SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 8

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus with the Supreme Lord having run into trouble, o King, was Bali, the asura king, despite of his awkward position an unperturbed soul who replied positively with the following words. (2) S'rî Bali said: 'If, o Lord of the Praise, You of Your good Self think that my words of promise proved false, o Greatest of the Gods, then let me, to be true to the matter and not to have turned to cheating, offer You my head upon which to put the third step of Your lotus feet. (3) I am not as afraid of residing in hell or being bound in fetters, of hard to endure distress nor certainly of a lack of funds as much as I have grown afraid of the punishment of defamation that I have to suffer now from Your Lordship [compare B.G. 2: 34 and 6.17: 28]. (4) I consider it the most exalted of men to be punished by the worshipable Lord, it is something which is not offered by either one's mother, father, brother or friends [see 10.14: 8]. (5) You verily are, of us Asuras, indirectly the supreme guru because You, destroying the false prestige of the many of us that are blinded by material comforts, gave us the vision. (6-7) Many of those who outside of the wisdom fixed their intelligence upon You by constant enmity, achieved the perfection which, as is known, equals that of the yogis. Therefore am I, even though I'm punished by Your Lordship so full of wonders, not ashamed nor suffering very much from thus being bound by Varuna's ropes. (8) My grandfather [Prahlâda] as appreciated by Your devotees is everywhere famed for being a saint in having You as the Supreme Shelter when he had to suffer all the nasty things that his own father invented in simply going against You [see 7.5]. (9) What's the use of this body which gives it up in the end, what is the service of all those profiteers who passing as relatives snatch away the inheritance, what is the need for a wife which only drags one more into the material and what to a person certain of death is the use of wasting one's life with domestic attachments [see also 5.5: 8 and B.G. 18: 66]? (10) As said was he, my grandfather the great devotee so wise in his service, afraid as he was of the people [around him] indeed unerring in his resolve to surrender himself to, with of all fear he experienced, the immovable refuge of Your Lordship's lotus feet, o Best of the Best who has put an end to all the demoniac of us. (11) Therefore do I take to the shelter of You, me who also being hostile with the soul by providence with force was arrested and bereft of all his wealth. The temporary nature of the material comforts, that for the duration of life confronts one with one's finality and death [see 7.5: 30], is what the narrowminded person cannot understand.'

(12) S'rî S'uka said: 'When he thus discussed his position, manifested Prahlâda, the favorite of the Lord [see 7.9], himself there o best of the Kurus, just like the moon does rising in the sky. (13) There saw he, the spear of Indra, his grandfather, the best of all the auspicious, present in all his glory: with eyes as wide as lotuspetals, beautifully built, dressed in saffron, with a darkskinned splendor and long arms. (14) Bound in the ropes of Varuna could he not as before offer him the respect he owed and so offered he, with eyes full of tears bashfully bending his face downwards, his obeisances. (15) When he, the great devotee, saw the Great Master, the Lord, sitting there with followers like Sunanda in worship, approached he Him with his head bent low and paid he, moved to tears in his jubilation, thus with his head his respects. (16) S'rî Prahlâda said: 'Your Lordship who granted this so very great position of Indra has today taken it back, which I consider something very beautiful. You have done him, bereft of his opulence, a great favor because that was what stood in the way of his selfrealization. (17) Indeed even the most learned and self-controlled gets bewildered by the opulence in his search for the goal of life; You I owe my obeisances, You the Controller of the Universe, Lord Narâyâna, the overseer indeed of all.'

(18) S'rî S'uka said: 'So that Prahlâda who stood there with folded hands could hear it, o King, spoke the most powerful one of the gold within [Brahmâ] to the slayer of Madhu [the Lord]. (19) Bali's chaste wife [though] who saw her husband arrested, heavily distraught of fear offered with folded hands her obeisances to Upendra [Lord Vâmana] and addressed Him, o King, with her face down. (20) S'rî Vindhyâvali said: 'For the sake of Your pastimes have You created this threefold universe, You are the proprietor but the bad minded and others, o Controller, have ignorantly imposing themselves settled for the ownership; what can they, the shameless, offer You, the Supreme Creator, Master and Annihilator [compare B.G. 16: 13-15 and 18: 61]?'

(21) Lord Brahmâ said: 'O Goodness of all Living Beings, o Controller of Each, o God of Gods, o All-pervading One, please release this one now bereft of everything - someone like him does not deserve it to be punished. (22) He returned to You all the lands, all the worlds - with a firm resolve has without hesitation whatever he in his piety has achieved all been offered to You; all he possessed, even his body. (23) At Your feet offered he honestly water, grasses and flower-buds. How can such a worshiper despite of his so exalted offerings, despite of his worship, offering You the three worlds, deserve the pain given; not duplicitous as he is deserves he the highest destination [B.G. 9: 26]!'

(24) The Supreme Lord said: 'O Brahmâ, I show him My mercy and take his riches away who is of false prestige; such a dull-witted one derides all the world! (25) The living entity that not independent because of the karma, in different species of life is caught in the material world, longs for the high purpose of being human [see also B.G. 13: 22]. (26) He who with his birth, activities, age, physique, education, achievement, wealth and other opulences has not hardened [has not became arrogant], should as such be considered as being favored by Me. (27) Things as a high birth are the cause of arrogance and stupefaction; together constitute they impediments for the supreme benefit of life, impediments by which My devotee is not disturbed [see also 4.8-12]. (28) This Bali, the most devoted and famous among the Dânavas and Daityas, has already surpassed the insurmountable material energy; despite of losing his wealth is he not bewildered. (29-30) Out of all riches, fallen from his superior position, reviled and arrested by his enemies, deserted by his family and relatives, having suffered all kinds of uncommon hardship, rebuked and cursed by his guru, did he, fixed in his vow, not forsake the truthful, the dharma that I so deceitfully for the gift spoke about; true to his word this one never gave it up. (31) By Me he has achieved a place that even for the demigods is most difficult to obtain; during the time of Sâvarni Manu [see 8.13: 10-11] will he become the Indra that is fully protected by Me. (32) For the time being he may go and live in Sutala [see 5.24: 18] the place set by Vis'vakarmâ where it by My special vigilance has been made impossible for the inhabitants to suffer psychically or physically any weariness, exhaustion or defeat. (33) O spear of Indra, o Mahârâja, now better go o ruler, may there, surrounded by your people, be all auspiciousness for you in Sutala, the place so desirable to even the ones of heaven. (34) None of the local controllers there will be able to overrule you, not to mention the common man, for I with my cakra will personally take care of all the Daityas that transgress your rule. (35) I'll protect you, your associates and your property. In every respect will I always stay close to you, o great hero, you'll be able to see Me there! (36) By observing My excellence will in that place the stupidity of the asura mentality of the Daityas and Dânavas be vanquished immediately.'

S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus with the Supreme Lord having run into trouble, o King, was Bali, the asura king, despite of his awkward position an unperturbed soul who replied positively with the following words.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: O King, although the Supreme Personality of Godhead was superficially seen to have acted mischievously toward Bali Mahârâja, Bali Mahârâja was fixed in his determination. Considering himself not to have fulfilled his promise, he spoke as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 2

S'rî Bali said: 'If, o Lord of the Praise, You of Your good Self think that my words of promise proved false, o Greatest of the Gods, then let me, to be true to the matter and not to have turned to cheating, offer You my head upon which to put the third step of Your lotus feet.

Bali Mahârâja said: O best Personality of Godhead, most worshipable for all the demigods, if You think that my promise has become false, I shall certainly rectify matters to make it truthful. I cannot allow my promise to be false. Please, therefore, place Your third lotus footstep on my head. (Vedabase)

Text 3

I am not as afraid of residing in hell or being bound in fetters, of hard to endure distress nor certainly of a lack of funds as much as I have grown afraid of the punishment of defamation that I have to suffer now from Your Lordship [compare B.G. 2: 34 and 6.17: 28].

I do not fear being deprived of all my possessions, living in hellish life, being arrested for poverty by the ropes of Varuna or being punished by You as much as I fear defamation. (Vedabase)

Text 4

I consider it the most exalted of men to be punished by the worshipable Lord, it is something which is not offered by either one's mother, father, brother or friends [see 10.14: 8].

Although a father, mother, brother or friend may sometimes punish one as a well-wisher, they never punish their subordinate like this. But because You are the most worshipable Lord, I regard the punishment You have given me as most exalted. (Vedabase)

Text 5

You verily are, of us Asuras, indirectly the supreme guru because You, destroying the false prestige of the many of us that are blinded by material comforts, gave us the vision.

Since Your Lordship is indirectly the greatest well-wisher of us demons, You act for our best welfare by posing as if our enemy. Because demons like us always aspire for a position of false prestige, by chastising us You give us the eyes by which to see the right path. (Vedabase)

Text 6-7:

Many of those who outside of the wisdom fixed their intelligence upon You by constant enmity, achieved the perfection which, as is known, equals that of the yogis. Therefore am I, even though I'm punished by Your Lordship so full of wonders, not ashamed nor suffering very much from thus being bound by Varuna's ropes.

Many demons who were continuously inimical toward You finally achieved the perfection of great mystic yogis. Your Lordship can perform one work to serve many purposes, and consequently, although You have punished me in many ways, I do not feel ashamed of having been arrested by the ropes of Varuna, nor do I feel aggrieved. (Vedabase)

Text 8

My grandfather [Prahlâda] as appreciated by Your devotees is everywhere famed for being a saint in having You as the Supreme Shelter when he had to suffer all the nasty things that his own father invented in simply going against You [see 7.5].

My grandfather Prahlâda Mahârâja is famous, being recognized by all Your devotees. Although harassed in many ways by his father, Hiranyakas'ipu, he still remained faithful, taking shelter at Your lotus feet. (Vedabase)

Text 9

What's the use of this body which gives it up in the end, what is the service of all those profiteers who passing as relatives snatch away the inheritance, what is the need for a wife which only drags one more into the material and what to a person certain of death is the use of wasting one's life with domestic attachments [see also 5.5: 8 and B.G. 18: 66]?

What is the use of the material body, which automatically leaves its owner at the end of life? And what is the use of all one's family members, who are actually plunderers taking away money that is useful for the service of the Lord in spiritual opulence? What is the use of a wife? She is only the source of increasing material conditions. And what is the use of family, home, country and community? Attachment for them merely wastes the valuable energy of one's lifetime. (Vedabase)

Text 10

As said was he, my grandfather the great devotee so wise in his service, afraid as he was of the people [around him] indeed unerring in his resolve to surrender himself to, with of all fear he experienced, the immovable refuge of Your Lordship's lotus feet, o Best of the Best who has put an end to all the demoniac of us.

My grandfather, the best of all men, who achieved unlimited knowledge and was worshipable for everyone, was afraid of the common men in this world. Being fully convinced of the substantiality afforded by shelter at Your lotus feet, He took shelter of Your lotus feet, against the will of his father and demoniac friends, who were killed by Your own self. (Vedabase)

Text 11

Therefore do I take to the shelter of You, me who also being hostile with the soul by providence with force was arrested and bereft of all his wealth. The temporary nature of the material comforts, that for the duration of life confronts one with one's finality and death [see 7.5: 30], is what the narrowminded person cannot understand.'

Only by providence have I been forcibly brought under Your lotus feet and deprived of all my opulence. Because of the illusion created by temporary opulence, people in general, who live under material conditions, facing accidental death at every moment, do not understand that this life is temporary. Only by providence have I been saved from that condition. (Vedabase)

Text 12

S'rî S'uka said: 'When he thus discussed his position, manifested Prahlâda, the favorite of the Lord [see 7.9], himself there o best of the Kurus, just like the moon does rising in the sky.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: O best of the Kurus, while Bali Mahârâja was describing his fortunate position in this way, the most dear devotee of the Lord, Prahlâda Mahârâja, appeared there, like the moon rising in the nighttime. (Vedabase)

Text 13

There saw he, the spear of Indra, his grandfather, the best of all the auspicious, present in all his glory: with eyes as wide as lotuspetals, beautifully built, dressed in saffron, with a darkskinned splendor and long arms.

Then Bali Mahârâja saw his grandfather Prahlâda Mahârâja, the most fortunate personality, whose 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. He was very dear and pleasing to everyone. (Vedabase)

Text 14

Bound in the ropes of Varuna could he not as before offer him the respect he owed and so offered he, with eyes full of tears bashfully bending his face downwards, his obeisances.

Being bound by the ropes of Varuna, Bali Mahârâja could not offer befitting respect to Prahlâda Mahârâja 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. (Vedabase)

Text 15

When he, the great devotee, saw the Great Master, the Lord, sitting there with followers like Sunanda in worship, approached he Him with his head bent low and paid he, moved to tears in his jubilation, thus with his head his respects.

When the great personality Prahlâda Mahârâja saw that the Supreme Lord was sitting there, surrounded and worshiped by His intimate associates like Sunanda, he was overwhelmed with tears of jubilation. Approaching the Lord and falling to the ground, he offered obeisances to the Lord with his head. (Vedabase)

Text 16

S'rî Prahlâda said: 'Your Lordship who granted this so very great position of Indra has today taken it back, which I consider something very beautiful. You have done him, bereft of his opulence, a great favor because that was what stood in the way of his self-realization.

Prahlâda Mahârâja said: My Lord, it is Your Lordship who gave this Bali the very great opulence of the post of heavenly king, and now, today, it is You who have taken it all away. I think You have acted with equal beauty in both ways. Because his exalted position as King of heaven was putting him in the darkness of ignorance, You have done him a very merciful favor by taking away all his opulence. (Vedabase)

Text 17

Indeed even the most learned and self-controlled gets bewildered by the opulence in his search for the goal of life; You I owe my obeisances, You the Controller of the Universe, Lord Narâyâna, the overseer indeed of all.'

Material opulence is so bewildering that it makes even a learned, self-controlled man forget to search for the goal of self-realization. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nârâyana, the Lord of the universe, can see everything by His will. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

S'rî S'uka said: 'So that Prahlâda who stood there with folded hands could hear it, o King, spoke the most powerful one of the gold within [Brahmâ] to the slayer of Madhu [the Lord].

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: O King Parîkshit, Lord Brahmâ then began to speak to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, within the hearing of Prahlâda Mahârâja, who stood nearby with folded hands. (Vedabase)

Text 19:

Bali's chaste wife [though] who saw her husband arrested, heavily distraught of fear offered with folded hands her obeisances to Upendra [Lord Vâmana] and addressed Him, o King, with her face down.

But Bali Mahârâja's chaste wife, afraid and aggrieved at seeing her husband arrested, immediately offered obeisances to Lord Vâmanadeva [Upendra]. She folded her hands and spoke as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 20:

S'rî Vindhyâvali said: 'For the sake of Your pastimes have You created this threefold universe, You are the proprietor but the bad minded and others, o Controller, have ignorantly imposing themselves settled for the ownership; what can they, the shameless, offer You, the Supreme Creator, Master and Annihilator [compare B.G. 16: 13-15 and 18: 61]?'

S'rîmatî Vindhyâvali said: O my Lord, You have created the entire universe for the enjoyment of Your personal pastimes, but foolish, unintelligent men have claimed proprietorship for material enjoyment. Certainly they are shameless agnostics. Falsely claiming proprietorship, they think they can give charity and enjoy. In such a condition, what good can they do for You, who are the independent creator, maintainer and annihilator of this universe? (Vedabase)

Text 21:

Lord Brahmâ said: 'O Goodness of all Living Beings, o Controller of Each, o God of Gods, o All-pervading One, please release this one now bereft of everything - someone like him does not deserve it to be punished.

Lord Brahmâ said: O well-wisher and master of all living entities, O worshipable Deity of all the demigods, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, now this man has been sufficiently punished, for You have taken everything. Now You can release him. He does not deserve to be punished more. (Vedabase)

Text 22:

He returned to You all the lands, all the worlds - with a firm resolve has without hesitation whatever he in his piety has achieved all been offered to You: all he possessed, even his body.

Bali Mahârâja had already offered everything to Your Lordship. Without hesitation, he has offered his land, the planets and whatever else he earned by his pious activities, including even his own body. (Vedabase)

Text 23:

At Your feet offered he honestly water, grasses and flower-buds. How can such a worshiper despite of his so exalted offerings, despite of his worship, offering You the three worlds, deserve the pain given; not duplicitous as he is deserves he the highest destination [B.G. 9: 26]!'

By offering even water, newly grown grass, or flower buds at Your lotus feet, those who maintain no mental duplicity can achieve the most exalted position within the spiritual world. This Bali Mahârâja, without duplicity, has now offered everything in the three worlds. How then can he deserve to suffer from arrest? (Vedabase)

Text 24:

The Supreme Lord said: 'O Brahmâ, I show him My mercy and take his riches away who is of false prestige; such a dull-witted one derides all the world!

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Lord Brahmâ, because of material opulence a foolish person becomes dull-witted and mad. Thus he has no respect for anyone within the three worlds and defies even My authority. To such a person I show special favor by first taking away all his possessions. (Vedabase)

Text 25:

The living entity that not independent because of the karma, in different species of life is caught in the material world, longs for the high purpose of being human [see also B.G. 13: 22].

While rotating in the cycle of birth and death again and again in different species because of his own fruitive activities, the dependent living entity, by good fortune, may happen to become a human being. This human birth is very rarely obtained. (Vedabase)

Text 26:

He who with his birth, activities, age, physique, education, achievement, wealth and other opulences has not hardened [has not became arrogant], should as such be considered as being favored by Me.

If a human being is born in an aristocratic family or a higher status of life, if he performs wonderful activities, if he is youthful, if he has personal beauty, a good education and good wealth, and if he is nonetheless not proud of his opulences, it is to be understood that he is especially favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

Text 27:

Things as a high birth are the cause of arrogance and stupefaction; together constitute they impediments for the supreme benefit of life, impediments by which My devotee is not disturbed [see also 4.8-12].

Although aristocratic birth and other such opulences are impediments to advancement in devotional service because they are causes of false prestige and pride, these opulences never disturb a pure devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Vedabase)

Text 28:

This Bali, the most devoted and famous among the Dânavas and Daityas, has already surpassed the insurmountable material energy; despite of losing his wealth is he not bewildered.

Bali Mahârâja has become the most famous among the demons and nonbelievers, for in spite of being bereft of all material opulences, he is fixed in his devotional service. (Vedabase)

Text 29-30:

Out of all riches, fallen from his superior position, reviled and arrested by his enemies, deserted by his family and relatives, having suffered all kinds of uncommon hardship, rebuked and cursed by his guru, did he, fixed in his vow, not forsake the truthful, the dharma that I so deceitfully for the gift spoke about; true to his word this one never gave it up.

Although bereft of his riches, fallen from his original position, defeated and arrested by his enemies, rebuked and deserted by his relatives and friends, although suffering the pain of being bound and although rebuked and cursed by his spiritual master, Bali Mahârâja, being fixed in his vow, did not give up his truthfulness. It was certainly with pretension that I spoke about religious principles, but he did not give up religious principles, for he is true to his word. (Vedabase)

Text 31:

By Me he has achieved a place that even for the demigods is most difficult to obtain; during the time of Sâvarni Manu [see 8.13: 10-11] will he become the Indra that is fully protected by Me.

The Lord continued: Because of his great tolerance, I have given him a place not obtainable even by the demigods. He will become King of the heavenly planets during the period of the Manu known as Sâvarni. (Vedabase)

Text 32:

For the time being he may go and live in Sutala [see 5.24: 18] the place set by Vis'vakarmâ where it by My special vigilance has been made impossible for the inhabitants to suffer psychically or physically any weariness, exhaustion or defeat.

Until Bali Mahârâja achieves the position of King of heaven, he shall live on the planet Sutala, which was made by Vis'vakarmâ according to My order. Because it is especially protected by Me, it is free from mental and bodily miseries, fatigue, dizziness, defeat and all other disturbances. Bali Mahârâja, you may now go live there peacefully. (Vedabase)

Text 33:

O spear of Indra, o Mahârâja, now better go o ruler, may there, surrounded by your people, be all auspiciousness for you in Sutala, the place so desirable to even the ones of heaven.

O Bali Mahârâja [Indrasena], now you may go to the planet Sutala, which is desired even by the demigods. Live there peacefully, surrounded by your friends and relatives. All good fortune unto you. (Vedabase)

Text 34:

None of the local controllers there will be able to overrule you, not to mention the common man, for I with my cakra will personally take care of all the Daityas that transgress your rule.

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 are concerned, if they transgress your rule, My disc will kill them. (Vedabase)

Text 35:

I'll protect you, your associates and your property. In every respect will I always stay close to you, o great hero, you'll be able to see Me there!

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. (Vedabase)

Text 36:

By observing My excellence will in that place the stupidity of the asura mentality of the Daityas and Dânavas be vanquished immediately.'

Because there you will see My supreme prowess, your materialistic ideas and anxieties that have arisen from your association with the demons and Dânavas will immediately be vanquished. (Vedabase)