Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations
Chapter 21: Bali Mahārāja Arrested by the Lord
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.21.22
balena sacivair buddhyā
durgair mantrauṣadhādibhiḥ
sāmādibhir upāyaiś ca
kālaḿ nātyeti vai janaḥ
SYNONYMS
balena — by material power; sacivaiḥ — by the counsel of ministers; buddhyā — by intelligence; durgaiḥ — by fortresses; mantra-auṣadha-ādibhiḥ — by mystic chanting or the influence of drugs and herbs; sāma-ādibhiḥ — by diplomacy and other such means; upāyaiḥ ca — by similar other attempts; kālam — the time factor, representing the Supreme Lord; na — never; atyeti — can overcome; vai — indeed; janaḥ — any person.
TRANSLATION
No one can surpass the time representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by material power, by the counsel of ministers, by intelligence, by diplomacy, by fortresses, by mystic mantras, by drugs, by herbs or by any other means.
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.21.23
bhavadbhir nirjitā hy ete
bahuśo 'nucarā hareḥ
daivenarddhais ta evādya
yudhi jitvā nadanti naḥ
SYNONYMS
bhavadbhiḥ — by all of you demons; nirjitāḥ — have been defeated; hi — indeed; ete — all these soldiers of the demigods; bahuśaḥ — in great number; anucarāḥ — followers; hareḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; daivena — by providence; ṛddhaiḥ — whose opulence was increased; te — they (the demigods); eva — indeed; adya — today; yudhi — in the fight; jitvā — defeating; nadanti — are vibrating in jubilation; naḥ — us.
TRANSLATION
Previously, being empowered by providence, you defeated a great number of such followers of Lord Viṣṇu. But today those same followers, having defeated us, are roaring in jubilation like lions.
PURPORT
Bhagavad-gītā mentions five causes of defeat or victory. Of these five, daiva (providence) is the most powerful (na ca daivāt paraḿ balam). Bali Mahārāja knew the secret of how he had formerly been victorious because providence was in his favor. Now, since that same providence was not in his favor, there was no possibility of his victory. Thus he very intelligently forbade his associates to fight.
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.21.24
etān vayaḿ vijeṣyāmo
yadi daivaḿ prasīdati
tasmāt kālaḿ pratīkṣadhvaḿ
yo no 'rthatvāya kalpate
SYNONYMS
etān — all these soldiers of the demigods; vayam — we; vijeṣyāmaḥ — shall gain victory over them; yadi — if; daivam — providence; prasīdati — is in favor; tasmāt — therefore; kālam — that favorable time; pratīkṣadhvam — wait until; yaḥ — which; naḥ — our; arthatvāya kalpate — should be considered in our favor.
TRANSLATION
Unless providence is in our favor, we shall not be able to gain victory. Therefore we must wait for that favorable time when our defeating them will be possible.
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.21.25
śrī-śuka uvāca
patyur nigaditaḿ śrutvā
daitya-dānava-yūthapāḥ
rasāḿ nirviviśū rājan
viṣṇu-pārṣada tāḍitāḥ
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; patyuḥ — of their master (Bali Mahārāja); nigaditam — what had been thus described; śrutvā — after hearing; daitya-dānava-yūtha-pāḥ — the leaders of the Daityas and demons; rasām — the lower regions of the universe; nirviviśūḥ — entered; rājan — O King; viṣṇu-pārṣada — by the associates of Lord Viṣṇu; tāḍitāḥ — driven.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: O King, in accordance with the order of their master, Bali Mahārāja, all the chiefs of the demons and the Daityas entered the lower regions of the universe, to which they were driven by the soldiers of Viṣṇu.
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.21.26
atha tārkṣya-suto jñātvā
virāṭ prabhu-cikīrṣitam
babandha vāruṇaiḥ pāśair
baliḿ sūtye 'hani kratau
SYNONYMS
atha — thereafter; tārkṣya-sutaḥ — Garuḍa; jñātvā — knowing; virāṭ — the king of birds; prabhu-cikīrṣitam — the desire of Lord Viṣṇu as Vāmanadeva; babandha — arrested; vāruṇaiḥ — belonging to Varuṇa; pāśai
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