Chapter 15: Bali Mahārāja Conquers the Heavenly Planets

 

8.15.1-2

śrī-rājovāca

baleḥ pada-trayaḿ bhūmeḥ

kasmād dharir ayācata

bhūteśvaraḥ kṛpaṇa-val

labdhārtho 'pi babandha tam

 

etad veditum icchāmo

mahat kautūhalaḿ hi naḥ

yācñeśvarasya pūrṇasya

bandhanaḿ cāpy anāgasaḥ

 

śrī-rājā uvāca — the King said; baleḥ — of Bali Mahārāja; pada-trayam — three steps; bhūmeḥ — of land; kasmāt — why; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead (in the form of Vāmana); ayācata — begged; bhūta-īśvaraḥ — the proprietor of all the universe; kṛpaṇa-vat — like a poor man; labdha-arthaḥ — He got the gift; api — although; babandha — arrested; tam — him (Bali);

 

etat — all this; veditum — to understand; icchāmaḥ — we desire; mahat — very great; kautūhalam — eagerness; hi — indeed; naḥ — our; yācñā — begging; īśvarasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pūrṇasya — who is full in everything; bandhanam — arresting; ca — also; api — although; anāgasaḥ — of he who was faultless.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the proprietor of everything. Why did He beg three paces of land from Bali Mahārāja like a poor man, and when He got the gift for which He had begged, why did He nonetheless arrest Bali Mahārāja? I am very much anxious to know the mystery of these contradictions.

 

8.15.3

śrī-śuka uvāca

parājita-śrīr asubhiś ca hāpito

hīndreṇa rājan bhṛgubhiḥ sa jīvitaḥ

sarvātmanā tān abhajad bhṛgūn baliḥ

śiṣyo mahātmārtha-nivedanena

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; parājita — being defeated; śrīḥ — opulences; asubhiḥ ca — of life also; hāpitaḥ — deprived; hi — indeed; indreṇa — by King Indra; rājan — O King; bhṛgubhiḥ — by the descendants of Bhṛgu Muni; saḥ — he (Bali Mahārāja); jīvitaḥ — brought back to life; sarva-ātmanā — in full submission; tān — them; abhajat — worshiped; bhṛgūn — the descendants of Bhṛgu Muni; baliḥ — Mahārāja Bali; śiṣyaḥ — a disciple; mahātmā — the great soul; artha-nivedanena — by giving them everything.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, when Bali Mahārāja lost all his opulence and died in the fight, Śukrācārya, a descendant of Bhṛgu Muni, brought him back to life. Because of this, the great soul Bali Mahārāja became a disciple of Śukrācārya and began to serve him with great faith, offering everything he had.

 

8.15.4

taḿ brāhmaṇā bhṛgavaḥ prīyamāṇā

ayājayan viśvajitā tri-ṇākam

jigīṣamāṇaḿ vidhinābhiṣicya

mahābhiṣekeṇa mahānubhāvāḥ

 

tam — upon him (Bali Mahārāja); brāhmaṇāḥ — all the brāhmaṇas; bhṛgavaḥ — the descendants of Bhṛgu Muni; prīyamāṇāḥ — being very pleased; ayājayan — engaged him in performing a sacrifice; viśvajitā — known as Viśvajit; tri-nākam — the heavenly planets; jigīṣamāṇam — desiring to conquer; vidhinā — according to regulative principles; abhiṣicya — after purifying; mahā-abhiṣekeṇa — by bathing him in a great abhiṣeka ceremony; mahā-anubhāvāḥ — the exalted brāhmaṇas.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The brāhmaṇa descendants of Bhṛgu Muni were very pleased with Bali Mahārāja, who desired to conquer the kingdom of Indra. Therefore, after purifying him and properly bathing him according to regulative principles, they engaged him in performing the yajña known as Viśvajit.

 

8.15.5

tato rathaḥ kāñcana-paṭṭa-naddho

hayāś ca haryaśva-turańga-varṇāḥ

dhvajaś ca siḿhena virājamāno

hutāśanād āsa havirbhir iṣṭāt

 

tataḥ — thereafter; rathaḥ — a chariot; kāñcana — with gold; paṭṭa — and silk garments; naddhaḥ — wrapped; hayāḥ ca — horses also; haryaśva-turańga-varṇāḥ — exactly of the same color as the horses of Indra (yellow); dhvajaḥ ca — a flag also; siḿhena — with the mark of a lion; virājamānaḥ — existing; huta-aśanāt — from the blazing fire; āsa — there was; havirbhiḥ — by offerings of clarified butter; iṣṭāt — worshiped.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When ghee [clarified butter] was offered in the fire of sacrifice, there appeared from the fire a celestial chariot covered with gold and silk. There also appeared yellow horses like those of Indra, and a flag marked with a lion.

 

8.15.6

dhanuś ca divyaḿ puraṭopanaddhaḿ

tūṇāv ariktau kavacaḿ ca divyam

pitāmahas tasya dadau ca mālām

amlāna-puṣpāḿ jalajaḿ ca śukraḥ

 

dhanuḥ — a bow; ca — also; divyam — uncommon; puraṭa-upanaddham — covered with gold; tūṇau — two quivers; ariktau — infallible; kavacam ca — and armor; divyam — celestial; pitāmahaḥ tasya — his grandfather, namely Prahlāda Mahārāja; dadau — gave; ca — and; mālām — a garland; amlāna-puṣpām — made of flowers that do not fade away; jala jam — a conchshell (which is born in water); ca — as well as; śukraḥ — Śukrācārya.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A gilded bow, two quivers of infallible arrows, and celestial armor also appeared. Bali Mahārāja's grandfather Prahlāda Mahārāja offered Bali a garland of flowers that would never fade, and Śukrācārya gave him a conchshell.

 

8.15.7

evaḿ sa viprārjita-yodhanārthas

taiḥ kalpita-svastyayano 'tha viprān

pradakṣiṇī-kṛtya kṛta-praṇāmaḥ

prahrādam āmantrya namaś-cakāra

 

evam — in this way; saḥ — he (Bali Mahārāja); vipra-arjita — gained by the grace of the brāhmaṇas; yodhana-arthaḥ — possessing equipment for fighting; taiḥ — by them (the brāhmaṇas); kalpita — advice; svastyayanaḥ — ritualistic performance; atha — as; viprān — all the brāhmaṇas (Śukrācārya and others); pradakṣiṇī-kṛtya — circumambulating; kṛta-praṇāmaḥ — offered his respectful obeisances; prahrādam — unto Prahlāda Mahārāja; āmantrya — addressing; namaḥ-cakāra — offered him obeisances.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When Mahārāja Bali had thus performed the special ritualistic ceremony advised by the brāhmaṇas and had received, by their grace, the equipment for fighting, he circumambulated the brāhmaṇas and offered them obeisances. He also saluted Prahlāda Mahārāja and offered obeisances to him.

 

8.15.8-9

athāruhya rathaḿ divyaḿ

bhṛgu-dattaḿ mahārathaḥ

susrag-dharo 'tha sannahya

dhanvī khaḍgī dhṛteṣudhiḥ

 

hemāńgada-lasad-bāhuḥ

sphuran-makara-kuṇḍalaḥ

rarāja ratham ārūḍho

dhiṣṇya-stha iva havyavāṭ

 

atha — thereupon; āruhya — getting on; ratham — the chariot; divyam — celestial; bhṛgu-dattam — given by Śukrācārya; mahā-rathaḥ — Bali Mahārāja, the great charioteer; su-srak-dharaḥ — decorated with a nice garland; atha — thus; sannahya — covering his body with armor; dhanvī — equipped with a bow; khaḍgī — taking a sword; dhṛta-iṣudhiḥ — taking a quiver of arrows;

 

hema-ańgada-lasat-bāhuḥ — decorated with golden bangles on his arms; sphurat-makara-kuṇḍalaḥ — decorated with brilliant earrings resembling sapphires; rarāja — was illuminating; ratham ārūḍhaḥ — getting on the chariot; dhiṣṇya-sthaḥ — situated on the altar of sacrifice; iva — like; havya-vāṭ — worshipable fire.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Then, after getting on the chariot given by Śukrācārya, Bali Mahārāja, decorated with a nice garland, put protective armor on his body, equipped himself with a bow, and took up a sword and a quiver of arrows. When he sat down on the seat of the chariot, his arms decorated with golden bangles and his ears with sapphire earrings, he shone like a worshipable fire.

 

8.15.10-11

tulyaiśvarya-bala-śrībhiḥ

sva-yūthair daitya-yūthapaiḥ

pibadbhir iva khaḿ dṛgbhir

dahadbhiḥ paridhīn iva

 

vṛto vikarṣan mahatīm

āsurīḿ dhvajinīḿ vibhuḥ

yayāv indra-purīḿ svṛddhāḿ

kampayann iva rodasī

 

tulya-aiśvarya — equal in opulence; bala — strength; śrībhiḥ — and in beauty; sva-yūthaiḥ — by his own men; daitya-yūtha-paiḥ — and by the chiefs of the demons; pibadbhiḥ — drinking; iva — as if; kham — the sky; dṛgbhiḥ — with the sight; dahadbhiḥ — burning; paridhīn — all directions; iva — as if;

 

vṛtaḥ — surrounded; vikarṣan — attracting; mahatīm — very great; āsurīm — demoniac; dhvajinīm — soldiers; vibhuḥ — most powerful; yayau — went; indra-purīm — to the capital of King Indra; su-ṛddhām — very opulent; kampayan — causing to tremble; iva — as if; rodasī — the complete surface of the world.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When he assembled with his own soldiers and the demon chiefs, who were equal to him in strength, opulence and beauty, they appeared as if they would swallow the sky and burn all directions with their vision. After thus gathering the demoniac soldiers, Bali Mahārāja departed for the opulent capital of Indra. Indeed, he seemed to make the entire surface of the world tremble.

 

8.15.12

ramyām upavanodyānaiḥ

śrīmadbhir nandanādibhiḥ

kūjad-vihańga-mithunair

gāyan-matta-madhuvrataiḥ

pravāla-phala-puṣporu-

bhāra-śākhāmara-drumaiḥ

 

ramyām — very pleasing; upavana — with orchards; udyānaiḥ — and gardens; śrīmadbhiḥ — very beautiful to see; nandana-ādibhiḥ — such as Nandana; kūjat — chirping; vihańga — birds; mithunaiḥ — with pairs; gāyat — singing; matta — mad; madhu-vrataiḥ — with bees; pravāla — of leaves; phala-puṣpa — fruits and flowers; uru — very great; bhāra — bearing the weight; śākhā — whose branches; amara-drumaiḥ — with eternal trees.

 

TRANSLATION

 

King Indra's city was full of pleasing orchards and gardens, such as the Nandana garden. Because of the weight of the flowers, leaves and fruit, the branches of the eternally existing trees were bending down. The gardens were visited by pairs of chirping birds and singing bees. The entire atmosphere was celestial.

 

8.15.13

haḿsa-sārasa-cakrāhva-

kāraṇḍava-kulākulāḥ

nalinyo yatra krīḍanti

pramadāḥ sura-sevitāḥ

 

haḿsa — of swans; sārasa — cranes; cakrāhva — birds known as cakravākas; kāraṇḍava — and water fowl; kula — by groups; ākulāḥ — congested; nalinyaḥ — lotus flowers; yatra — where; krīḍanti — enjoyed sporting; pramadāḥ — beautiful women; sura-sevitāḥ — protected by the demigods.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Beautiful women protected by the demigods sported in the gardens, which had lotus ponds full of swans, cranes, cakravākas and ducks.

 

8.15.14

ākāśa-gańgayā devyā

vṛtāḿ parikha-bhūtayā

prākāreṇāgni-varṇena

sāṭṭālenonnatena ca

 

ākāśa-gańgayā — by Ganges water known as Ākāśa-gańgā; devyā — the always-worshipable goddess; vṛtām — surrounded; parikha-bhūtayā — as a trench; prākāreṇa — by ramparts; agni-varṇena — resembling fire; sa-aṭṭālena — with places for fighting; unnatena — very high; ca — and.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The city was surrounded by trenches full of Ganges water, known as Ākāśa-gańgā, and by a high wall, which was the color of fire. Upon this wall were parapets for fighting.

 

8.15.15

rukma-paṭṭa-kapāṭaiś ca

dvāraiḥ sphaṭika-gopuraiḥ

juṣṭāḿ vibhakta-prapathāḿ

viśvakarma-vinirmitām

 

rukma-paṭṭa — possessing plates made of gold; kapāṭaiḥ — the doors of which; ca — and; dvāraiḥ — with entrances; sphaṭika-gopuraiḥ — with gates made of excellent marble; juṣṭām — linked; vibhakta-prapathām — with many different public roads; viśvakarma-vinirmitām — constructed by Viśvakarmā, the heavenly architect.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The doors were made of solid gold plates, and the gates were of excellent marble. These were linked by various public roads. The entire city had been constructed by Viśvakarmā.

 

8.15.16

sabhā-catvara-rathyāḍhyāḿ

vimānair nyarbudair yutām

śṛńgāṭakair maṇimayair

vajra-vidruma-vedibhiḥ

 

sabhā — with assembly houses; catvara — courtyards; rathya — and public roads; āḍhyām — opulent; vimānaiḥ — by airplanes; nyarbudaiḥ — not less than ten crores (one hundred million); yutām — endowed; śṛńga-āṭakaiḥ — with crossroads; maṇi-mayaiḥ — made of pearls; vajra — made of diamonds; vidruma — and coral; vedibhiḥ — with places to sit.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The city was full of courtyards, wide roads, assembly houses, and not less than one hundred million airplanes. The crossroads were made of pearl, and there were sitting places made of diamond and coral.

 

8.15.17

yatra nitya-vayo-rūpāḥ

śyāmā viraja-vāsasaḥ

bhrājante rūpavan-nāryo

hy arcirbhir iva vahnayaḥ

 

yatra — in that city; nitya-vayaḥ-rūpāḥ — who were ever beautiful and young; śyāmāḥ — possessing the quality of śyāmā; viraja-vāsasaḥ — always dressed with clean garments; bhrājante — glitter; rūpa-vat — well decorated; nāryaḥ — women; hi — certainly; arcirbhiḥ — with many flames; iva — like; vahnayaḥ — fires.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Everlastingly beautiful and youthful women, who were dressed with clean garments, glittered in the city like fires with flames. They all possessed the quality of śyāmā.

 

8.15.18

sura-strī-keśa-vibhraṣṭa-

nava-saugandhika-srajām

yatrāmodam upādāya

mārga āvāti mārutaḥ

 

sura-strī — of the women of the demigods; keśa — from the hair; vibhraṣṭa — fallen; nava-saugandhika — made of fresh, fragrant flowers; srajām — of the flower garlands; yatra — wherein; āmodam — the fragrance; upādāya — carrying; mārge — on the roads; āvāti — blows; mārutaḥ — the breeze.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The breezes blowing in the streets of the city bore the fragrance of the flowers falling from the hair of the women of the demigods.

 

8.15.19

hema-jālākṣa-nirgacchad-

dhūmenāguru-gandhinā

pāṇḍureṇa praticchanna-

mārge yānti sura-priyāḥ

 

hema-jāla-akṣa — from dainty little windows made of networks of gold; nirgacchat — emanating; dhūmena — by smoke; aguru-gandhinā — fragrant due to burning incense known as aguru; pāṇḍureṇa — very white; praticchanna — covered; mārge — on the street; yānti — pass; sura-priyāḥ — beautiful public women known as Apsarās, celestial girls.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Apsarās passed on the streets, which were covered with the white, fragrant smoke of aguru incense emanating from windows with golden filigree.

 

8.15.20

muktā-vitānair maṇi-hema-ketubhir

nānā-patākā-valabhībhir āvṛtām

śikhaṇḍi-pārāvata-bhṛńga-nāditāḿ

vaimānika-strī-kala-gīta-mańgalām

 

muktā-vitānaiḥ — by canopies decorated with pearls; maṇi-hema-ketubhiḥ — with flags made with pearls and gold; nānā-patākā — possessing various kinds of flags; valabhībhiḥ — with the domes of the palaces; āvṛtām — covered; śikhaṇḍi — of birds like peacocks; pārāvata — pigeons; bhṛńga — bees; nāditām — vibrated by the respective sounds; vaimānika — getting on airplanes; strī — of women; kala-gīta — from the choral singing; mańgalām — full of auspiciousness.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The city was shaded by canopies decorated with pearls, and the domes of the palaces had flags of pearl and gold. The city always resounded with the vibrations of peacocks, pigeons and bees, and above the city flew airplanes full of beautiful women who constantly chanted auspicious songs that were very pleasing to the ear.

 

8.15.21

mṛdańga-śańkhānaka-dundubhi-svanaiḥ

satāla-vīṇā-murajeṣṭa-veṇubhiḥ

nṛtyaiḥ savādyair upadeva-gītakair

manoramāḿ sva-prabhayā jita-prabhām

 

mṛdańga — of drums; śańkha — conchshells; ānaka-dundubhi — and kettledrums; svanaiḥ — by the sounds; sa-tāla — in perfect tune; vīṇā — a stringed instrument; muraja — a kind of drum; iṣṭa-veṇubhiḥ — accompanied by the very nice sound of the flute; nṛtyaiḥ — with dancing; sa-vādyaiḥ — with concert instruments; upadeva-gītakaiḥ — with singing by the secondary demigods like the Gandharvas; manoramām — beautiful and pleasing; sva-prabhayā — by its own brilliance; jita-prabhām — the personification of beauty was conquered.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The city was filled with the sounds of mṛdańgas, conchshells, kettledrums, flutes and well-tuned stringed instruments all playing in concert. There was constant dancing and the Gandharvas sang. The combined beauty of Indrapurī defeated beauty personified.

 

8.15.22

yāḿ na vrajanty adharmiṣṭhāḥ

khalā bhūta-druhaḥ śaṭhāḥ

māninaḥ kāmino lubdhā

ebhir hīnā vrajanti yat

 

yām — in the streets of the city; na — not; vrajanti — pass; adharmiṣṭhāḥ — irreligious persons; khalāḥ — envious persons; bhūta-druhaḥ — persons violent toward other living entities; śaṭhāḥ — cheaters; māninaḥ — falsely prestigious; kāminaḥ — lusty; lubdhāḥ — greedy; ebhiḥ — these; hīnāḥ — completely devoid of; vrajanti — walk; yat — on the street.

 

TRANSLATION

 

No one who was sinful, envious, violent toward other living entities, cunning, falsely proud, lusty or greedy could enter that city. The people who lived there were all devoid of these faults.

 

8.15.23

tāḿ deva-dhānīḿ sa varūthinī-patir

bahiḥ samantād rurudhe pṛtanyayā

ācārya-dattaḿ jalajaḿ mahā-svanaḿ

dadhmau prayuñjan bhayam indra-yoṣitām

 

tām — that; deva-dhānīm — place where Indra lived; saḥ — he (Bali Mahārāja); varūthinī-patiḥ — the commander of the soldiers; bahiḥ — outside; samantāt — in all directions; rurudhe — attacked; pṛtanyayā — by soldiers; ācārya-dattam — given by Śukrācārya; jala-jam — the conchshell; mahā-svanam — a loud sound; dadhmau — resounded; prayuñjan — creating; bhayam — fear; indra-yoṣitām — of all the ladies protected by Indra.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Bali Mahārāja, who was the commander of numberless soldiers, gathered his soldiers outside this abode of Indra and attacked it from all directions. He sounded the conchshell given him by his spiritual master, Śukrācārya, thus creating a fearful situation for the women protected by Indra.

 

8.15.24

maghavāḿs tam abhipretya

baleḥ paramam udyamam

sarva-deva-gaṇopeto

gurum etad uvāca ha

 

maghavān — Indra; tam — the situation; abhipretya — understanding; baleḥ — of Bali Mahārāja; paramam udyamam — great enthusiasm; sarva-deva-gaṇa — by all the demigods; upetaḥ — accompanied; gurum — unto the spiritual master; etat — the following words; uvāca — said; ha — indeed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Seeing Bali Mahārāja's indefatigable endeavor and understanding his motive, King Indra, along with the other demigods, approached his spiritual master, Bṛhaspati, and spoke as follows.

 

8.15.25

bhagavann udyamo bhūyān

baler naḥ pūrva-vairiṇaḥ

aviṣahyam imaḿ manye

kenāsīt tejasorjitaḥ

 

bhagavan — O my lord; udyamaḥ — enthusiasm; bhūyān — great; baleḥ — of Bali Mahārāja; naḥ — our; pūrva-vairiṇaḥ — past enemy; aviṣahyam — unbearable; imam — this; manye — I think; kena — by whom; āsīt — got; tejasā — prowess; ūrjitaḥ — achieved.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My lord, our old enemy Bali Mahārāja now has new enthusiasm, and he has obtained such astonishing power that we think that perhaps we cannot resist his prowess.

 

8.15.26

nainaḿ kaścit kuto vāpi

prativyoḍhum adhīśvaraḥ

pibann iva mukhenedaḿ

lihann iva diśo daśa

dahann iva diśo dṛgbhiḥ

saḿvartāgnir ivotthitaḥ

 

na — not; enam — this arrangement; kaścit — anyone; kutaḥ — from anywhere; vā api — either; prativyoḍhum — to counteract; adhīśvaraḥ — capable; piban iva — as if drinking; mukhena — by the mouth; idam — this (world); lihan iva — as if licking up; diśaḥ daśa — all ten directions; dahan iva — as if burning; diśaḥ — all directions; dṛgbhiḥ — by his vision; saḿvarta-agniḥ — the fire known as saḿvarta; iva — like; utthitaḥ — now arisen.

 

TRANSLATION

 

No one anywhere can counteract this military arrangement of Bali's. It now appears that Bali is trying to drink up the entire universe with his mouth, lick up the ten directions with his tongue, and raise fire in every direction with his eyes. Indeed, he has arisen like the annihilating fire known as saḿvartaka.

 

8.15.27

brūhi kāraṇam etasya

durdharṣatvasya mad-ripoḥ

ojaḥ saho balaḿ tejo

yata etat samudyamaḥ

 

brūhi — kindly inform us; kāraṇam — the cause; etasya — of all this; durdharṣatvasya — of the formidableness; mat-ripoḥ — of my enemy; ojaḥ — prowess; sahaḥ — energy; balam — strength; tejaḥ — influence; yataḥ — wherefrom; etat — all this; samudyamaḥ — endeavor.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kindly inform me. What is the cause for Bali Mahārāja's strength, endeavor, influence and victory? How has he become so enthusiastic?

 

8.15.28

śrī-gurur uvāca

jānāmi maghavañ chatror

unnater asya kāraṇam

śiṣyāyopabhṛtaḿ tejo

bhṛgubhir brahma-vādibhiḥ

 

śrī-guruḥ uvāca — Bṛhaspati said; jānāmi — I know; maghavan — O Indra; śatroḥ — of the enemy; unnateḥ — of the elevation; asya — of him; kāraṇam — the cause; śiṣyāya — unto the disciple; upabhṛtam — endowed; tejaḥ — power; bhṛgubhiḥ — by the descendants of Bhṛgu; brahma-vādibhiḥ — all-powerful brāhmaṇas.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, said: O Indra, I know the cause for your enemy's becoming so powerful. The brāhmaṇa descendants of Bhṛgu Muni, being pleased by Bali Mahārāja, their disciple, endowed him with such extraordinary power.

 

8.15.29

ojasvinaḿ baliḿ jetuḿ

na samartho 'sti kaścana

bhavad-vidho bhavān vāpi

varjayitveśvaraḿ harim

 

vijeṣyati na ko 'py enaḿ

brahma-tejaḥ-samedhitam

nāsya śaktaḥ puraḥ sthātuḿ

kṛtāntasya yathā janāḥ

 

ojasvinam — so powerful; balim — Bali Mahārāja; jetum — to conquer; na — not; samarthaḥ — able; asti — is; kaścana — anyone; bhavat-vidhaḥ — like you; bhavān — you yourself; vā api — either; varjayitvā — excepting; īśvaram — the supreme controller; harim — the Supreme Personality of Godhead;

 

vijeṣyati — will conquer; na — not; kaḥ api — anyone; enam — him (Bali Mahārāja); brahma-tejaḥ-samedhitam — now empowered with brahma-tejas, extraordinary spiritual power; na — not; asya — of him; śaktaḥ — is able; puraḥ — in front; sthātum — to stay; kṛta-antasya — of Yamarāja; yathā — as; janāḥ — people.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Neither you nor your men can conquer the most powerful Bali. Indeed, no one but the Supreme Personality of Godhead can conquer him, for he is now equipped with the supreme spiritual power [brahma-tejas]. As no one can stand before Yamarāja, no one can now stand before Bali Mahārāja.

 

8.15.30

tasmān nilayam utsṛjya

yūyaḿ sarve tri-viṣṭapam

yāta kālaḿ pratīkṣanto

yataḥ śatror viparyayaḥ

 

tasmāt — therefore; nilayam — not visible; utsṛjya — giving up; yūyam — you; sarve — all; tri-viṣṭapam — the heavenly kingdom; yāta — go somewhere else; kālam — time; pratīkṣantaḥ — waiting for; yataḥ — whereof; śatroḥ — of your enemy; viparyayaḥ — the reverse condition arrives.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore, waiting until the situation of your enemies is reversed, you should all leave this heavenly planet and go elsewhere, where you will not be seen.

 

8.15.31

eṣa vipra-balodarkaḥ

sampraty ūrjita-vikramaḥ

teṣām evāpamānena

sānubandho vinańkṣyati

 

eṣaḥ — this (Bali Mahārāja); vipra-bala-udarkaḥ — flourishing because of the brahminical power invested in him; samprati — at the present moment; ūrjita-vikramaḥ — extremely powerful; teṣām — of the same brāhmaṇas; eva — indeed; apamānena — by insult; sa-anubandhaḥ — with friends and assistants; vinańkṣyati — will be vanquished.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Bali Mahārāja has now become extremely powerful because of the benedictions given him by the brāhmaṇas, but when he later insults the brāhmaṇas, he will be vanquished, along with his friends and assistants.

 

8.15.32

evaḿ sumantritārthās te

guruṇārthānudarśinā

hitvā tri-viṣṭapaḿ jagmur

gīrvāṇāḥ kāma-rūpiṇaḥ

 

evam — thus; su-mantrita — being well advised; arthāḥ — about duties; te — they (the demigods); guruṇā — by their spiritual master; artha-anudarśinā — whose instructions were quite befitting; hitvā — giving up; tri-viṣṭapam — the heavenly kingdom; jagmuḥ — went; gīrvāṇāḥ — the demigods; kāma-rūpiṇaḥ — who could assume any form they liked.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: The demigods, being thus advised by Bṛhaspati for their benefit, immediately accepted his words. Assuming forms according to their desire, they left the heavenly kingdom and scattered, without being observed by the demons.

 

8.15.33

deveṣv atha nilīneṣu

balir vairocanaḥ purīm

deva-dhānīm adhiṣṭhāya

vaśaḿ ninye jagat-trayam

 

deveṣu — all the demigods; atha — in this way; nilīneṣu — when they disappeared; baliḥ — Bali Mahārāja; vairocanaḥ — the son of Virocana; purīm — the heavenly kingdom; deva-dhānīm — the residence of the demigods; adhiṣṭhāya — taking possession of; vaśam — under control; ninye — brought; jagat-trayam — the three worlds.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the demigods had disappeared, Bali Mahārāja, the son of Virocana, entered the heavenly kingdom, and from there he brought the three worlds under his control.

 

8.15.34

taḿ viśva-jayinaḿ śiṣyaḿ

bhṛgavaḥ śiṣya-vatsalāḥ

śatena hayamedhānām

anuvratam ayājayan

 

tam — unto him (Bali Mahārāja); viśva-jayinam — the conqueror of the entire universe; śiṣyam — because of his being a disciple; bhṛgavaḥ — the brāhmaṇas, descendants of Bhṛgu like Śukrācārya; śiṣya-vatsalāḥ — being very pleased with the disciple; śatena — by one hundred; haya-medhānām — sacrifices known as aśvamedha; anuvratam — following the instruction of the brāhmaṇas; ayājayan — caused to execute.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The brāhmaṇa descendants of Bhṛgu, being very pleased with their disciple, who had conquered the entire universe, now engaged him in performing one hundred aśvamedha sacrifices.

 

8.15.35

tatas tad-anubhāvena

bhuvana-traya-viśrutām

kīrtiḿ dikṣu-vitanvānaḥ

sa reja uḍurāḍ iva

 

tataḥ — thereafter; tat-anubhāvena — because of performing such great sacrifices; bhuvana-traya — throughout the three worlds; viśrutām — celebrated; kīrtim — reputation; dikṣu — in all directions; vitanvānaḥ — spreading; saḥ — he (Bali Mahārāja); reje — became effulgent; uḍurāṭ — the moon; iva — like.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When Bali Mahārāja performed these sacrifices, he gained a great reputation in all directions, throughout the three worlds. Thus he shone in his position, like the brilliant moon in the sky.

 

8.15.36

bubhuje ca śriyaḿ svṛddhāḿ

dvija-devopalambhitām

kṛta-kṛtyam ivātmānaḿ

manyamāno mahāmanāḥ

 

bubhuje — enjoyed; ca — also; śriyam — opulence; su-ṛddhām — prosperity; dvija — of the brāhmaṇas; deva — as good as the demigods; upalambhitām — achieved because of the favor; kṛta-kṛtyam — very satisfied by his activities; iva — like that; ātmānam — himself; manyamānaḥ — thinking; mahā-manāḥ — the great-minded.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Because of the favor of the brāhmaṇas, the great soul Bali Mahārāja, thinking himself very satisfied, became very opulent and prosperous and began to enjoy the kingdom.