Bali Maharaja Arrested by the Lord

Verse 1 (bhagavata.8.21.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच सत्यं समीक्ष्याब्जभवो नखेन्दुभि- र्हतस्वधामद्युतिरावृतोऽभ्यगात् । मरीचिमिश्रा ऋषयो बृहद्व्रताः सनन्दनाद्या नरदेव योगिनः ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca satyaṁ samīkṣyābja-bhavo nakhendubhir hata-svadhāma-dyutir āvṛto ’bhyagāt marīci-miśrā ṛṣayo bṛhad-vratāḥ sanandanādyā nara-deva yoginaḥ

Shukadeva Gosvami said: O King, when lotus-born Brahma saw that even the radiance of his own realm, Satyaloka, had been dimmed by the effulgence of Vamanadeva's toenails, he came there, accompanied by sages such as Marichi and by great yogis under lifelong vows, such as Sanandana.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.8.21.2)

वेदोपवेदा नियमा यमान्विता- स्तर्केतिहासाङ्गपुराणसंहिताः । ये चापरे योगसमीरदीपित- ज्ञानाग्निना रन्धितकर्मकल्मषाः ॥ २ ॥

vedopavedā niyamā yamānvitās tarketihāsāṅga-purāṇa-saṁhitāḥ ye cāpare yoga-samīra-dīpita- jñānāgninā randhita-karma-kalmaṣāḥ

Those versed in the Vedas and their auxiliary sciences, disciplined by every regulative vow, expert in logic, in history, in the limbs of Vedic learning and in the Puranas and their compendia, and those others who, by the fire of knowledge kindled by the wind of yoga, had burned away every taint of karma — all of them were present there.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.8.21.3)

ववन्दिरे यत्स्मरणानुभावतः स्वायम्भुवं धाम गता अकर्मकम् । अथाङ्घ्रये प्रोन्नमिताय विष्णो- रुपाहरत् पद्मभवोऽर्हणोदकम् । समर्च्य भक्त्याभ्यगृणाच्छुचिश्रवा यन्नाभिपङ्केरुहसम्भवः स्वयम् ॥ ३ ॥

vavandire yat-smaraṇānubhāvataḥ svāyambhuvaṁ dhāma gatā akarmakam athāṅghraye pronnamitāya viṣṇor upāharat padma-bhavo ’rhaṇodakam samarcya bhaktyābhyagṛṇāc chuci-śravā yan-nābhi-paṅkeruha-sambhavaḥ svayam

Those who had attained, by the mere power of remembering Him, the station of Brahmaloka unreachable by works alone, now bowed before Him. Then lotus-born Brahma himself, offering worship with water to the upraised foot of Vishnu, praised that Lord of pure renown — Brahma, who had himself sprung from the very lotus of His navel.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.8.21.4)

धातुः कमण्डलुजलं तदुरुक्रमस्य पादावनेजनपवित्रतया नरेन्द्र । स्वर्धुन्यभून्नभसि सा पतती निमार्ष्टि लोकत्रयं भगवतो विशदेव कीर्तिः ॥ ४ ॥

dhātuḥ kamaṇḍalu-jalaṁ tad urukramasya pādāvanejana-pavitratayā narendra svardhuny abhūn nabhasi sā patatī nimārṣṭi loka-trayaṁ bhagavato viśadeva kīrtiḥ

O King, that water from Brahma's kamandalu, sanctified by washing the feet of the far-striding Lord, became the celestial Ganga flowing through the sky, purifying the three worlds even as the Lord's own spotless fame does.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.8.21.5)

ब्रह्मादयो लोकनाथाः स्वनाथाय समादृताः । सानुगा बलिमाजह्रुः सङ्क्षिप्तात्मविभूतये ॥ ५ ॥

brahmādayo loka-nāthāḥ sva-nāthāya samādṛtāḥ sānugā balim ājahruḥ saṅkṣiptātma-vibhūtaye

Brahma and the other guardian deities of the worlds, together with their retinues, came with great reverence, bearing the materials of worship, to their own Lord who had drawn in His limitless opulence into this dwarf form.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.8.21.6)

तोयैः समर्हणैः स्रग्भिर्दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनैः । धूपैर्दीपैः सुरभिभिर्लाजाक्षतफलाङ्कुरैः ॥ ६ ॥

toyaiḥ samarhaṇaiḥ sragbhir divya-gandhānulepanaiḥ dhūpair dīpaiḥ surabhibhir lājākṣata-phalāṅkuraiḥ

With water and offerings of homage, with garlands, with fragrant celestial unguents, with incense and lamps, with fragrant parched grain, unbroken rice, fruits and sprouts, they worshipped Him.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.8.21.7)

स्तवनैर्जयशब्दैश्च तद्वीर्यमहिमाङ्कितैः । नृत्यवादित्रगीतैश्च शङ्खदुन्दुभिनिःस्वनैः ॥ ७ ॥

stavanair jaya-śabdaiś ca tad-vīrya-mahimāṅkitaiḥ nṛtya-vāditra-gītaiś ca śaṅkha-dundubhi-niḥsvanaiḥ

With hymns marking His prowess and glory, with cries of 'Jaya, jaya,' with dance, music and song, and with the resounding of conches and kettledrums, they too made their offering to Him.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.8.21.8)

जाम्बवानृक्षराजस्तु भेरीशब्दैर्मनोजवः । विजयं दिक्षु सर्वासु महोत्सवमघोषयत् ॥ ८ ॥

jāmbavān ṛkṣa-rājas tu bherī-śabdair mano-javaḥ vijayaṁ dikṣu sarvāsu mahotsavam aghoṣayat

Jambavan, king of the bears, swift as thought itself, sounded his war-drum and proclaimed in every direction a great festival for Vamanadeva's victory.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.8.21.9)

महीं सर्वां हृतां दृष्ट्वा त्रिपदव्याजयाच्ञया । ऊचुः स्वभर्तुरसुरा दीक्षितस्यात्यमर्षिताः ॥ ९ ॥

mahīṁ sarvāṁ hṛtāṁ dṛṣṭvā tripada-vyāja-yācñayā ūcuḥ sva-bhartur asurā dīkṣitasyātyamarṣitāḥ

Seeing their master's entire earth carried away under the pretext of a request for three paces of land, Bali's demon soldiers, consecrated though he was for the sacrifice, grew furious and spoke thus.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.8.21.10)

न वायं ब्रह्मबन्धुर्विष्णुर्मायाविनां वरः । द्विजरूपप्रतिच्छन्नो देवकार्यं चिकीर्षति ॥ १० ॥

na vāyaṁ brahma-bandhur viṣṇur māyāvināṁ varaḥ dvija-rūpa-praticchanno deva-kāryaṁ cikīrṣati

'This is no mere pretender to brahmanahood — this is Vishnu himself, foremost of all wielders of illusion, hidden in the guise of a brahmana, intent on accomplishing the purpose of the gods.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.8.21.11)

अनेन याचमानेन शत्रुणा वटुरूपिणा । सर्वस्वं नो हृतं भर्तुर्न्यस्तदण्डस्य बर्हिषि ॥ ११ ॥

anena yācamānena śatruṇā vaṭu-rūpiṇā sarvasvaṁ no hṛtaṁ bhartur nyasta-daṇḍasya barhiṣi

This enemy, appearing as a mere begging boy, has stripped our master of everything — for, bound by his sacrificial vow, he has laid aside the very power to punish.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.8.21.12)

सत्यव्रतस्य सततं दीक्षितस्य विशेषतः । नानृतं भाषितुं शक्यं ब्रह्मण्यस्य दयावतः ॥ १२ ॥

satya-vratasya satataṁ dīkṣitasya viśeṣataḥ nānṛtaṁ bhāṣituṁ śakyaṁ brahmaṇyasya dayāvataḥ

From one ever-devoted to truth, and now especially bound by sacrificial vow, ever kind to brahmanas and full of compassion, no false word could possibly issue.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.8.21.13)

तस्मादस्य वधो धर्मो भर्तुः शुश्रूषणं च नः । इत्यायुधानि जगृहुर्बलेरनुचरासुराः ॥ १३ ॥

tasmād asya vadho dharmo bhartuḥ śuśrūṣaṇaṁ ca naḥ ity āyudhāni jagṛhur baler anucarāsurāḥ

'Therefore to slay him is our own dharma, and this alone is true service to our master' — so saying, Bali's demon followers took up their weapons.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.8.21.14)

ते सर्वे वामनं हन्तुं शूलपट्टिशपाणयः । अनिच्छन्तो बले राजन् प्राद्रवञ्जातमन्यवः ॥ १४ ॥

te sarve vāmanaṁ hantuṁ śūla-paṭṭiśa-pāṇayaḥ anicchanto bale rājan prādravañ jāta-manyavaḥ

O King, tridents and lances in hand, against Bali's own wish, and blazing with their habitual fury, they all rushed forward to kill Vamanadeva.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.8.21.15)

तानभिद्रवतो दृष्ट्वा दितिजानीकपान् नृप । प्रहस्यानुचरा विष्णोः प्रत्यषेधन्नुदायुधाः ॥ १५ ॥

tān abhidravato dṛṣṭvā ditijānīkapān nṛpa prahasyānucarā viṣṇoḥ pratyaṣedhann udāyudhāḥ

O King, seeing the demon soldiers charging thus, Vishnu's own attendants smiled, and taking up their weapons, checked their advance.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.8.21.16)

नन्दः सुनन्दोऽथ जयो विजयः प्रबलो बलः । कुमुदः कुमुदाक्षश्च विष्वक्सेनः पतत्त्रिराट् ॥ १६ ॥

nandaḥ sunando ’tha jayo vijayaḥ prabalo balaḥ kumudaḥ kumudākṣaś ca viṣvaksenaḥ patattrirāṭ

Nanda and Sunanda, Jaya and Vijaya, Prabala and Bala, Kumuda and Kumudaksha, Vishvaksena, and Garuda the king of birds — these attendants of Vishnu, together with the others,

Verse 17 (bhagavata.8.21.17)

जयन्तः श्रुतदेवश्च पुष्पदन्तोऽथ सात्वतः । सर्वे नागायुतप्राणाश्चमूं ते जघ्नुरासुरीम् ॥ १७ ॥

jayantaḥ śrutadevaś ca puṣpadanto ’tha sātvataḥ sarve nāgāyuta-prāṇāś camūṁ te jaghnur āsurīm

Jayanta, Shrutadeva, Pushpadanta and Satvata — all of them, each mighty as ten thousand elephants, cut down that army of the asuras.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.8.21.18)

हन्यमानान् स्वकान् दृष्ट्वा पुरुषानुचरैर्बलिः । वारयामास संरब्धान् काव्यशापमनुस्मरन् ॥ १८ ॥

hanyamānān svakān dṛṣṭvā puruṣānucarair baliḥ vārayām āsa saṁrabdhān kāvya-śāpam anusmaran

Seeing his own soldiers being cut down by the attendants of that Supreme Person, and remembering Shukracharya's curse, Bali restrained his enraged troops.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.8.21.19)

हे विप्रचित्ते हे राहो हे नेमे श्रूयतां वचः । मा युध्यत निवर्तध्वं न नः कालोऽयमर्थकृत् ॥ १९ ॥

he vipracitte he rāho he neme śrūyatāṁ vacaḥ mā yudhyata nivartadhvaṁ na naḥ kālo ’yam artha-kṛt

'O Viprachitti, O Rahu, O Nemi, hear my words — do not fight, turn back; this hour does not favor us.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.8.21.20)

यः प्रभुः सर्वभूतानां सुखदुःखोपपत्तये । तं नातिवर्तितुं दैत्याः पौरुषैरीश्वरः पुमान् ॥ २० ॥

yaḥ prabhuḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ sukha-duḥkhopapattaye taṁ nātivartituṁ daityāḥ pauruṣair īśvaraḥ pumān

O Daityas, that Lord who is the master dispensing happiness and sorrow to every being — Him no mortal, whoever he be, can overcome by his own strength.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.8.21.21)

यो नो भवाय प्रागासीदभवाय दिवौकसाम् । स एव भगवानद्य वर्तते तद्विपर्ययम् ॥ २१ ॥

yo no bhavāya prāg āsīd abhavāya divaukasām sa eva bhagavān adya vartate tad-viparyayam

That very time, which once worked for our rise and for the fall of the gods, has today, being none other than Bhagavan Himself, turned entirely the other way.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.8.21.22)

बलेन सचिवैर्बुद्ध्या दुर्गैर्मन्त्रौषधादिभिः । सामादिभिरुपायैश्च कालं नात्येति वै जनः ॥ २२ ॥

balena sacivair buddhyā durgair mantrauṣadhādibhiḥ sāmādibhir upāyaiś ca kālaṁ nātyeti vai janaḥ

By force, by the counsel of ministers, by cleverness, by fortresses, by mantra or herb, or by conciliation and other such means — no one can ever overstep that time.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.8.21.23)

भवद्भिर्निर्जिता ह्येते बहुशोऽनुचरा हरेः । दैवेनर्द्धैस्त एवाद्य युधि जित्वा नदन्ति नः ॥ २३ ॥

bhavadbhir nirjitā hy ete bahuśo ’nucarā hareḥ daivenarddhais ta evādya yudhi jitvā nadanti naḥ

It was you yourselves who many times defeated these very followers of Hari; yet today, made strong by providence, those same followers have defeated us and now roar in triumph.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.8.21.24)

एतान् वयं विजेष्यामो यदि दैवं प्रसीदति । तस्मात् कालं प्रतीक्षध्वं यो नोऽर्थत्वाय कल्पते ॥ २४ ॥

etān vayaṁ vijeṣyāmo yadi daivaṁ prasīdati tasmāt kālaṁ pratīkṣadhvaṁ yo no ’rthatvāya kalpate

If providence turns favorable, we shall certainly overcome them. Therefore wait for that time when fortune shall again be ours.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.8.21.25)

श्रीशुक उवाच पत्युर्निगदितं श्रुत्वा दैत्यदानवयूथपाः । रसां निर्विविशू राजन् विष्णुपार्षदताडिताः ॥ २५ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca patyur nigaditaṁ śrutvā daitya-dānava-yūthapāḥ rasāṁ nirviviśū rājan viṣṇu-pārṣada tāḍitāḥ

Shukadeva Gosvami said: O King, hearing these words of their master, the chieftains of the Daityas and Danavas, driven back by the attendants of Vishnu, retreated into the netherworld.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.8.21.26)

अथ तार्क्ष्यसुतो ज्ञात्वा विराट्प्रभुचिकीर्षितम् । बबन्ध वारुणैः पाशैर्बलिं सूत्येऽहनि क्रतौ ॥ २६ ॥

atha tārkṣya-suto jñātvā virāṭ prabhu-cikīrṣitam babandha vāruṇaiḥ pāśair baliṁ sūtye ’hani kratau

Then, understanding the intention of his universal-formed Lord, Garuda, son of Tarkshya, on the very day of the soma offering, within the sacrifice itself, bound Bali with the ropes of Varuna.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.8.21.27)

हाहाकारो महानासीद् रोदस्योः सर्वतोदिशम् । निगृह्यमाणेऽसुरपतौ विष्णुना प्रभविष्णुना ॥ २७ ॥

hāhākāro mahān āsīd rodasyoḥ sarvato diśam nigṛhyamāṇe ’sura-patau viṣṇunā prabhaviṣṇunā

At that moment, as the lord of the asuras was seized by the all-powerful Vishnu, a great wail of lamentation rose up on every side, through both the upper and the lower worlds.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.8.21.28)

तं बद्धं वारुणैः पाशैर्भगवानाह वामनः । नष्टश्रियं स्थिरप्रज्ञमुदारयशसं नृप ॥ २८ ॥

taṁ baddhaṁ vāruṇaiḥ pāśair bhagavān āha vāmanaḥ naṣṭa-śriyaṁ sthira-prajñam udāra-yaśasaṁ nṛpa

O King, to him who lay bound by Varuna's ropes — stripped of his fortune, yet unshaken in resolve and vast in his renown — Bhagavan Vamana spoke as follows.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.8.21.29)

पदानि त्रीणि दत्तानि भूमेर्मह्यं त्वयासुर । द्वाभ्यां क्रान्ता मही सर्वा तृतीयमुपकल्पय ॥ २९ ॥

padāni trīṇi dattāni bhūmer mahyaṁ tvayāsura dvābhyāṁ krāntā mahī sarvā tṛtīyam upakalpaya

'O lord of the asuras, you promised Me three paces of land; with two paces the whole earth has already been spanned — now find some place for the third.'

Verse 30 (bhagavata.8.21.30)

यावत् तपत्यसौ गोभिर्यावदिन्दुः सहोडुभिः । यावद् वर्षति पर्जन्यस्तावती भूरियं तव ॥ ३० ॥

yāvat tapaty asau gobhir yāvad induḥ sahoḍubhiḥ yāvad varṣati parjanyas tāvatī bhūr iyaṁ tava

As far as the sun burns with its rays, as far as the moon shines with the stars, and as far as the clouds pour down their rain — so far does this earth still belong to you.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.8.21.31)

पदैकेन मयाक्रान्तो भूर्लोकः खं दिशस्तनोः । स्वर्लोकस्ते द्वितीयेन पश्यतस्ते स्वमात्मना ॥ ३१ ॥

padaikena mayākrānto bhūrlokaḥ khaṁ diśas tanoḥ svarlokas te dvitīyena paśyatas te svam ātmanā

With one pace I have covered Bhurloka, and with My very body the sky and every direction; and with the second pace, before your own eyes, I have spanned the heavenly world.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.8.21.32)

प्रतिश्रुतमदातुस्ते निरये वास इष्यते । विश त्वं निरयं तस्माद् गुरुणा चानुमोदितः ॥ ३२ ॥

pratiśrutam adātus te niraye vāsa iṣyate viśa tvaṁ nirayaṁ tasmād guruṇā cānumoditaḥ

For one who has promised and cannot fulfill it, residence in hell is prescribed; therefore, with your guru's own sanction, now go down into that hell.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.8.21.33)

वृथा मनोरथस्तस्य दूरः स्वर्गः पतत्यधः । प्रतिश्रुतस्यादानेन योऽर्थिनं विप्रलम्भते ॥ ३३ ॥

vṛthā manorathas tasya dūraḥ svargaḥ pataty adhaḥ pratiśrutasyādānena yo ’rthinaṁ vipralambhate

One who deceives a petitioner by failing to give what he has promised finds his own hope come to nothing — heaven remains far off, and he falls instead downward.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.8.21.34)

विप्रलब्धो ददामीति त्वयाहं चाढ्यमानिना । तद् व्यलीकफलं भुङ्क्ष्व निरयं कतिचित् समाः ॥ ३४ ॥

vipralabdho dadāmīti tvayāhaṁ cāḍhya-māninā tad vyalīka-phalaṁ bhuṅkṣva nirayaṁ katicit samāḥ

Having said 'I shall give,' yet, proud of your own opulence, having in effect deceived Me, now enjoy the fruit of that deception, dwelling in hell for a certain span of years.