SB 5.24.18 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

ततोऽधस्तात्सुतले उदारश्रवा: पुण्यश्लोको विरोचनात्मजो बलिर्भगवता महेन्द्रस्य प्रियं चिकीर्षमाणेनादितेर्लब्धकायो भूत्वा वटुवामनरूपेण पराक्षिप्तलोकत्रयो भगवदनुकम्पयैव पुन: प्रवेशित इन्द्रादिष्वविद्यमानया सुसमृद्धया श्रियाभिजुष्ट: स्वधर्मेणाराधयंस्तमेव भगवन्तमाराधनीयमपगतसाध्वस आस्तेऽधुनापि ॥ १८ ॥

Verse text

tato ’dhastāt sutale udāra-śravāḥ puṇya-śloko virocanātmajo balir bhagavatā mahendrasya priyaṁ cikīrṣamāṇenāditer labdha-kāyo bhūtvā vaṭu-vāmana-rūpeṇa parākṣipta-loka-trayo bhagavad-anukampayaiva punaḥ praveśita indrādiṣv avidyamānayā susamṛddhayā śriyābhijuṣṭaḥ sva-dharmeṇārādhayaṁs tam eva bhagavantam ārādhanīyam apagata-sādhvasa āste ’dhunāpi.

Synonyms

tataḥ adhastāt — beneath the planet known as Vitala ; sutale — on the planet known as Sutala ; udāra — śravāḥ — very greatly celebrated ; puṇya — ślokaḥ — very pious and advanced in spiritual consciousness ; virocana — ātmajaḥ — the son of Virocana ; baliḥ — Bali Mahārāja ; bhagavatā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; mahā — indrasya — of the King of heaven, Indra ; priyam — the welfare ; cikīrṣamāṇena — desiring to perform ; āditeḥ — from Aditi ; labdha — kāyaḥ — having obtained His body ; bhūtvā — appearing ; vaṭu — brahmacāri ; vāmana — rūpeṇa — in the form of a dwarf ; parākṣipta — wrested away ; loka — trayaḥ — the three worlds ; bhagavat — anukampayā — by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; eva — certainly ; punaḥ — again ; praveśitaḥ — caused to enter ; indra — ādiṣu — even among the demigods like the King of heaven ; avidyamānayā — not existing ; susamṛddhayā — much enriched by such exalted opulence ; śriyā — by good fortune ; abhijuṣṭaḥ — being blessed ; sva — dharmeṇa — by discharging devotional service ; ārādhayan — worshiping ; tam — Him ; eva — certainly ; bhagavantam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; ārādhanīyam — who is most worshipable ; apagata — sādhvasaḥ — without fear ; āste — remains ; adhunā api — even today .

Translation

Below the planet Vitala is another planet, known as Sutala, where the great son of Mahārāja Virocana, Bali Mahārāja, who is celebrated as the most pious king, resides even now. For the welfare of Indra, the King of heaven, Lord Viṣṇu appeared in the form of a dwarf brahmacārī as the son of Aditi and tricked Bali Mahārāja by begging for only three paces of land but taking all the three worlds. Being very pleased with Bali Mahārāja for giving all his possessions, the Lord returned his kingdom and made him richer than the opulent King Indra. Even now, Bali Mahārāja engages in devotional service by worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the planet of Sutala.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Below the planet Vitala, on Sutala, the son of Mahārāja Virocana, Bali Mahārāja, who is famous and praised by verses, resides even now. He was cheated of the three worlds by the Lord, who, desiring to please Indra, appeared in the form of Vāmana, born from Aditi. Reinstated by the Lord’s mercy on Sutala and blessed with wealth not possessed even by Indra, he worships with fearless heart the Lord who is most worthy of worship. Bali has much fame (udāra-śravāḥ) and verses of praise (puṇya-ślokaḥ). He was reinstated on Sutala-loka.

Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described as Uttamaśloka, “He who is worshiped by the best of selected Sanskrit verses,” and His devotees such as Bali Mahārāja are also worshiped by puṇya-śloka, verses that increase one’s piety. Bali Mahārāja offered everything to the Lord — his wealth, his kingdom and even his own body ( sarvātma-nivedane baliḥ ). The Lord appeared before Bali Mahārāja as a brāhmaṇa beggar, and Bali Mahārāja gave Him everything he had. However, Bali Mahārāja did not become poor; by donating all his possessions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he became a successful devotee and got everything back again with the blessings of the Lord. Similarly, those who give contributions to expand the activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and to accomplish its objectives will never be losers; they will get their wealth back with the blessings of Lord Kṛṣṇa. On the other side, those who collect contributions on behalf of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness should be very careful not to use even a farthing of the collection for any purpose other than the transcendental loving service of the Lord.