The Demigods Regain the Heavenly Planets

Verse 1 (bhagavata.8.23.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच इत्युक्तवन्तं पुरुषं पुरातनं महानुभावोऽखिलसाधुसम्मतः । बद्धाञ्जलिर्बाष्पकलाकुलेक्षणो भक्त्युत्कलो गद्गदया गिराब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca ity uktavantaṁ puruṣaṁ purātanaṁ mahānubhāvo ’khila-sādhu-sammataḥ baddhāñjalir bāṣpa-kalākulekṣaṇo bhakty-utkalo gadgadayā girābravīt

Shukadeva Gosvami said: When that ancient and eternal Person had spoken thus, the great-souled Bali — honored by all saintly persons — folded his hands, his eyes brimming with tears, and, overflowing with devotion, spoke in a voice choked with feeling.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.8.23.2)

श्रीबलिरुवाच अहो प्रणामाय कृतः समुद्यमः प्रपन्नभक्तार्थविधौ समाहितः । यल्लोकपालैस्त्वदनुग्रहोऽमरै- रलब्धपूर्वोऽपसदेऽसुरेऽर्पितः ॥ २ ॥

śrī-balir uvāca aho praṇāmāya kṛtaḥ samudyamaḥ prapanna-bhaktārtha-vidhau samāhitaḥ yal loka-pālais tvad-anugraho ’marair alabdha-pūrvo ’pasade ’sure ’rpitaḥ

Shri Bali said: How wondrous — even the mere attempt to offer You obeisance has proved so fruitful! The grace You have bestowed on me, a fallen asura, was never before granted even to the guardians of the worlds or to the gods themselves.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.8.23.3)

श्रीशुक उवाच इत्युक्त्वा हरिमानत्य ब्रह्माणं सभवं ततः । विवेश सुतलं प्रीतो बलिर्मुक्तः सहासुरैः ॥ ३ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca ity uktvā harim ānatya brahmāṇaṁ sabhavaṁ tataḥ viveśa sutalaṁ prīto balir muktaḥ sahāsuraiḥ

Shukadeva Gosvami said: Having spoken thus, Bali bowed to Hari, and then to Brahma and Shiva, and, now released and full of joy, he entered Sutala together with his fellow asuras.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.8.23.4)

एवमिन्द्राय भगवान् प्रत्यानीय त्रिविष्टपम् । पूरयित्वादितेः काममशासत् सकलं जगत् ॥ ४ ॥

evam indrāya bhagavān pratyānīya triviṣṭapam pūrayitvāditeḥ kāmam aśāsat sakalaṁ jagat

Thus Bhagavan restored the three worlds to Indra, fulfilled Aditi's own desire, and took up the governance of the entire universe.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.8.23.5)

लब्धप्रसादं निर्मुक्तं पौत्रं वंशधरं बलिम् । निशाम्य भक्तिप्रवणः प्रह्लाद इदमब्रवीत् ॥ ५ ॥

labdha-prasādaṁ nirmuktaṁ pautraṁ vaṁśa-dharaṁ balim niśāmya bhakti-pravaṇaḥ prahrāda idam abravīt

When Prahlada, overflowing with devotion, heard that his grandson and heir Bali had received the Lord's grace and been released from bondage, he spoke as follows.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.8.23.6)

श्रीप्रह्लाद उवाच नेमं विरिञ्चो लभते प्रसादं न श्रीर्न शर्वः किमुतापरेऽन्ये । यन्नोऽसुराणामसि दुर्गपालो विश्वाभिवन्द्यैरभिवन्दिताङ्घ्रिः ॥ ६ ॥

śrī-prahrāda uvāca nemaṁ viriñco labhate prasādaṁ na śrīr na śarvaḥ kim utāpare ’nye yan no ’surāṇām asi durga-pālo viśvābhivandyair abhivanditāṅghriḥ

Shri Prahlada said: This grace was granted neither to Brahma, nor to Shri, nor even to Shiva — what then to speak of others — that You should become the guardian of us asuras, You whose feet are worshipped even by Brahma and Shiva, who are themselves worshipped by all the worlds.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.8.23.7)

यत्पादपद्ममकरन्दनिषेवणेन ब्रह्मादयः शरणदाश्नुवते विभूतीः । कस्माद् वयं कुसृतयः खलयोनयस्ते दाक्षिण्यदृष्टिपदवीं भवतः प्रणीताः ॥ ७ ॥

yat-pāda-padma-makaranda-niṣevaṇena brahmādayaḥ śaraṇadāśnuvate vibhūtīḥ kasmād vayaṁ kusṛtayaḥ khala-yonayas te dākṣiṇya-dṛṣṭi-padavīṁ bhavataḥ praṇītāḥ

O giver of shelter, by tasting whose lotus-feet's honey Brahma and the other great ones win their own glories — we, so crooked in our ways, born of a wicked lineage, how have we too been brought within reach of that kindly, gracious glance of Yours?

Verse 8 (bhagavata.8.23.8)

चित्रं तवेहितमहोऽमितयोगमाया- लीलाविसृष्टभुवनस्य विशारदस्य । सर्वात्मनः समदृशोऽविषमः स्वभावो भक्तप्रियो यदसि कल्पतरुस्वभावः ॥ ८ ॥

citraṁ tavehitam aho ’mita-yoga-māyā- līlā-visṛṣṭa-bhuvanasya viśāradasya sarvātmanaḥ samadṛśo ’viṣamaḥ svabhāvo bhakta-priyo yad asi kalpataru-svabhāvaḥ

Ah, how wondrous are Your ways! By the play of Your boundless yogamaya You have brought forth all these worlds; all-knowing, the Self of all, and equal-eyed toward every being, Your nature knows no partiality — and yet You are ever tender toward Your devotees, for Your very nature is that of the wish-granting tree.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.8.23.9)

श्रीभगवानुवाच वत्स प्रह्लाद भद्रं ते प्रयाहि सुतलालयम् । मोदमानः स्वपौत्रेण ज्ञातीनां सुखमावह ॥ ९ ॥

śrī-bhagavān uvāca vatsa prahrāda bhadraṁ te prayāhi sutalālayam modamānaḥ sva-pautreṇa jñātīnāṁ sukham āvaha

Shri Bhagavan said: My dear son Prahlada, all good fortune be with you; now go to the abode of Sutala, and, rejoicing with your grandson, bring happiness to your kin.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.8.23.10)

नित्यं द्रष्टासि मां तत्र गदापाणिमवस्थितम् । मद्दर्शनमहाह्लादध्वस्तकर्मनिबन्धनः ॥ १० ॥

nityaṁ draṣṭāsi māṁ tatra gadā-pāṇim avasthitam mad-darśana-mahāhlāda- dhvasta-karma-nibandhanaḥ

There you shall see Me constantly, standing before you, mace in hand; and through the supreme joy of that vision, every bond of karma shall be utterly destroyed for you.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.8.23.11)

श्रीशुक उवाच आज्ञां भगवतो राजन्प्रह्लादो बलिना सह । बाढमित्यमलप्रज्ञो मूर्ध्न्याधाय कृताञ्जलिः ॥ ११ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca ājñāṁ bhagavato rājan prahrādo balinā saha bāḍham ity amala-prajño mūrdhny ādhāya kṛtāñjaliḥ

Shukadeva Gosvami said: O King, Prahlada, of unclouded understanding, received this command of Bhagavan upon his own head, saying, 'So be it,' and, with folded hands, together with Bali,

Verse 12 (bhagavata.8.23.12)

परिक्रम्यादिपुरुषं सर्वासुरचमूपतिः । प्रणतस्तदनुज्ञातः प्रविवेश महाबिलम् ॥ १२ ॥

parikramyādi-puruṣaṁ sarvāsura-camūpatiḥ praṇatas tad-anujñātaḥ praviveśa mahā-bilam

circled that primeval Person, and, lord of all the commanders of the asuras, bowed before Him, and, with His leave, entered that vast subterranean realm.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.8.23.13)

अथाहोशनसं राजन्हरिर्नारायणोऽन्तिके । आसीनमृत्विजां मध्ये सदसि ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ १३ ॥

athāhośanasaṁ rājan harir nārāyaṇo ’ntike āsīnam ṛtvijāṁ madhye sadasi brahma-vādinām

O King, thereupon Hari Narayana spoke to Ushanas Shukracharya, who sat nearby in that assembly of Vedic priests devoted to Brahman.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.8.23.14)

ब्रह्मन् सन्तनु शिष्यस्य कर्मच्छिद्रं वितन्वतः । यत् तत् कर्मसु वैषम्यं ब्रह्मदृष्टं समं भवेत् ॥ १४ ॥

brahman santanu śiṣyasya karma-cchidraṁ vitanvataḥ yat tat karmasu vaiṣamyaṁ brahma-dṛṣṭaṁ samaṁ bhavet

'O brahmana, tell Me whatever flaw remains in your disciple's performance of the sacrifice — for any irregularity, once examined by the eyes of the brahmanas, is made whole again.'

Verse 15 (bhagavata.8.23.15)

श्रीशुक्र उवाच कुतस्तत्कर्मवैषम्यं यस्य कर्मेश्वरो भवान् । यज्ञेशो यज्ञपुरुषः सर्वभावेन पूजितः ॥ १५ ॥

śrī-śukra uvāca kutas tat-karma-vaiṣamyaṁ yasya karmeśvaro bhavān yajñeśo yajña-puruṣaḥ sarva-bhāvena pūjitaḥ

Shri Shukracharya said: Where can any irregularity possibly arise in the sacrifice of one whose sacrifice was ruled over by You Yourself — You who, as the Lord and Person of sacrifice, were worshipped with the whole of his heart?

Verse 16 (bhagavata.8.23.16)

मन्त्रतस्तन्त्रतश्छिद्रं देशकालार्हवस्तुतः । सर्वं करोति निश्छिद्रमनुसङ्कीर्तनं तव ॥ १६ ॥

mantratas tantrataś chidraṁ deśa-kālārha-vastutaḥ sarvaṁ karoti niśchidram anusaṅkīrtanaṁ tava

Whatever flaw may occur in the mantras, in the procedure, or in matters of place, time, recipient, or offering — all of it is made wholly faultless by the ceaseless chanting of Your name.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.8.23.17)

तथापि वदतो भूमन् करिष्याम्यनुशासनम् । एतच्छ्रेयः परं पुंसां यत् तवाज्ञानुपालनम् ॥ १७ ॥

tathāpi vadato bhūman kariṣyāmy anuśāsanam etac chreyaḥ paraṁ puṁsāṁ yat tavājñānupālanam

Even so, O Lord, since You have spoken, I shall carry out this correction — for to obey Your command is itself the highest good for any person.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.8.23.18)

श्रीशुक उवाच प्रतिनन्द्य हरेराज्ञामुशना भगवानिति । यज्ञच्छिद्रं समाधत्त बलेर्विप्रर्षिभिः सह ॥ १८ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca pratinandya harer ājñām uśanā bhagavān iti yajña-cchidraṁ samādhatta baler viprarṣibhiḥ saha

Shukadeva Gosvami said: Thus honoring Hari's command, the mighty Shukracharya, together with the learned brahmanas, set right the discrepancies in Bali's sacrifice.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.8.23.19)

एवं बलेर्महीं राजन् भिक्षित्वा वामनो हरिः । ददौ भ्रात्रे महेन्द्राय त्रिदिवं यत्परैर्हृतम् ॥ १९ ॥

evaṁ baler mahīṁ rājan bhikṣitvā vāmano hariḥ dadau bhrātre mahendrāya tridivaṁ yat parair hṛtam

O King, having thus begged the land from Bali, Hari as Vamana gave back to His brother Mahendra that heavenly realm which the enemy had seized from him.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.8.23.20)

प्रजापतिपतिर्ब्रह्मा देवर्षिपितृभूमिपैः । दक्षभृग्वङ्गिरोमुख्यैः कुमारेण भवेन च ॥ २० ॥

prajāpati-patir brahmā devarṣi-pitṛ-bhūmipaiḥ dakṣa-bhṛgv-aṅgiro-mukhyaiḥ kumāreṇa bhavena ca

Brahma, lord of the Prajapatis, together with the gods, the sages, the ancestral spirits, the Manus, chief among them Daksha, Bhrigu and Angira, along with Kartikeya and Shiva,

Verse 21 (bhagavata.8.23.21)

कश्यपस्यादितेः प्रीत्यै सर्वभूतभवाय च । लोकानां लोकपालानामकरोद् वामनं पतिम् ॥ २१ ॥

kaśyapasyāditeḥ prītyai sarva-bhūta-bhavāya ca lokānāṁ loka-pālānām akarod vāmanaṁ patim

made Vamanadeva the master of all the worlds and their guardians, for the joy of Kashyapa and Aditi and for the well-being of every living being.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.8.23.22)

वेदानां सर्वदेवानां धर्मस्य यशसः श्रियः । मङ्गलानां व्रतानां च कल्पं स्वर्गापवर्गयोः ॥ २२ ॥

vedānāṁ sarva-devānāṁ dharmasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ maṅgalānāṁ vratānāṁ ca kalpaṁ svargāpavargayoḥ

As the most fitting protector of the Vedas, of all the gods, of dharma, of fame, of fortune, of every auspicious thing, of vows, and of both heaven and liberation,

Verse 23 (bhagavata.8.23.23)

उपेन्द्रं कल्पयांचक्रे पतिं सर्वविभूतये । तदा सर्वाणि भूतानि भृशं मुमुदिरे नृप ॥ २३ ॥

upendraṁ kalpayāṁ cakre patiṁ sarva-vibhūtaye tadā sarvāṇi bhūtāni bhṛśaṁ mumudire nṛpa

they established Upendra as the lord of all majesty; O King, at that moment every living being rejoiced greatly.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.8.23.24)

ततस्त्विन्द्रः पुरस्कृत्य देवयानेन वामनम् । लोकपालैर्दिवं निन्ये ब्रह्मणा चानुमोदितः ॥ २४ ॥

tatas tv indraḥ puraskṛtya deva-yānena vāmanam loka-pālair divaṁ ninye brahmaṇā cānumoditaḥ

Then Indra, placing Vamanadeva foremost, together with the guardians of the worlds and with Brahma's approval, bore Him up to heaven in the celestial chariot of the gods.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.8.23.25)

प्राप्य त्रिभुवनं चेन्द्र उपेन्द्रभुजपालितः । श्रिया परमया जुष्टो मुमुदे गतसाध्वसः ॥ २५ ॥

prāpya tri-bhuvanaṁ cendra upendra-bhuja-pālitaḥ śriyā paramayā juṣṭo mumude gata-sādhvasaḥ

Sheltered by the arms of Upendra, Indra regained the three worlds and, endowed once more with supreme fortune, rejoiced, all his fear now gone.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.8.23.26)

ब्रह्मा शर्वः कुमारश्च भृग्वाद्या मुनयो नृप । पितरः सर्वभूतानि सिद्धा वैमानिकाश्च ये ॥ २६ ॥

brahmā śarvaḥ kumāraś ca bhṛgv-ādyā munayo nṛpa pitaraḥ sarva-bhūtāni siddhā vaimānikāś ca ye

O King, Brahma, Shiva, Kartikeya, the sages headed by Bhrigu, the ancestral spirits, every being present, the Siddhas, and the sky-faring gods —

Verse 27 (bhagavata.8.23.27)

सुमहत् कर्म तद् विष्णोर्गायन्तः परमद्भुतम् । धिष्ण्यानि स्वानि ते जग्मुरदितिं च शशंसिरे ॥ २७ ॥

sumahat karma tad viṣṇor gāyantaḥ param adbhutam dhiṣṇyāni svāni te jagmur aditiṁ ca śaśaṁsire

all singing that supremely wondrous and mighty deed of Vishnu, returned to their own realms, praising Aditi as well as they went.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.8.23.28)

सर्वमेतन्मयाख्यातं भवतः कुलनन्दन । उरुक्रमस्य चरितं श्रोतृणामघमोचनम् ॥ २८ ॥

sarvam etan mayākhyātaṁ bhavataḥ kula-nandana urukramasya caritaṁ śrotṝṇām agha-mocanam

O joy of your dynasty, I have now told you the entire story of the far-striding Bhagavan — the very hearing of which destroys every sin of the listener.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.8.23.29)

पारं महिम्न उरुविक्रमतो गृणानो यः पार्थिवानि विममे स रजांसि मर्त्यः । किं जायमान उत जात उपैति मर्त्य इत्याह मन्त्रदृगृषिः पुरुषस्य यस्य ॥ २९ ॥

pāraṁ mahimna uruvikramato gṛṇāno yaḥ pārthivāni vimame sa rajāṁsi martyaḥ kiṁ jāyamāna uta jāta upaiti martya ity āha mantra-dṛg ṛṣiḥ puruṣasya yasya

The mortal who could measure the full extent of that far-striding Lord's glory could equally count every atom of this earth — so the mantra-seeing sage declared of that Person, whether of one already born or yet to be born.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.8.23.30)

य इदं देवदेवस्य हरेरद्भुतकर्मणः । अवतारानुचरितं शृण्वन् याति परां गतिम् ॥ ३० ॥

ya idaṁ deva-devasya harer adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ avatārānucaritaṁ śṛṇvan yāti parāṁ gatim

Whoever hears this account of the wondrous deeds of Hari, the God of gods, in this His descent, attains the supreme destination.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.8.23.31)

क्रियमाणे कर्मणीदं दैवे पित्र्येऽथ मानुषे । यत्र यत्रानुकीर्त्येत तत् तेषां सुकृतं विदुः ॥ ३१ ॥

kriyamāṇe karmaṇīdaṁ daive pitrye ’tha mānuṣe yatra yatrānukīrtyeta tat teṣāṁ sukṛtaṁ viduḥ

Whenever and wherever this is recited — in a rite performed for the gods, for the ancestors, or for any human occasion — that act should be known as most auspicious for all involved.