Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Eleven
King Indra Annihilates the Demons
SB8.11Summary
As described in this chapter, the great saint Narada Muni, being very compassionate to the demons who had been killed by the demigods, forbade the demigods to continue killing. Then Sukracarya, by his mystic power, renewed the lives of all the demons.
Having been graced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the demigods began fighting the demons again, with renewed energy. King Indra released his thunderbolt against Bali, and when Bali fell, his friend Jambhasura attacked Indra, who then cut off Jambhasura’s head with his thunderbolt. When Narada Muni learned that Jambhasura had been killed, he informed Jambhasura’s relatives Namuci, Bala and Paka, who then went to the battlefield and attacked the demigods. Indra, King of heaven, severed the heads of Bala and Paka and released the weapon known as kulisa, the thunderbolt, against Namuci’s shoulder. The thunderbolt, however, returned unsuccessful, and thus Indra became morose. At that time, an unseen voice came from the sky. The voice declared, “A dry or wet weapon cannot kill Namuci.” Hearing this voice, Indra began to think of how Namuci could be killed. He then thought of foam, which is neither moist nor dry. Using a weapon of foam, he was able to kill Namuci. Thus Indra and the other demigods killed many demons. Then, at the request of Lord Brahma, Narada went to the demigods and forbade them to kill the demons any longer. All the demigods then returned to their abodes. Following the instructions of Narada, whatever demons remained alive on the battlefield took Bali Maharaja to Asta Mountain. There, by the touch of Sukracarya’s hand, Bali Maharaja regained his senses and consciousness, and those demons whose heads and bodies had not been completely lost were brought back to life by the mystic power of Sukracarya. SB8.11.1 TEXT 1 sri-suka uvaca atho surah pratyupalabdha-cetasah parasya pumsah parayanukampaya jaghnur bhrsam sakra-samiranadayas tams tan rane yair abhisamhatah pura SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; atho—thereafter; surah—all the demigods; pratyupalabdha-cetasah—being enlivened again by revival of their consciousness; parasya—of the Supreme; pumsah—of the Personality of Godhead; paraya—supreme; anukampaya—by the mercy; jaghnuh—began to beat; bhrsam—again and again; sakra—Indra; samirana—Vayu; adayah—and others; tan tan—to those demons; rane—in the fight; yaih—by whom; abhisamhatah—they were beaten; pura—before. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: Thereafter, by the supreme grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Hari, all the demigods, headed by Indra and Vayu, were brought back to life. Being enlivened, the demigods began severely beating the very same demons who had defeated them before. SB8.11.2 TEXT 2 vairocanaya samrabdho bhagavan paka-sasanah udayacchad yada vajram praja ha heti cukrusuh SYNONYMS vairocanaya—unto Bali Maharaja (just to kill him); samrabdhah—being very angry; bhagavan—the most powerful; paka-sasanah—Indra; udayacchat—took in his hand; yada—at which time; vajram—the thunderbolt; prajah—all the demons; ha ha—alas, alas; iti—thus; cukrusuh—began to resound. TRANSLATION When the most powerful Indra became angry and took his thunderbolt in hand to kill Maharaja Bali, the demons began lamenting, “Alas, alas!” SB8.11.3 TEXT 3 vajra-panis tam ahedam tiraskrtya purah-sthitam manasvinam susampannam vicarantam maha-mrdhe SYNONYMS vajra-panih—Indra, who always carries in his hand the thunderbolt; tam—unto Bali Maharaja; aha—addressed; idam—in this way; tiraskrtya—chastising him; purah-sthitam—standing before him; manasvinam—very sober and tolerant; su-sampannam—well equipped with paraphernalia for fighting; vicarantam—moving; maha-mrdhe—on the great battlefield. TRANSLATION Sober and tolerant and well equipped with paraphernalia for fighting, Bali Maharaja moved before Indra on the great battlefield. King Indra, who always carries the thunderbolt in his hand, rebuked Bali Maharaja as follows. SB8.11.4 TEXT 4 natavan mudha mayabhir mayesan no jigisasi jitva balan nibaddhaksan nato harati tad-dhanam SYNONYMS nata-vat—like a cheater or rogue; mudha—you rascal; mayabhih—by exhibiting illusions; maya-isan—unto the demigods, who can control all such illusory manifestations; nah—unto us; jigisasi—you are trying to become victorious; jitva—conquering; balan—small children; nibaddha-aksan—by binding the eyes; natah—a cheater; harati—takes away; tat-dhanam—the property in the possession of a child. TRANSLATION Indra said: O rascal, as a cheater sometimes binds the eyes of a child and takes away his possessions, you are trying to defeat us by displaying some mystic power, although you know that we are the masters of all such mystic powers. SB8.11.5 TEXT 5 aruruksanti mayabhir utsisrpsanti ye divam tan dasyun vidhunomy ajnan purvasmac ca padad adhah SYNONYMS aruruksanti—persons who desire to come to the upper planetary systems; mayabhih—by so-called mystic power or material advancement of science; utsisrpsanti—or want to be liberated by such false attempts; ye—such persons who; divam—the higher planetary system known as Svargaloka; tan—such rogues and ruffians; dasyun—such thieves; vidhunomi—I force to go down; ajnan—rascals; purvasmat—previous; ca—also; padat—from the position; adhah—downward. TRANSLATION Those fools and rascals who want to ascend to the upper planetary system by mystic power or mechanical means, or who endeavor to cross even the upper planets and achieve the spiritual world or liberation, I cause to be sent to the lowest region of the universe. PURPORT There are undoubtedly different planetary systems for different persons. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (14.18), urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah: persons in the mode of goodness can go to the upper planets. Those in the modes of darkness and passion, however, are not allowed to enter the higher planets. The word divam refers to the higher planetary system known as Svargaloka. Indra, King of the higher planetary system, has the power to push down any conditioned soul attempting to go from the lower to the higher planets without proper qualifications. The modern attempt to go to the moon is also an attempt by inferior men to go to Svargaloka by artificial, mechanical means. This attempt cannot be successful. From this statement of Indra it appears that anyone attempting to go to the higher planetary systems by mechanical means, which are here called maya, is condemned to go the hellish planets in the lower portion of the universe. To go to the higher planetary system, one needs sufficient good qualities. A sinful person situated in the mode of ignorance and addicted to drinking, meat-eating and illicit sex will never enter the higher planets by mechanical means. SB8.11.6 TEXT 6 so ’ham durmayinas te ’dya vajrena sata-parvana siro harisye mandatman ghatasva jnatibhih saha SYNONYMS sah—I am the same powerful person; aham—I; durmayinah—of you, who can perform so much jugglery with illusions; te—of you; adya—today; vajrena—by the thunderbolt; sata-parvana—which has hundreds of sharp edges; sirah—the head; harisye—I shall separate; manda-atman—O you with a poor fund of knowledge; ghatasva—just try to exist on this battlefield; jnatibhih saha—with your relatives and assistants. TRANSLATION Today, with my thunderbolt, which has hundreds of sharp edges, I, the same powerful person, shall sever your head from your body. Although you can produce so much jugglery through illusion, you are endowed with a poor fund of knowledge. Now, try to exist on this battlefield with your relatives and friends. SB8.11.7 TEXT 7 sri-balir uvaca sangrame vartamananam kala-codita-karmanam kirtir jayo ’jayo mrtyuh sarvesam syur anukramat SYNONYMS sri-balih uvaca—Bali Maharaja said; sangrame—in the battlefield; vartamananam—of all persons present here; kala-codita—influenced by the course of time; karmanam—for persons engaged in fighting or any other activities; kirtih—reputation; jayah—victory; ajayah—defeat; mrtyuh—death; sarvesam—of all of them; syuh—must be done; anukramat—one after another. TRANSLATION Bali Maharaja replied: All those present on this battlefield are certainly under the influence of eternal time, and according to their prescribed activities, they are destined to receive fame, victory, defeat and death, one after another. PURPORT If one is victorious on the battlefield, he becomes famous; and if one is not victorious but is defeated, he may die. Both victory and defeat are possible, whether on such a battlefield as this or on the battlefield of the struggle for existence. Everything takes place according to the laws of nature (prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]). Since everyone, without exception, is subject to the modes of material nature, whether one is victorious or defeated he is not independent, but is under the control of material nature. Bali Maharaja, therefore, was very sensible. He knew that the fighting was arranged by eternal time and that under time’s influence one must accept the results of one’s own activities. Therefore even though Indra threatened that he would now kill Bali Maharaja by releasing the thunderbolt, Bali Maharaja was not at all afraid. This is the spirit of a ksatriya: yuddhe capy apalayanam (Bg. 18.43). A ksatriya must be tolerant in all circumstances, especially on the battlefield. Thus Bali Maharaja asserted that he was not at all afraid of death, although he was threatened by such a great personality as the King of heaven. SB8.11.8 TEXT 8 tad idam kala-rasanam jagat pasyanti surayah na hrsyanti na socanti tatra yuyam apanditah SYNONYMS tat—therefore; idam—this whole material world; kala-rasanam—is moving because of time eternal; jagat—moving forward (this whole universe); pasyanti—observe; surayah—those who are intelligent by admission of the truth; na—not; hrsyanti—become jubilant; na—nor; socanti—lament; tatra—in such; yuyam—all of you demigods; apanditah—not very learned (having forgotten that you are working under eternal time). TRANSLATION Seeing the movements of time, those who are cognizant of the real truth neither rejoice nor lament for different circumstances. Therefore, because you are jubilant due to your victory, you should be considered not very learned. PURPORT Bali Maharaja knew that Indra, King of heaven, was extremely powerful, certainly more powerful than he himself. Nonetheless, Bali Maharaja challenged Indra by saying that Indra was not a very learned person. In Bhagavad-gita (2.11) Krsna rebuked Arjuna by saying: asocyan anvasocas tvam “While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead.” Thus as Krsna challenged Arjuna by saying that he was not a pandita, or a learned person, Bali Maharaja also challenged King Indra and his associates. In this material world, everything happens under the influence of time. Consequently, for a learned person who sees how things are taking place, there is no question of being sorry or happy because of the waves of material nature. After all, since we are being carried away by these waves, what is the meaning of being jubilant or morose? One who is fully conversant with the laws of nature is never jubilant or morose because of nature’s activities. In Bhagavad-gita (2.14), Krsna advises that one be tolerant: tams titiksasva bharata. Following this advice of Krsna’s, one should not be morose or unhappy because of circumstantial changes. This is the symptom of a devotee. A devotee carries out his duty in Krsna consciousness and is never unhappy in awkward circumstances. He has full faith that in such circumstances, Krsna protects His devotee. Therefore a devotee never deviates from his prescribed duty of devotional service. The material qualities of jubilation and moroseness are present even in the demigods, who are very highly situated in the upper planetary system. Therefore, when one is undisturbed by the so-called favorable and unfavorable circumstances of this material world, he should be understood to be brahma-bhuta, or self-realized. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.54), brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati: “One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful.” When one is undisturbed by material circumstances, he should be understood to be on the transcendental stage, above the reactions of the three modes of material nature. SB8.11.9 TEXT 9 na vayam manyamananam atmanam tatra sadhanam giro vah sadhu-socyanam grhnimo marma-tadanah SYNONYMS na—not; vayam—we; manyamananam—who are considering; atmanam—the self; tatra—in victory or defeat; sadhanam—the cause; girah—the words; vah—of you; sadhu-socyanam—who are to be pitied by the saintly persons; grhnimah—accept; marma-tadanah—which afflict the heart. TRANSLATION You demigods think that your own selves are the cause of your attaining fame and victory. Because of your ignorance, saintly persons feel sorry for you. Therefore, although your words afflict the heart, we do not accept them. SB8.11.10 TEXT 10 sri-suka uvaca ity aksipya vibhum viro naracair vira-mardanah akarna-purnairahanad aksepair aha tam punah SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; aksipya—chastising; vibhum—unto King Indra; virah—the valiant Bali Maharaja; naracaih—by the arrows named naracas; vira-mardanah—Bali Maharaja, who could subdue even great heros; akarna-purnaih—drawn up to his ear; ahanat—attacked; aksepaih—by words of chastisement; aha—said; tam—unto him; punah—again. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: After thus rebuking Indra, King of heaven, with sharp words, Bali Maharaja, who could subdue any other hero, drew back to his ear the arrows known as naracas and attacked Indra with these arrows. Then he again chastised Indra with strong words. SB8.11.11 TEXT 11 evam nirakrto devo vairina tathya-vadina namrsyat tad-adhiksepam totrahata iva dvipah SYNONYMS evam—thus; nirakrtah—being defeated; devah—King Indra; vairina—by his enemy; tathya-vadina—who was competent to speak the truth; na—not; amrsyat—lamented; tat—of him (Bali); adhiksepam—the chastisement; totra—by the scepter or rod; ahatah—being beaten; iva—just like; dvipah—an elephant. TRANSLATION Since Maharaja Bali’s rebukes were truthful, King Indra did not at all become sorry, just as an elephant beaten by its driver’s rod does not become agitated. SB8.11.12 TEXT 12 praharat kulisam tasma amogham para-mardanah sayano nyapatad bhumau chinna-paksa ivacalah SYNONYMS praharat—inflicted; kulisam—thunderbolt scepter; tasmai—unto him (Bali Maharaja); amogham—infallible; para-mardanah—Indra, who is expert in defeating the enemy; sa-yanah—with his airplane; nyapatat—fell down; bhumau—on the ground; chinna-paksah—whose wings have been taken away; iva—like; acalah—a mountain. TRANSLATION When Indra, the defeater of enemies, released his infallible thunderbolt scepter at Bali Maharaja with a desire to kill him, Bali Maharaja indeed fell to the ground with his airplane, like a mountain with its wings cut off. PURPORT In many descriptions in Vedic literature it is found that mountains also fly in the sky with wings. When such mountains are dead, they fall to the ground, where they stay as very large dead bodies. SB8.11.13 TEXT 13 sakhayam patitam drstva jambho bali-sakhah suhrt abhyayat sauhrdam sakhyur hatasyapi samacaran SYNONYMS sakhayam—his intimate friend; patitam—having fallen; drstva—after seeing; jambhah—the demon Jambha; bali-sakhah—a very intimate friend of Bali Maharaja; suhrt—and constant well-wisher; abhyayat—appeared on the scene; sauhrdam—very compassionate friendship; sakhyuh—of his friend; hatasya—who was injured and fallen; api—although; samacaran—just to perform friendly duties. TRANSLATION When the demon Jambhasura saw that his friend Bali had fallen, he appeared before Indra, the enemy, just to serve Bali Maharaja with friendly behavior. SB8.11.14 TEXT 14 sa simha-vaha asadya gadam udyamya ramhasa jatrav atadayac chakram gajam ca sumaha-balah SYNONYMS sah—Jambhasura; simha-vahah—being carried by a lion; asadya—coming before King Indra; gadam—his club; udyamya—taking up; ramhasa—with great force; jatrau—on the base of the neck; atadayat—hit; sakram—Indra; gajam ca—as well as his elephant; su-maha-balah—the greatly powerful Jambhasura. TRANSLATION The greatly powerful Jambhasura, carried by a lion, approached Indra and forcefully struck him on the shoulder with his club. He also struck Indra’s elephant. SB8.11.15 TEXT 15 gada-prahara-vyathito bhrsam vihvalito gajah janubhyam dharanim sprstva kasmalam paramam yayau SYNONYMS gada-prahara-vyathitah—being aggrieved because of the blow from Jambhasura’s club; bhrsam—very much; vihvalitah—upset; gajah—the elephant; janubhyam—with its two knees; dharanim—the earth; sprstva—touching; kasmalam—unconsciousness; paramam—ultimate; yayau—entered. TRANSLATION Being beaten by Jambhasura’s club, Indra’s elephant was confused and aggrieved. Thus it touched its knees to the ground and fell unconscious. SB8.11.16 TEXT 16 tato ratho matalina haribhir dasa-satair vrtah anito dvipam utsrjya ratham aruruhe vibhuh SYNONYMS tatah—thereafter; rathah—chariot; matalina—by his chariot driver named Matali; haribhih—with horses; dasa-sataih—by ten times one hundred (one thousand); vrtah—yoked; anitah—being brought in; dvipam—the elephant; utsrjya—keeping aside; ratham—the chariot; aruruhe—got up; vibhuh—the great Indra. TRANSLATION Thereafter, Matali, Indra’s chariot driver, brought Indra’s chariot, which was drawn by one thousand horses. Indra then left his elephant and got onto the chariot. SB8.11.17 TEXT 17 tasya tat pujayan karma yantur danava-sattamah sulena jvalata tam tu smayamano ’hanan mrdhe SYNONYMS tasya—of Matali; tat—that service (bringing the chariot before Indra); pujayan—appreciating; karma—such service to the master; yantuh—of the chariot driver; danava-sat-tamah—the best of the demons, namely Jambhasura; sulena—by his trident; jvalata—which was blazing fire; tam—Matali; tu—indeed; smayamanah—smiling; ahanat—struck; mrdhe—in the battle. TRANSLATION Appreciating Matali’s service, Jambhasura, the best of the demons, smiled. Nonetheless, he struck Matali in the battle with a trident of blazing fire. SB8.11.18 TEXT 18 sehe rujam sudurmarsam sattvam alambya matalih indro jambhasya sankruddho vajrenapaharac chirah SYNONYMS sehe—tolerated; rujam—the pain; su-durmarsam—intolerable; sattvam—patience; alambya—taking shelter of; matalih—the charioteer Matali; indrah—King Indra; jambhasya—of the great demon Jambha; sankruddhah—being very angry at him; vajrena—with his thunderbolt; apaharat—separated; sirah—the head. TRANSLATION Although the pain was extremely severe, Matali tolerated it with great patience. Indra, however, became extremely angry at Jambhasura. He struck Jambhasura with his thunderbolt and thus severed his head from his body. SB8.11.19 TEXT 19 jambham srutva hatam tasya jnatayo naradad rseh namucis ca balah pakas tatrapetus tvaranvitah SYNONYMS jambham—Jambhasura; srutva—after hearing; hatam—had been killed; tasya—his; jnatayah—friends and relatives; naradat—from the source Narada; rseh—from the great saint; namucih—the demon Namuci; ca—also; balah—the demon Bala; pakah—the demon Paka; tatra—there; apetuh—immediately arrived; tvara-anvitah—with great haste. TRANSLATION When Narada Rsi informed Jambhasura’s friends and relatives that Jambhasura had been killed, the three demons named Namuci, Bala and Paka arrived on the battlefield in great haste. SB8.11.20 TEXT 20 vacobhih parusair indram ardayanto ’sya marmasu sarair avakiran megha dharabhir iva parvatam SYNONYMS vacobhih—with harsh words; parusaih—very rough and cruel; indram—King Indra; ardayantah—chastising, piercing; asya—of Indra; marmasu—in the heart, etc.; saraih—with arrows; avakiran—covered all around; meghah—clouds; dharabhih—with showers of rain; iva—just as; parvatam—a mountain. TRANSLATION Rebuking Indra with harsh, cruel words that were piercing to the heart, these demons showered him with arrows, just as torrents of rain wash a great mountain. SB8.11.21 TEXT 21 harin dasa-satany ajau haryasvasya balah saraih tavadbhir ardayam asa yugapal laghu-hastavan SYNONYMS harin—horses; dasa-satani—ten times one hundred (one thousand); ajau—on the battlefield; haryasvasya—of King Indra; balah—the demon Bala; saraih—with arrows; tavadbhih—with so many; ardayam asa—put into tribulation; yugapat—simultaneously; laghu-hastavan—with quick handling. TRANSLATION Quickly handling the situation on the battlefield, the demon Bala put all of Indra’s one thousand horses into tribulation by simultaneously piercing them all with an equal number of arrows. SB8.11.22 TEXT 22 satabhyam matalim pako ratham savayavam prthak sakrt sandhana-moksena tad adbhutam abhud rane SYNONYMS satabhyam—with two hundred arrows; matalim—unto the chariot driver Matali; pakah—the demon named Paka; ratham—the chariot; sa-avayavam—with all paraphernalia; prthak—separately; sakrt—once, at one time; sandhana—by yoking the arrows to the bow; moksena—and releasing; tat—such an action; adbhutam—wonderful; abhut—so became; rane—on the battlefield. TRANSLATION Paka, another demon, attacked both the chariot, with all its paraphernalia, and the chariot driver, Matali, by fitting two hundred arrows to his bow and releasing them all simultaneously. This was indeed a wonderful act on the battlefield. SB8.11.23 TEXT 23 namucih panca-dasabhih svarna-punkhair mahesubhih ahatya vyanadat sankhye satoya iva toyadah SYNONYMS namucih—the demon named Namuci; panca-dasabhih—with fifteen; svarna-punkhaih—with golden feathers attached; maha-isubhih—very powerful arrows; ahatya—piercing; vyanadat—resounded; sankhye—on the battlefield; sa-toyah—bearing water; iva—like; toya-dah—a cloud that delivers rain. TRANSLATION Then Namuci, another demon, attacked Indra and injured him with fifteen very powerful golden-feathered arrows, which roared like a cloud full of water.
prajna-vadams ca bhasase
gatasun agatasums ca
nanusocanti panditah