much distance; bhūḥ — land; iyam — this; tava — in your possession.
TRANSLATION
As far as the sun and moon shine with the stars and as far as the clouds pour rain, all the land throughout the universe is in your possession.
VERSE 8.21.31
padaikena mayākrānto
bhūrlokaḥ khaṁ diśas tanoḥ
svarlokas te dvitīyena
paśyatas te svam ātmanā
SYNONYMS
padā ekena — by one step only; mayā — by Me; ākrāntaḥ — have been covered; bhūrlokaḥ — the entire planetary system known as Bhūrloka; kham — the sky; diśaḥ — and all directions; tanoḥ — by My body; svarlokaḥ — the upper planetary system; te — in your possession; dvitīyena — by the second step; paśyataḥ te — while you were seeing; svam — your own; ātmanā — by Myself.
TRANSLATION
Of these possessions, with one step I have occupied Bhūrloka, and with My body I have occupied the entire sky and all directions. And in your presence, with My second step, I have occupied the upper planetary system.
VERSE 8.21.32
pratiśrutam adātus te
niraye vāsa iṣyate
viśa tvaṁ nirayaṁ tasmād
guruṇā cānumoditaḥ
SYNONYMS
pratiśrutam — what had been promised; adātuḥ — who could not give; te — of you; niraye — in hell; vāsaḥ — residence; iṣyate — prescribed; viśa — now enter; tvam — yourself; nirayam — the hellish planet; tasmāt — therefore; guruṇā — by your spiritual master; ca — also; anumoditaḥ — approved.
TRANSLATION
Because you have been unable to give charity according to your promise, the rule is that you should go down to live in the hellish planets. Therefore, in accordance with the order of Śukrācārya, your spiritual master, now go down and live there.
VERSE 8.21.33
vṛthā manorathas tasya
dūraḥ svargaḥ pataty adhaḥ
pratiśrutasyādānena
yo ’rthinaṁ vipralambhate
SYNONYMS
vṛthā — without any good result; manorathaḥ — mental concoction; tasya — of him; dūraḥ — far away; svargaḥ — elevation to the higher planetary system; patati — falls down; adhaḥ — to a hellish condition of life; pratiśrutasya — things promised; adānena — being unable to give; yaḥ — anyone who; arthinam — a beggar; vipralambhate — cheats.
TRANSLATION
Far from being elevated to the heavenly planets or fulfilling one’s desire, one who does not properly give a beggar what he has promised falls down to a hellish condition of life.
VERSE 8.21.34
vipralabdho dadāmīti
tvayāhaṁ cāḍhya-māninā
tad vyalīka-phalaṁ bhuṅkṣva
nirayaṁ katicit samāḥ
SYNONYMS
vipralabdhaḥ — now I am cheated; dadāmi — I promise I shall give you; iti — thus; tvayā — by you; aham — I am; ca — also; āḍhya-māninā — by being very proud of your opulence; tat — therefore; vyalīka-phalam — as a result of cheating; bhuṅkṣva — you enjoy; nirayam — in hellish life; katicit — a few; samāḥ — years.
TRANSLATION
Being falsely proud of your possessions, you promised to give Me land, but you could not fulfill your promise. Therefore, because your promise was false, you must live for a few years in hellish life.