Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Twenty-one
SB8.21.22
TEXT 22
balena sacivair buddhya
durgair mantrausadhadibhih
samadibhir upayais ca
kalam natyeti vai janah
SYNONYMS
balena—by material power; sacivaih—by the counsel of ministers; buddhya—by intelligence; durgaih—by fortresses; mantra-ausadha-adibhih—by mystic chanting or the influence of drugs and herbs; sama-adibhih—by diplomacy and other such means; upayaih ca—by similar other attempts; kalam—the time factor, representing the Supreme Lord; na—never; atyeti—can overcome; vai—indeed; janah—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.
SB8.21.23
TEXT 23
bhavadbhir nirjita hy ete
bahuso ’nucara hareh
daivenarddhais ta evadya
yudhi jitva nadanti nah
SYNONYMS
bhavadbhih—by all of you demons; nirjitah—have been defeated; hi—indeed; ete—all these soldiers of the demigods; bahusah—in great number; anucarah—followers; hareh—of Lord Visnu; daivena—by providence; rddhaih—whose opulence was increased; te—they (the demigods); eva—indeed; adya—today; yudhi—in the fight; jitva—defeating; nadanti—are vibrating in jubilation; nah—us.
TRANSLATION
Previously, being empowered by providence, you defeated a great number of such followers of Lord Visnu. But today those same followers, having defeated us, are roaring in jubilation like lions.
PURPORT
Bhagavad-gita mentions five causes of defeat or victory. Of these five, daiva (providence) is the most powerful (na ca daivat param balam). Bali Maharaja knew the secret of how he had formerly been victorious because providence was in his favor. Now, since that same providence was not in his favor, there was no possibility of his victory. Thus he very intelligently forbade his associates to fight. SB8.21.24 TEXT 24 etan vayam vijesyamo yadi daivam prasidati tasmat kalam pratiksadhvam yo no ’rthatvaya kalpate SYNONYMS etan—all these soldiers of the demigods; vayam—we; vijesyamah—shall gain victory over them; yadi—if; daivam—providence; prasidati—is in favor; tasmat—therefore; kalam—that favorable time; pratiksadhvam—wait until; yah—which; nah—our; arthatvaya 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. SB8.21.25 TEXT 25 sri-suka uvaca patyur nigaditam srutva daitya-danava-yuthapah rasam nirvivisu rajan visnu-parsada taditah SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; patyuh—of their master (Bali Maharaja); nigaditam—what had been thus described; srutva—after hearing; daitya-danava-yutha-pah—the leaders of the Daityas and demons; rasam—the lower regions of the universe; nirvivisuh—entered; rajan—O King; visnu-parsada—by the associates of Lord Visnu; taditah—driven. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O King, in accordance with the order of their master, Bali Maharaja, 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 Visnu. SB8.21.26 TEXT 26 atha tarksya-suto jnatva virat prabhu-cikirsitam babandha varunaih pasair balim sutye ’hani kratau SYNONYMS atha—thereafter; tarksya-sutah—Garuda; jnatva—knowing; virat—the king of birds; prabhu-cikirsitam—the desire of Lord Visnu as Vamanadeva; babandha—arrested; varunaih—belonging to Varuna; pasaih—by the ropes; balim—Bali; sutye—when soma-rasa is taken; ahani—on the day; kratau—at the time of sacrifice. TRANSLATION Thereafter, on the day of soma-pana, after the sacrifice was finished, Garuda, king of the birds, understanding the desire of his master, arrested Bali Maharaja with the ropes of Varuna. PURPORT Garuda, the constant companion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, knows the confidential part of the Lord’s desire. Bali Maharaja’s tolerance and devotion were undoubtedly superexcellent. Garuda arrested Bali Maharaja to show the entire universe the greatness of the King’s tolerance. SB8.21.27 TEXT 27 hahakaro mahan asid rodasyoh sarvato disam nigrhyamane ’sura-patau visnuna prabhavisnuna SYNONYMS haha-karah—a tumultuous roar of lamentation; mahan—great; asit—there was; rodasyoh—in both the lower and upper planetary systems; sarvatah—everywhere; disam—all directions; nigrhyamane—because of being suppressed; asura-patau—when Bali Maharaja, the King of the demons; visnuna—by Lord Visnu; prabhavisnuna—who is the most powerful everywhere. TRANSLATION When Bali Maharaja was thus arrested by Lord Visnu, 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. SB8.21.28 TEXT 28 tam baddham varunaih pasair bhagavan aha vamanah nasta-sriyam sthira-prajnam udara-yasasam nrpa SYNONYMS tam—unto him; baddham—who was so arrested; varunaih pasaih—by the ropes of Varuna; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; aha—said; vamanah—Vamanadeva; nasta-sriyam—unto Bali Maharaja, who had lost his bodily luster; sthira-prajnam—but was all the same determined in his decision; udara-yasasam—the most magnanimous and celebrated; nrpa—O King. TRANSLATION O King, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vamanadeva, then spoke to Bali Maharaja, the most liberal and celebrated personality whom He had arrested with the ropes of Varuna. Bali Maharaja had lost all bodily luster, but he was nonetheless fixed in his determination. PURPORT When one is bereft of all his possessions, he is certainly reduced in bodily luster. But although Bali Maharaja had lost everything, he was fixed in his determination to satisfy Vamanadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita, such a person is called sthita-prajna. A pure devotee is never deviated from the service of the Lord, despite all difficulties and impediments offered by the illusory energy. Generally men who have wealth and opulence are famous, but Bali Maharaja became famous for all time by being deprived of all his possessions. This is the special mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead toward His devotees. The Lord says, yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. As the first installment of His special favor, the Lord takes away all the possessions of His devotee. A devotee, however, is never disturbed by such a loss. He continues his service, and the Lord amply rewards him, beyond the expectations of any common man. SB8.21.29 TEXT 29 padani trini dattani bhumer mahyam tvayasura dvabhyam kranta mahi sarva trtiyam upakalpaya SYNONYMS padani—footsteps; trini—three; dattani—have been given; bhumeh—of land; mahyam—unto Me; tvaya—by you; asura—O King of the demons; dvabhyam—by two steps; kranta—have been occupied; mahi—all the land; sarva—completely; trtiyam—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. SB8.21.30 TEXT 30 yavat tapaty asau gobhir yavad induh sahodubhih yavad varsati parjanyas tavati bhur iyam tava SYNONYMS yavat—as far as; tapati—is shining; asau—the sun; gobhih—by the sunshine; yavat—as long or as far as; induh—the moon; saha-udubhih—with the luminaries or stars; yavat—as far as; varsati—are pouring rain; parjanyah—the clouds; tavati—to that much distance; bhuh—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. SB8.21.31 TEXT 31 padaikena mayakranto bhurlokah kham disas tanoh svarlokas te dvitiyena pasyatas te svam atmana SYNONYMS pada ekena—by one step only; maya—by Me; akrantah—have been covered; bhurlokah—the entire planetary system known as Bhurloka; kham—the sky; disah—and all directions; tanoh—by My body; svarlokah—the upper planetary system; te—in your possession; dvitiyena—by the second step; pasyatah te—while you were seeing; svam—your own; atmana—by Myself. TRANSLATION Of these possessions, with one step I have occupied Bhurloka, 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. PURPORT According to the Vedic description of the planetary system, all the planets move from east to west. The sun, the moon and five other planets, such as Mars and Jupiter, orbit one above another. Vamanadeva, however, expanding His body and extending His steps, occupied the entire planetary system. SB8.21.32 TEXT 32 pratisrutam adatus te niraye vasa isyate visa tvam nirayam tasmad guruna canumoditah SYNONYMS pratisrutam—what had been promised; adatuh—who could not give; te—of you; niraye—in hell; vasah—residence; isyate—prescribed; visa—now enter; tvam—yourself; nirayam—the hellish planet; tasmat—therefore; guruna—by your spiritual master; ca—also; anumoditah—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 Sukracarya, your spiritual master, now go down and live there. PURPORT It is said: narayana-parah sarve “Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.” (Bhag. 6.12.28) A devotee engaged in the service of Narayana is always in equilibrium. A devotee actually lives transcendentally. Although he may appear to have gone to hell or heaven, he does not live in either place; rather, he always lives in Vaikuntha (sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]). Vamanadeva asked Bali Maharaja to go to the hellish planets, apparently just to show the entire universe how tolerant he was, and Bali Maharaja did not hesitate to carry out the order. A devotee does not live alone. Of course, everyone lives with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but because the devotee is engaged in His service, he actually does not live in any material condition. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says, kita janma hao yatha tuya dasa. Thus he prays to take birth as an insignificant insect in the association of devotees. Because devotees are engaged in the service of the Lord, anyone who lives with them also lives in Vaikuntha. SB8.21.33 TEXT 33 vrtha manorathas tasya durah svargah pataty adhah pratisrutasyadanena yo ’rthinam vipralambhate SYNONYMS vrtha—without any good result; manorathah—mental concoction; tasya—of him; durah—far away; svargah—elevation to the higher planetary system; patati—falls down; adhah—to a hellish condition of life; pratisrutasya—things promised; adanena—being unable to give; yah—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. SB8.21.34 TEXT 34 vipralabdho dadamiti tvayaham cadhya-manina tad vyalika-phalam bhunksva nirayam katicit samah SYNONYMS vipralabdhah—now I am cheated; dadami—I promise I shall give you; iti—thus; tvaya—by you; aham—I am; ca—also; adhya-manina—by being very proud of your opulence; tat—therefore; vyalika-phalam—as a result of cheating; bhunksva—you enjoy; nirayam—in hellish life; katicit—a few; samah—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. PURPORT The false prestige of thinking “I am very rich, and I possess such vast property” is another side of material life. Everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one else possesses anything. This is the real fact. Isavasyam idam samam yat kinca jagatyam jagat. Bali Maharaja was undoubtedly the most exalted devotee, whereas previously he had maintained a misunderstanding due to false prestige. By the supreme will of the Lord, he now had to go to the hellish planets, but because he went there by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he lived there more opulently than one could expect to live in the planets of heaven. A devotee always lives with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, engaging in His service, and therefore he is always transcendental to hellish or heavenly residences. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Twenty-first Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “Bali Maharaja Arrested by the Lord”
na kutascana bibhyati
svargapavarga-narakesv
api tulyartha-darsinah