34 verses
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King! Although mistreated and made to break his promise by the Lord, Bali Mahārāja, with undisturbed mind, spoke the following steady words.
Bali Mahārāja said: O most famous Lord, worshipped by all the devatās! If you think that my promise has become false, I shall make it true. I should not be made a cheater. Please, therefore, place your third lotus footstep on my head.
Bali addressed the Lord in a joking way, addressing him as Uttama-śloka. After begging as a dwarf for three steps of land you then attempted to take land by three steps as the gigantic form of Trivikrama. In this way you reveal your lack of desire as a brahmacārī without greed. We devotees become mad with bliss on drinking this nectar of your fame. Though you are the husband of Lakṣmī, you beg land from a beggar like me. You act disgracefully by desiring more land by trick, cheating brāhmaṇas in the guise of a brahmacārī, showing desire for material objects, exhibiting lack of peace, anger, and punishment to the a person who give, showing these as your natural qualities. You destroyed the intelligence of my gurus who had knowledge of scriptures. You sided with Indra and others who were barely touched with only a small drop of your mercy and you sided against me who became submerged in a great ocean of your sweet mercy. The poets thus glorify you as most famous.
If you consider my words false means that actually it will be impossible for you who desire to conquer unjustly your devotee, to make the words of your devotee false. O Lord worshipped by the devatās! This means that you have been requested by the devatās to take the land from me and give it to them for their enjoyment. I will make my promise true. My words should not be cheating. Your words however cheat the devatās, since you offer to give them artha, dharma and kāma, and not the nectar of your lotus feet, when they praise you. Put your third step on my head. Do not think that since you have covered the universe by two steps, there is no use in putting your foot on my head. This act will be greater than the wealth gained from your two steps, since your taking possession of the owner of the wealth is greater than taking possession of the wealth.
I do not fear living in hellish life, falling from my position, being bound by the ropes of Varuṇa, suffering unbearable calamity, suffering difficulties arising from loss of all possessions, or being punished by you--as much as I fear defamation by the devotees.
Do you want to get free of Varuṇas ropes and hell? Artha-kṛcchrāt means fear of the difficult due to loss of assets. I fear the criticism of devotees with words like The devotees like Bali cheat brāhmaṇas.
A father, mother, brother or friend does not punish his subordinate in a thoroughly correct manner. I regard the punishment given by you, the most praiseworthy, as most exalted punishment, since it gives the best results.
But your defamation will come from being bound up by me. Though mothers and others punish a person for a persons benefit, they do not punish completely (na ādiśanti). Though mothers and others are praiseworthy for being benefactors in this world, those who punish to give spiritual benefit are millions of times more affectionate to a person.
Since you are indirectly the greatest benefactor of us demons, you give us the eye for destroying our blindness arising from pride.
But I am famous for helping the devatās and not the demons. You are the indirect benefactor (guru) of the demons since you pose as their enemy. Indirect benefit is greater than direct benefit. Thus you are the supreme (parama) benefactor for us. You are not the supreme benefactor for the devatās since giving them power and wealth that they desire is not really beneficial. You give us real benefit. You give us eyes of knowledge whereas the devatās are blinded. The third person verb instead of second person is poetic license.
tenāhaṁ nigṛhīto 'smi bhavatā bhūri-karmaṇā baddhaś ca vāruṇaiḥ pāśair nātivrīòe na ca vyathe
Many demons by continuous animosity toward you achieved the perfection that dedicated yogīs achieve. Although you, whose actions have wonderful effects, have punished me and bound me with ropes, I do not feel extremely ashamed and do not suffer.
What to speak of me, your dedicated devotee, even the demons who hated you got your extraordinary mercy. I have been punished by you, the benefactor (tena), whose actions have great effects (bhūri-karmaṇā). I have a little shame: because of my impurity of heart.
My grandfather Prahlāda Mahārāja, honored by your devotees, famous as a devotee, although tortured in many ways by his father Hiraṇyakaśipu, still remained surrendered to you.
I should tolerate the punishment you give since you are my deity. But you should also be affectionate to me, since you should think of me as the grandson of your devotee Prahlāda. Though he received many types of torture (vaiśasam) from his father, he remained surrendered to you.
What is the use of the material body, which leaves its owner at the end of life? And what is the use of all one's family members, who are actually plunderers of wealth? What is the use of a wife, the source of increasing material bondage? And what is the use of houses, which simple waste away life.
Why did Prahlāda ignore his father and surrender to me? This is explained in two verses. Ātmanā mean of the body. Relatives steal wealth that should be used for worship of the Lord.
O best of the saintly! Discerning this, my grandfather, a great devotee, deep knowledgeable and afraid of worldly association, surrendered to your lotus feet which dispel all fear, though you were the destroyer of his own family.
The Lord is the destroyer of the demon family (sva-pakṣa-kṣapanasya).
Only by good fortune have I been brought under your lotus feet and deprived of all my wealth, by you who are the enemy of our family. With intelligence blinded by this wealth, a person does not realize the temporary nature of life where death is continually present.
Ātma-ripoḥ means enemy of the family. This is praise in disguise. Actually the Lord is the best friend. Or it can mean the Lord is the enemy of the gross and subtle bodies (ātmā). He destroys them and gives liberation. Or you are the enemy of my ahaḍkāra. You have destroyed my great disease of thinking I was lord of the three worlds. Daivena means by the good fortune of attaining birth as grandson of Prahlāda. Persons like whose intelligence is destroyed by wealth do not understand the temporary nature of the body. But by good fortune I have attained you, who are like Dhanvantari, who can treat my disease.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O best of the Kurus! While Bali Mahārāja was speaking, the dearest devotee of the Lord, Prahlāda Mahārāja, appeared there like the rising moon.
Bali Mahārāja saw his grandfather Prahlāda Mahārāja, possessing all beauty, pleasing to all people. His dark body resembled black ointment for the eyes. His tall, elegant figure was dressed in yellow garments. He had long arms, and his beautiful eyes were like the petals of a lotus.
Subhagarsaham means pleasing to all people...
Being bound by the ropes of Varuṇa, Bali Mahārāja could not offer befitting respect to Prahlāda Mahārāja as he had before. Rather, he simply offered respectful obeisances with his head, his eyes being inundated with tears and his face lowered in shame.
He was ashamed of being seen by Prahlāda, since it would seen that he must have committed some offense in order to be bound up. Or he was ashamed at seeing Prahlāda, since he had suddenly forgot his constant teachings about not showing pride on the occasion of giving land. His head was lowered because of the shame.
When the great devotee Prahlāda saw the Supreme Lord seated there, being worshiped by his intimate associates like Sunanda, , he approached the Lord and offered respects on the ground with his head, being overwhelmed with tears, his hairs standing on end.
Prahlāda Mahārāja said: My Lord, it is you who gave Bali the post of a heavenly king, and now it is you who have taken it all away. I think this is good since you have been merciful to him by taking away his wealth which caused bewilderment to his mind.
You did not take away from Bali what was his, but simply received again what was yours. That is a proper act.
Bewildered by wealth, even a learned, self-controlled man, while possessing wealth, cannot see the truth about the self. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord of the universe, Nārāyaṇa, the witness of all people.
Even a person who controls the senses, in the presence of wealth, can see the truth (gatim) about the self. No one can see. You have no fault in taking back what you have given. You are like a father who out of affection for his child, snatched from the child a sweet he has given him, understanding it will be unhealthy for him.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King! Lord Brahmā then began to speak to the Supreme Lord, within the hearing of Prahlāda Mahārāja, who stood nearby with folded hands.
Brahmā spoke a few words.
But Bali Mahārāja's chaste wife, afraid and aggrieved at seeing her husband arrested, offering obeisances with downcast face and folded hands to Lord Vāmanadeva, then spoke as follows.
Just as Brahmā was about to speak, Balis wife spoke. He remained silent out of respect for her. She begins speaking at this point. Seeing her husband bound, she was frightened of the offense he had committed. She lowered her head out of natural shyness of a woman.
Vindhyāvali said: O my Lord! You have created the entire universe for your pastimes, but foolish, unintelligent men have claimed proprietorship for their material enjoyment. Shameless, ascending to a high position, and thinking they are the doers, what can they offer to you, the creator, maintainer and destroyer?
The three words have been created by you (te). Fools like Bali claim it as theirs. What can they give to you, the creator (kartuḥ), maintainer (prabhoh) and destroyer (asyataḥ)? Genitive case is used for the dative. Among the objects sentient or insentient, which one can he claim is his, so that he can make his promise true even by giving his body? Since you create the three worlds and his body, has he not given up shame by desiring fame through offering you what is already yours? Those suffering the great disease of pride in wealth can be cured by the mercy of a good doctor. It is very suitable to tie up an offender, who quickly ascends to a high position and suddenly falls, and who falsely identifies himself as a doer, thinking I am the protector of the three worlds.
Lord Brahmā said: O well-wisher and master of all living entities! O worshipable deity of all the devatās! O all-pervading Lord! Please release this person bereft of everything. He does not deserve to be punished further.
After Prahlāda and Vindyavali pleased the Lord by spiritual statements, Brahmā pleases the Lord by practical considerations.
Bali Mahārāja had offered all land and planets, whatever he has earned by his pious acts. With undisturbed mind, he has offered his body to you.
He has offered his body (ātmā) to you (te).
By offering even water, newly grown grass, or flower buds at your lotus feet, by performing excellent worship, a sincere person attains Vaikuṇṭha. This Bali Mahārāja, without duplicity, has offered everything in the three worlds to you. How then can he deserve to suffer from arrest?
His not deserving punishment is expressed by stating the opposite. He deserves much more. All men attain Vaikuṇṭha by offering water. Why then should Bali, by offering the three worlds end up in distress?
The Supreme Lord said: O Brahmā! Intoxicated by wealth, a person becomes arrogant. Thus he has no respect for anyone within the three worlds, not even for me. To such a person I show special favor by taking away all his possessions.
Viśaḥ means wealth. How can taking away wealth be mercy? By wealth a person becomes proud.
While rotating in the cycle of birth and death again and again in different species because of his karma, the dependent living entity, by good fortune, may happen to become a human being.
I am not merciful to all jīvas by taking away their wealth. I do not take from some, and give abundantly to others. Since my mercy is hard for people to understand and of various types, hear about the characteristics of my mercy. Wandering about in various bodies such as worms and insects the dependent jīva attains the human form sometimes.
If a human being is born in an aristocratic family, if he performs wonderful activities, if he is youthful, if he has personal beauty, education or wealth, and if he is nonetheless not proud, it is to be understood that he is especially favored by me.
If a person does not have pride, which causes destruction and insult, even on attaining good birth etc. that is my mercy to a person. This is different form of mercy from the previously mentioned mercy of taking away wealth. I do not take away his wealth, since there is no harm from his possessing that wealth.
Although high birth and other qualifications are impediments because they are causes of arrogance and pride, they never disturb my devotee at all.
However, my devotee is not bewildered by high birth etc. which are causes of disrespectfulness (stambha) and arrogance, a type of pride. The genitive case represents the instrumental case as in the phrase nāgniḥ tṛpyati kāṣṭhānām: fire is not satisfied by wood fuel. Hanta indicates amazement and not at all since the word yadi is not used as in the previous verse and the statement is repeated in the next verse. My dedicated devotee is the special recipient of my mercy. I give wealth to devotees like Dhruva who are distinguished from the previously mentioned persons. Being merciful to the devotee, the Lord in the beginning takes away actions, birth or wealth which are causes of obstacles for the devotee. He does not take away things he has given to the devotee. Some say that this however is not a set rule for the Lord who is skilful at increasing the prema of his devotee. Some give the example of the Lord taking away the wealth of the Pāṇòavas.
Famous Bali Mahārāja, foremost among the demons, has already conquered unsurpassable māyā. Though in dire circumstances, he is not bewildered.
Well, let that be, but what type of mercy of yours did Bali, your devotee, receive when you took away his wealth? He has conquered māyā. I do not say will conquer or is conquering. He has already conquered māyā previously. What is the question of him having arrogance or disrespect caused by māyā? In order to destroy māyā I take away wealth and power. Even bereft of wealth, he is not bewildered. It is seen that people who are bewildered by wealth become greatly disturbed and bewildered the moment that disaster strikes.
guruṇā bhartsitaḥ śapto jahau satyaṁ na suvrataḥ chalair ukto mayā dharmo nāyaṁ tyajati satya-vāk
Although bereft of his riches and position, thrown down and tied up by his enemies, deserted by his relatives and friends, suffering pain and cursed by his guru, Bali Mahārāja, being fixed in his vow, did not give up his truthfulness. I spoke about dharma deceptively, but he did not give up speaking the truth.
Even though I have thrown him into an ocean of danger, he is not bewildered. It goes without saying that he will not give up his convictions. I spoke about dharma deceptively. At first I spoke falsely of adharma as if it were dharma with such words as the following:
na hy etasmin kule kaścin niḥsattvaḥ kṛpaṇaḥ pumān
pratyākhyātā pratiśrutya yo vādātā dvijātaye
I know that even until now, no one taking birth in your family has been poor-minded or miserly. No one has refused to give charity to brāhmaṇas, nor after promising to give charity has anyone failed to fulfill his promise. SB 8.19.3
Then I spoke of dharma as if it were adharma.
vipralabdho dadāmīti tvayāhaṁ cāòhya-māninā
tad vyalīka-phalaṁ bhuḍkṣva nirayaṁ katicit samāḥ
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. SB 8.21.34
Still, he did not give up truth. In such circumstances, others would be untruthful, according to the maxim when cheated, cheat. Though affectionate to my devotee, I have caused him this trouble in order to show the world his fixed devotion and fortitude.
I have given him a place not obtainable even by the devatās. He will be under my shelter. He will become Indra during the Sāvarṇi Manvantara.
You should not think that I have taken away his wealth. He has attained a place better than that of the devatās. Sutala has become most astonishing now. It should be understood that Sutala became like the palace that Kṛṣṇa gave to Śrīdāma. And one should not think that he has not lost the position of Indra. He will become Indra during Sāvarṇi Manvantara. One should not say that the devatās will give him trouble in Sutala. He is under my shelter. I will be his door keeper, staying awake all the time to protect him.
Until he achieves the position of king of heaven, he should live on the planet Sutala, which was made by Viśvakarmā. Because it is especially protected by me, in that place the inhabitants are free from mental and bodily miseries, fatigue, exhaustion, defeat and all other disturbances. Bali Mahārāja, you may now go and live there peacefully.
Sutala has been specially (vi) constructed by Viśvakārmā, with superiority to Amaravatī. By the will of the Lord at that moment Sutala became greater than Svarga. Yat means where.
O Bali Mahārāja! Now you may go to the planet Sutala, more desirable than Svarga, with your relatives. Good fortune to you!
The Lord was speaking to Brahmā. Now he speaks directly to Bali. The Lord addresses him as a king. His position of king is not lost, because he has attained Sutala which is desired by the devatās but cannot be attained by them.
On the planet Sutala, not even the predominating deities of other planets, what to speak of ordinary people, will be able to conquer you. As far as the demons who transgress your rule, my disc will kill them.
Sūdayisyati means will destroy.
O great hero! I shall always be with you and give you protection in all respects, along with your associates and paraphernalia. Moreover, you will always be able to see me there, since I will remain near.
You will not have pain of separation from me. I will always be near you.
Because you will see my supreme prowess in that place, the anxiety of a demonic mentality arising from your association with the demons will immediately be vanquished.
Do not fear bad association. By association with a devotee like you, the demons will become devotees.
Thus ends the commentary on the Twenty-second Chapter of the Eighth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.
In the Twenty-second Chapter, Bali, Prahlāda, Vindyāvali and Brahmā praise the Lord, and the merciful Lord gives benedictions to Bali. Because the Lord deceptively bound up Bali, he remains constantly as his door keeper, tied by the ropes of prema.
By normal standards, Bali had been mistreated (viprakṛtaḥ) and was made to deviate from truth (bhidyamānaḥ).