Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 8 - Chapter 23

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 1 Sanskrit: श्रीशुक उवाचइत्युक्तवन्तं पुरुषं पुरातनंमहानुभावोऽखिलसाधुसम्मत: ।बद्धाञ्जलिर्बाष्पकलाकुलेक्षणोभक्त्युत्कलो गद्गदया गिराब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥ ITRANS: śrī-śuka uvācaity uktavantaṁ puruṣaṁ purātanaṁmahānubhāvo ’khila-sādhu-sammataḥbaddhāñjalir bāṣpa-kalākulekṣaṇobhakty-utkalo gadgadayā girābravīt Translation: Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When the supreme, ancient, eternal Personality of Godhead had thus spoken to Bali Mahārāja, who is universally accepted as a pure devotee of the Lord and therefore a great soul, Bali Mahārāja, his eyes filled with tears, his hands folded and his voice faltering in devotional ecstasy, responded as follows....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 2 Sanskrit: श्रीबलिरुवाचअहो प्रणामाय कृत: समुद्यम:प्रपन्नभक्तार्थविधौ समाहित: ।यल्ल‍ोकपालैस्त्वदनुग्रहोऽमरै-रलब्धपूर्वोऽपसदेऽसुरेऽर्पित: ॥ २ ॥ ITRANS: śrī-balir uvācaaho praṇāmāya kṛtaḥ samudyamaḥprapanna-bhaktārtha-vidhau samāhitaḥyal loka-pālais tvad-anugraho ’marairalabdha-pūrvo ’pasade ’sure ’rpitaḥ Translation: Bali Mahārāja 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....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 3 Sanskrit: श्रीशुक उवाचइत्युक्त्वा हरिमानत्य ब्रह्माणं सभवं तत: ।विवेश सुतलं प्रीतो बलिर्मुक्त: सहासुरै: ॥ ३ ॥ ITRANS: śrī-śuka uvācaity uktvā harim ānatyabrahmāṇaṁ sabhavaṁ tataḥviveśa sutalaṁ prītobalir muktaḥ sahāsuraiḥ Translation: Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After speaking in this way, Bali Mahārāja offered his obeisances first to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, and then to Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva. Thus he was released from the bondage of the nāga-pāśa [the ropes of Varuṇa], and in full satisfaction he entered the planet known as Sutala....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 4 Sanskrit: एवमिन्द्राय भगवान् प्रत्यानीय त्रिविष्टपम् ।पूरयित्वादिते: काममशासत् सकलं जगत् ॥ ४ ॥ ITRANS: evam indrāya bhagavānpratyānīya triviṣṭapampūrayitvāditeḥ kāmamaśāsat sakalaṁ jagat 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. Purport:

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 5 Sanskrit: लब्धप्रसादं निर्मुक्तं पौत्रं वंशधरं बलिम् ।निशाम्य भक्तिप्रवण: प्रह्लाद इदमब्रवीत् ॥ ५ ॥ ITRANS: labdha-prasādaṁ nirmuktaṁpautraṁ vaṁśa-dharaṁ balimniśāmya bhakti-pravaṇaḥprahrāda idam abravīt Translation: When Prahlāda Mahārāja heard how Bali Mahārāja, 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. Purport:

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 6 Sanskrit: श्रीप्रह्लाद उवाचनेमं विरिञ्चो लभते प्रसादंन श्रीर्न शर्व: किमुतापरेऽन्ये ।यन्नोऽसुराणामसि दुर्गपालोविश्वाभिवन्द्यैरभिवन्दिताङ्‍‍घ्रि: ॥ ६ ॥ ITRANS: śrī-prahrāda uvācanemaṁ viriñco labhate prasādaṁna śrīr na śarvaḥ kim utāpare ’nyeyan no ’surāṇām asi durga-pāloviśvābhivandyair abhivanditāṅghriḥ Translation: Prahlāda Mahārāja said: O Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are universally worshiped; even Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva worship Your lotus feet. Yet although You are such a great personality, You have kindly promised to protect us, the demons....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 7 Sanskrit: यत्पादपद्ममकरन्दनिषेवणेनब्रह्मादय: शरणदाश्नुवते विभूती: ।कस्माद् वयं कुसृतय: खलयोनयस्तेदाक्षिण्यद‍ृष्टिपदवीं भवत: प्रणीता: ॥ ७ ॥ ITRANS: yat-pāda-padma-makaranda-niṣevaṇenabrahmādayaḥ śaraṇadāśnuvate vibhūtīḥkasmād vayaṁ kusṛtayaḥ khala-yonayas tedākṣiṇya-dṛṣṭi-padavīṁ bhavataḥ praṇītāḥ Translation: O supreme shelter of everyone, great personalities like Brahmā 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?...

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 8 Sanskrit: चित्रं तवेहितमहोऽमितयोगमाया-लीलाविसृष्टभुवनस्य विशारदस्य ।सर्वात्मन: समद‍ृशोऽविषम: स्वभावोभक्तप्रियो यदसि कल्पतरुस्वभाव: ॥ ८ ॥ ITRANS: citraṁ tavehitam aho ’mita-yoga-māyā-līlā-visṛṣṭa-bhuvanasya viśāradasyasarvātmanaḥ samadṛśo ’viṣamaḥ svabhāvobhakta-priyo yad asi kalpataru-svabhāvaḥ 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....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 9 Sanskrit: श्रीभगवानुवाचवत्स प्रह्लाद भद्रं ते प्रयाहि सुतलालयम् ।मोदमान: स्वपौत्रेण ज्ञातीनां सुखमावह ॥ ९ ॥ ITRANS: śrī-bhagavān uvācavatsa prahrāda bhadraṁ teprayāhi sutalālayammodamānaḥ sva-pautreṇajñātīnāṁ sukham āvaha Translation: The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear son Prahlāda, 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....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 10 Sanskrit: नित्यं द्रष्टासि मां तत्र गदापाणिमवस्थितम् ।मद्दर्शनमहाह्लादध्वस्तकर्मनिबन्धन: ॥ १० ॥ ITRANS: nityaṁ draṣṭāsi māṁ tatragadā-pāṇim avasthitammad-darśana-mahāhlāda-dhvasta-karma-nibandhanaḥ Translation: The Supreme Personality of Godhead assured Prahlāda Mahārāja: 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....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 13 Sanskrit: अथाहोशनसं राजन्हरिर्नारायणोऽन्तिके ।आसीनमृत्विजां मध्ये सदसि ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ १३ ॥ ITRANS: athāhośanasaṁ rājanharir nārāyaṇo ’ntikeāsīnam ṛtvijāṁ madhyesadasi brahma-vādinām Translation: Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, thereafter addressed Śukrācārya, who was sitting nearby in the midst of the assembly with the priests [brahma, hotā, udgātā and adhvaryu]. O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, these priests were all brahma-vādīs, followers of the Vedic principles for performing sacrifices....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 14 Sanskrit: ब्रह्मन् सन्तनु शिष्यस्य कर्मच्छिद्रं वितन्वत: ।यत् तत् कर्मसु वैषम्यं ब्रह्मद‍ृष्टं समं भवेत् ॥ १४ ॥ ITRANS: brahman santanu śiṣyasyakarma-cchidraṁ vitanvataḥyat tat karmasu vaiṣamyaṁbrahma-dṛṣṭaṁ samaṁ bhavet Translation: O best of the brāhmaṇas, Śukrācārya, please describe the fault or discrepancy in your disciple Bali Mahārāja, who engaged in performing sacrifices. This fault will be nullified when judged in the presence of qualified brāhmaṇas....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 15 Sanskrit: श्रीशुक्र उवाचकुतस्तत्कर्मवैषम्यं यस्य कर्मेश्वरो भवान् ।यज्ञेशो यज्ञपुरुष: सर्वभावेन पूजित: ॥ १५ ॥ ITRANS: śrī-śukra uvācakutas tat-karma-vaiṣamyaṁyasya karmeśvaro bhavānyajñeśo yajña-puruṣaḥsarva-bhāvena pūjitaḥ Translation: Śukrācārya said: My Lord, You are the enjoyer and lawgiver in all performances of sacrifice, and You are the yajña-puruṣa, 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?...

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 16 Sanskrit: मन्त्रतस्तन्त्रतश्छिद्रं देशकालार्हवस्तुत: ।सर्वं करोति निश्छिद्रमनुसङ्कीर्तनं तव ॥ १६ ॥ ITRANS: mantratas tantrataś chidraṁdeśa-kālārha-vastutaḥsarvaṁ karoti niśchidramanusaṅkīrtanaṁ tava Translation: There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the regulative principles, and, moreover, there may be discrepancies in regard to time, place, person and paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship’s holy name is chanted, everything becomes faultless. Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended: “In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord....

Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8 - Chapter 1 - Verse 17 Sanskrit: तथापि वदतो भूमन् करिष्याम्यनुशासनम् ।एतच्छ्रेय: परं पुंसां यत् तवाज्ञानुपालनम् ॥ १७ ॥ ITRANS: tathāpi vadato bhūmankariṣyāmy anuśāsanametac chreyaḥ paraṁ puṁsāṁyat tavājñānupālanam Translation: Lord Viṣṇu, I must nonetheless act in obedience to Your order because obeying Your order is most auspicious and is the first duty of everyone. Purport: