Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Twenty-three
The Demigods Regain the Heavenly Planets
SB8.23Summary
This chapter describes how Bali Maharaja, along with his grandfather Prahlada Maharaja, entered the planet Sutala and how the Supreme Personality of Godhead allowed Indra to reenter the heavenly planet.
The great soul Bali Maharaja experienced that the highest gain in life is to attain devotional service under the shelter of the Lord’s lotus feet in full surrender. Being fixed in this conclusion, his heart full of ecstatic devotion and his eyes full of tears, he offered obeisances to the Personality of Godhead and then, with his associates, entered the planet known as Sutala. Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead satisfied the desire of Aditi and reinstalled Lord Indra. Prahlada Maharaja, being aware of Bali’s release from arrest, then described the transcendental pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in this material world. Prahlada Maharaja praised the Supreme Lord for creating the material world, for being equal to everyone and for being extremely liberal to the devotees, just like a desire tree. Indeed, Prahlada Maharaja said that the Lord is kind not only to His devotees but also to the demons. In this way he described the unlimited causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then, with folded hands, he offered his respectful obeisances unto the Lord, and after circumambulating the Lord he also entered the planet Sutala in accordance with the Lord’s order. The Lord then ordered Sukracarya to describe Bali Maharaja’s faults and discrepancies in executing the sacrificial ceremony. Sukracarya became free from fruitive actions by chanting the holy name of the Lord, and he explained how chanting can diminish all the faults of the conditioned soul. He then completed Bali Maharaja’s sacrificial ceremony. All the great saintly persons accepted Lord Vamanadeva as the benefactor of Lord Indra because He had returned Indra to his heavenly planet. They accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the maintainer of all the affairs of the universe. Being very happy, Indra, along with his associates, placed Vamanadeva before him and reentered the heavenly planet in their airplane. Having seen the wonderful activities of Lord Visnu in the sacrificial arena of Bali Maharaja, all the demigods, saintly persons, Pitas, Bhutas and Siddhas glorified the Lord again and again. The chapter concludes by saying that the most auspicious function of the conditioned soul is to chant and hear about the glorious activities of Lord Visnu. SB8.23.1 TEXT 1 sri-suka uvaca ity uktavantam purusam puratanam mahanubhavo ’khila-sadhu-sammatah baddhanjalir baspa-kalakuleksano bhakty-utkalo gadgadaya girabravit SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti—thus; uktavantam—upon the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; purusam—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puratanam—the oldest of everyone; maha-anubhavah—Bali Maharaja, who was a great and exalted soul; akhila-sadhu-sammatah—as approved by all saintly persons; baddha-anjalih—with folded hands; baspa-kala-akula-iksanah—whose eyes were filled with tears; bhakti-utkalah—full of ecstatic devotion; gadgadaya—which were faltering in devotional ecstasy; gira—by such words; abravit—said. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: When the supreme, ancient, eternal Personality of Godhead had thus spoken to Bali Maharaja, who is universally accepted as a pure devotee of the Lord and therefore a great soul, Bali Maharaja, his eyes filled with tears, his hands folded and his voice faltering in devotional ecstasy, responded as follows. SB8.23.2 TEXT 2 sri-balir uvaca aho pranamaya krtah samudyamah prapanna-bhaktartha-vidhau samahitah yal loka-palais tvad-anugraho ’marair alabdha-purvo ’pasade ’sure ’rpitah SYNONYMS sri-balih uvaca—Bali Maharaja said; aho—alas; pranamaya—to offer my respectful obeisances; krtah—I did; samudyamah—only an endeavor; prapanna-bhakta-artha-vidhau—in the regulative principles observed by pure devotees; samahitah—is capable; yat—that; loka-palaih—by the leaders of various planets; tvat-anugrahah—Your causeless mercy; amaraih—by the demigods; alabdha-purvah—not achieved previously; apasade—unto a fallen person like me; asure—belonging to the asura community; arpitah—endowed. TRANSLATION Bali Maharaja said: What a wonderful effect there is in even attempting to offer respectful obeisances to You! I merely endeavored to offer You obeisances, but nonetheless the attempt was as successful as those of pure devotees. The causeless mercy You have shown to me, a fallen demon, was never achieved even by the demigods or the leaders of the various planets. PURPORT When Vamanadeva appeared before Bali Maharaja, Bali Maharaja immediately wanted to offer Him respectful obeisances, but he was unable to do so because of the presence of Sukracarya and other demoniac associates. The Lord is so merciful, however, that although Bali Maharaja did not actually offer obeisances but only endeavored to do so within his mind, the Supreme Personality of Godhead blessed him with more mercy than even the demigods could ever expect. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (2.40), svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: “Even a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.” The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as bhava-grahi janardana because He takes only the essence of a devotee’s attitude. If a devotee sincerely surrenders, the Lord, as the Supersoul in everyone’s heart, immediately understands this. Thus even though, externally, a devotee may not render full service, if he is internally sincere and serious the Lord welcomes his service nonetheless. Thus the Lord is known as bhava-grahi janardana because He takes the essence of one’s devotional mentality. SB8.23.3 TEXT 3 sri-suka uvaca ity uktva harim anatya brahmanam sabhavam tatah vivesa sutalam prito balir muktah sahasuraih SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; iti uktva—saying this; harim—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari; anatya—offering obeisances; brahmanam—unto Lord Brahma; sa-bhavam—with Lord Siva; tatah—thereafter; vivesa—he entered; sutalam—the planet Sutala; pritah—being fully satisfied; balih—Bali Maharaja; muktah—thus released; saha asuraih—with his asura associates. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami continued: After speaking in this way, Bali Maharaja offered his obeisances first to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and then to Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. Thus he was released from the bondage of the naga-pasa [the ropes of Varuna], and in full satisfaction he entered the planet known as Sutala. SB8.23.4 TEXT 4 evam indraya bhagavan pratyaniya trivistapam purayitvaditeh kamam asasat sakalam jagat SYNONYMS evam—in this way; indraya—unto King Indra; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; pratyaniya—giving back; tri-vistapam—his supremacy in the heavenly planets; purayitva—fulfilling; aditeh—of Aditi; kamam—the desire; asasat—ruled; sakalam—complete; jagat—universe. TRANSLATION Thus having delivered the proprietorship of the heavenly planets to Indra and having fulfilled the desire of Aditi, mother of the demigods, the Supreme Personality of Godhead ruled the affairs of the universe. SB8.23.5 TEXT 5 labdha-prasadam nirmuktam pautram vamsa-dharam balim nisamya bhakti-pravanah prahrada idam abravit SYNONYMS labdha-prasadam—who had achieved the blessings of the Lord; nirmuktam—who was released from bondage; pautram—his grandson; vamsa-dharam—the descendant; balim—Bali Maharaja; nisamya—after overhearing; bhakti-pravanah—in fully ecstatic devotion; prahradah—Prahlada Maharaja; idam—this; abravit—spoke. TRANSLATION When Prahlada Maharaja heard how Bali Maharaja, his grandson and descendant, had been released from bondage and had achieved the benediction of the Lord, he spoke as follows in a tone of greatly ecstatic devotion. SB8.23.6 TEXT 6 sri-prahrada uvaca nemam virinco labhate prasadam na srir na sarvah kim utapare ’nye yan no ’suranam asi durga-palo visvabhivandyair abhivanditanghrih SYNONYMS sri-prahradah uvaca—Prahlada Maharaja said; na—not; imam—this; virincah—even Lord Brahma; labhate—can achieve; prasadam—benediction; na—nor; srih—the goddess of fortune; na—nor; sarvah—Lord Siva; kim uta—what to speak of; apare anye—others; yat—which benediction; nah—of us; asuranam—the demons; asi—You have become; durga-palah—the maintainer; visva-abhivandyaih—by personalities like Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, who are worshiped all over the universe; abhivandita-anghrih—whose lotus feet are worshiped. TRANSLATION Prahlada Maharaja said: O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are universally worshiped; even Lord Brahma and Lord Siva worship Your lotus feet. Yet although You are such a great personality, You have kindly promised to protect us, the demons. I think that such kindness has never been achieved even by Lord Brahma, Lord Siva or the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, what to speak of other demigods or common people. PURPORT The word durga-pala is significant. The word durga means “that which does not go very easily.” Generally durga refers to a fort, which one cannot very easily enter. Another meaning of durga is “difficulty.” Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead promised to protect Bali Maharaja and his associates from all dangers, He is addressed here as durga-pala, the Lord who gives protection from all miserable conditions. SB8.23.7 TEXT 7 yat-pada-padma-makaranda-nisevanena brahmadayah saranadasnuvate vibhutih kasmad vayam kusrtayah khala-yonayas te daksinya-drsti-padavim bhavatah pranitah SYNONYMS yat—of whom; pada-padma—of the lotus flower of the feet; makaranda—of the honey; nisevanena—by tasting the sweetness of rendering service; brahma-adayah—great personalities like Lord Brahma; sarana-da—O my Lord, supreme shelter of everyone; asnuvate—enjoy; vibhutih—benedictions given by You; kasmat—how; vayam—we; ku-srtayah—all the rogues and thieves; khala-yonayah—born of an envious dynasty, namely that of the demons; te—those asuras; daksinya-drsti-padavim—the position bestowed by the merciful glance; bhavatah—of Your Lordship; pranitah—have achieved. TRANSLATION O supreme shelter of everyone, great personalities like Brahma enjoy their perfection simply by tasting the honey of rendering service at Your lotus feet. But as for us, who are all rogues and debauchees born of an envious family of demons, how have we received Your mercy? It has been possible only because Your mercy is causeless. SB8.23.8 TEXT 8 citram tavehitam aho ’mita-yogamaya- lila-visrsta-bhuvanasya visaradasya sarvatmanah samadrso ’visamah svabhavo bhakta-priyo yad asi kalpataru-svabhavah SYNONYMS citram—very wonderful; tava ihitam—all Your activities; aho—alas; amita—unlimited; yogamaya—of Your spiritual potency; lila—by the pastimes; visrsta-bhuvanasya—of Your Lordship, by whom all the universes have been created; visaradasya—of Your Lordship, who are expert in all respects; sarva-atmanah—of Your Lordship, who pervade all; sama-drsah—and who are equal toward all; avisamah—without differentiation; svabhavah—that is Your characteristic; bhakta-priyah—under the circumstances You become favorable to the devotees; yat—because; asi—You are; kalpataru-svabhavah—having the characteristic of a desire tree. TRANSLATION O my Lord, Your pastimes are all wonderfully performed by Your inconceivable spiritual energy; and by her perverted reflection, the material energy, You have created all the universes. As the Supersoul of all living entities, You are aware of everything, and therefore You are certainly equal toward everyone. Nonetheless, You favor Your devotees. This is not partiality, however, for Your characteristic is just like that of a desire tree, which yields everything according to one’s desire. PURPORT The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (9.29): samo ’ham sarva-bhutesu “I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.” The Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly equal toward all living entities, but a devotee who fully surrenders at the lotus feet of the Lord is different from a nondevotee. In other words, everyone can take shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord to enjoy equal benedictions from the Lord, but nondevotees do not do so, and therefore they suffer the consequences created by the material energy. We can understand this fact by a simple example. The king or government is equal to all citizens. Therefore, if a citizen capable of receiving special favors from the government is offered such favors, this does not mean that the government is partial. One who knows how to receive favors from the authority can receive them, but one who does not neglects these favors and does not receive them. There are two classes of men—the demons and the demigods. The demigods are fully aware of the Supreme Lord’s position, and therefore they are obedient to Him, but even if demons know about the supremacy of the Lord they purposely defy His authority. Therefore, the Lord makes distinctions according to the mentality of the living being, but otherwise He is equal to everyone. Like a desire tree, the Lord fulfills the desires of one who takes shelter of Him, but one who does not take such shelter is distinct from the surrendered soul. One who takes shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord is favored by the Lord, regardless of whether such a person is a demon or a demigod. SB8.23.9 TEXT 9 sri-bhagavan uvaca vatsa prahrada bhadram te prayahi sutalalayam modamanah sva-pautrena jnatinam sukham avaha SYNONYMS sri-bhagavan uvaca—the Personality of Godhead said; vatsa—O My dear son; prahrada—O Prahlada Maharaja; bhadram te—all auspiciousness unto you; prayahi—please go; sutala-alayam—to the place known as Sutala; modamanah—in a spirit of jubilation; sva-pautrena—with your grandson (Bali Maharaja); jnatinam—of your relatives and friends; sukham—happiness; avaha—just enjoy. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear son Prahlada, all good fortune unto you. For the time being, please go to the place known as Sutala and there enjoy happiness with your grandson and your other relatives and friends. SB8.23.10 TEXT 10 nityam drastasi mam tatra gada-panim avasthitam mad-darsana-mahahlada- dhvasta-karma-nibandhanah SYNONYMS nityam—constantly; drasta—the seer; asi—you shall be; mam—unto Me; tatra—there (in Sutalaloka); gada-panim—with a club in My hand; avasthitam—situated there; mat-darsana—by seeing Me in that form; maha-ahlada—by the great transcendental bliss; dhvasta—having been vanquished; karma-nibandhanah—the bondage of fruitive activities. TRANSLATION The Supreme Personality of Godhead assured Prahlada Maharaja: You shall be able to see Me there in My usual feature with conchshell, disc, club and lotus in My hand. Because of your transcendental bliss due to always personally seeing Me, you will have no further bondage to fruitive activities. PURPORT Karma-bandha, the bondage of fruitive activities, entails the repetition of birth and death. One performs fruitive activities in such a way that he creates another body for his next life. As long as one is attached to fruitive activities, he must accept another material body. This repeated acceptance of material bodies is called samsara-bandhana. To stop this, a devotee is advised to see the Supreme Lord constantly. The kanistha-adhikari, or neophyte devotee, is therefore advised to visit the temple every day and see the form of the Lord regularly. Thus the neophyte devotee can be freed from the bondage of fruitive activities. SB8.23.11-12 TEXTS 11–12 sri-suka uvaca ajnam bhagavato rajan prahrado balina saha badham ity amala-prajno murdhny adhaya krtanjalih parikramyadi-purusam sarvasura-camupatih pranatas tad-anujnatah pravivesa maha-bilam SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca—Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; ajnam—the order; bhagavatah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rajan—O King (Maharaja Pariksit); prahradah—Maharaja Prahlada; balina saha—accompanied by Bali Maharaja; badham—yes, sir, what You say is all right; iti—thus; amala-prajnah—Prahlada Maharaja, who had clear intelligence; murdhni—on his head; adhaya—accepting; krta-anjalih—with folded hands; parikramya—after circumambulating; adi-purusam—the supreme original person, Bhagavan; sarva-asura-camupatih—the master of all the chiefs of the demons; pranatah—after offering obeisances; tat-anujnatah—being permitted by Him (Lord Vamana); pravivesa—entered; maha-bilam—the planet known as Sutala. TRANSLATION Srila Sukadeva Gosvami said: Accompanied by Bali Maharaja, my dear King Pariksit, Prahlada Maharaja, the master of all the chiefs of the demons, took the Supreme Lord’s order on his head with folded hands. After saying yes to the Lord, circumambulating Him and offering Him respectful obeisances, he entered the lower planetary system known as Sutala. SB8.23.13 TEXT 13 athahosanasam rajan harir narayano ’ntike asinam rtvijam madhye sadasi brahma-vadinam SYNONYMS atha—thereafter; aha—said; usanasam—unto Sukracarya; rajan—O King; harih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; narayanah—the Lord; antike—nearby; asinam—who was sitting; rtvijam madhye—in the group of all the priests; sadasi—in the assembly; brahma-vadinam—of the followers of Vedic principles. TRANSLATION Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, thereafter addressed Sukracarya, who was sitting nearby in the midst of the assembly with the priests [brahma, hota, udgata and adhvaryu]. O Maharaja Pariksit, these priests were all brahma-vadis, followers of the Vedic principles for performing sacrifices. SB8.23.14 TEXT 14 brahman santanu sisyasya karma-cchidram vitanvatah yat tat karmasu vaisamyam brahma-drstam samam bhavet SYNONYMS brahman—O brahmana; santanu—please describe; sisyasya—of your disciple; karma-chidram—the discrepancies in the fruitive activities; vitanvatah—of he who was performing sacrifices; yat tat—that which; karmasu—in the fruitive activities; vaisamyam—discrepancy; brahma-drstam—when it is judged by the brahmanas; samam—equipoised; bhavet—it so becomes. TRANSLATION O best of the brahmanas, Sukracarya, please describe the fault or discrepancy in your disciple Bali Maharaja, who engaged in performing sacrifices. This fault will be nullified when judged in the presence of qualified brahmanas. PURPORT When Bali Maharaja and Prahlada Maharaja had departed for the planet Sutala, Lord Visnu asked Sukracarya what the fault was in Bali Maharaja for which Sukracarya had cursed him. It might be argued that since Bali Maharaja had now left the scene, how could his faults be judged? In reply to this, Lord Visnu informed Sukracarya that there was no need for Bali Maharaja’s presence, for his faults and discrepancies could be nullified if judged before the brahmanas. As will be seen in the next verse, Bali Maharaja had no faults; Sukracarya had unnecessarily cursed him. Nonetheless, this was better for Bali Maharaja. Being cursed by Sukracarya, Bali Maharaja was deprived of all his possessions, with the result that the Supreme Personality of Godhead favored him for his strong faith in devotional service. Of course, a devotee is not required to engage in fruitive activities. As stated in the sastra, sarvarhanam acyutejya (Bhag. 4.31.14). By worshiping Acyuta, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one satisfies everyone. Because Bali Maharaja had satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there were no discrepancies in his performance of sacrifices. SB8.23.15 TEXT 15 sri-sukra uvaca kutas tat-karma-vaisamyam yasya karmesvaro bhavan yajneso yajna-purusah sarva-bhavena pujitah SYNONYMS sri-sukrah uvaca—Sri Sukracarya said; kutah—where is that; tat—of him (Bali Maharaja); karma-vaisamyam—discrepancy in discharging fruitive activities; yasya—of whom (Bali Maharaja); karma-isvarah—the master of all fruitive activities; bhavan—Your Lordship; yajna-isah—You are the enjoyer of all sacrifices; yajna-purusah—You are the person for whose pleasure all sacrifices are offered; sarva-bhavena—in all respects; pujitah—having worshiped. TRANSLATION Sukracarya said: My Lord, You are the enjoyer and lawgiver in all performances of sacrifice, and You are the yajna-purusa, the person to whom all sacrifices are offered. If one has fully satisfied You, where is the chance of discrepancies or faults in his performances of sacrifice? PURPORT In Bhagavad-gita (5.29) the Lord says, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram: the Lord, the supreme proprietor, is the actual person to he satisfied by the performance of yajnas. The Visnu Purana (3.8.9) says: varnasramacaravata All the Vedic ritualistic sacrifices are performed for the purpose of satisfying Lord Visnu, the yajna-purusa. The divisions of society—brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa—are all meant to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Visnu. To act according to this principle of the varnasrama institution is called varnasramacarana. In Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.13), Suta Gosvami says: atah pumbhir dvija-srestha “O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging his prescribed duties according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.” Everything is meant to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, since Bali Maharaja had satisfied the Lord, he had no faults, and Sukracarya admitted that cursing him was not good.
na me dvesyo ’sti na priyah
ye bhajanti tu mam bhaktya
mayi te tesu capy aham
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam