॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Saturday, 11 February 2023 - Srimad Bhagavatam VIII.11 - The Devas are able to vanquish all the great Asuras, one by one. Sage Narada advises them to cease the hostility. Sage Shukra restores Bali back to life.
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Having been graced by the Bhagavan, the gods began fighting the demons again, with renewed energy. King Indra taunted Bali for his magic which was beneath the rules of fair battle. Bali’s reply was epic.
वज्रपाणिस्तमाहेदं तिरस्कृत्य पुरःस्थितम् । मनस्विनं सुसम्पन्नं विचरन्तं महामृधे ॥ ३॥
नटवन्मूढ मायाभिर्मायेशान् नो जिगीषसि । जित्वा बालान् निबद्धाक्षान् नटो हरति तद्धनम् ॥ ४॥
आरुरुक्षन्ति मायाभिरुत्सिसृप्सन्ति ये दिवम् । तान् दस्यून् विधुनोम्यज्ञान् पूर्वस्माच्च पदादधः ॥ ५॥
सोऽहं दुर्मायिनस्तेऽद्य वज्रेण शतपर्वणा । शिरो हरिष्ये मन्दात्मन्घटस्व ज्ञातिभिः सह ॥ ६॥
T: Sober and tolerant and well equipped with weapons, Bali confronted Indra. Raising the Vajra (thunderbolt), Indra rebuked Bali: “Oh fool! Your magic tricks stoop to the level of a roadside magician who cheats children by his deceit and collects their pennies. Your magic is nothing before our powers! It is my occupation to banish such upstarts coveting heaven to the lowest region of creation. Behold as I use this Vajra with a thousand deadly edges to decapitate you. Try and survive with your ilk!”
बलिरुवाच
सङ्ग्रामे वर्तमानानां कालचोदितकर्मणाम् । कीर्तिर्जयोऽजयो मृत्युः सर्वेषां स्युरनुक्रमात् ॥ ७॥
तदिदं कालरशनं जनाः पश्यन्ति सूरयः । न हृष्यन्ति न शोचन्ति तत्र यूयमपण्डिताः ॥ ८॥
न वयं मन्यमानानामात्मानं तत्र साधनम् । गिरो वः साधुशोच्यानां गृह्णीमो मर्मताडनाः ॥ ९॥
T: Bali replied: “All those present on this battlefield are certainly under the influence of eternal Time, and according to their Karmas, shall receive fame, victory, defeat and death, one after another. Seeing the movements of Time, those who are cognizant of the real truth neither rejoice nor lament in different circumstances. Therefore, Indra, it is you who display foolishness as you exult in victory! You gods who think your own selves as achievers of fame and victory receive only pity from the truly learned. We therefore reject your insults!"
Just then, Indra released his Vajra (thunderbolt) against Bali, and Bali fell. Many great heroes from Asuras followed suit as they tried to fight Indra and avenge Bali. But Namuchi was a different cup of tea! He could not be hurt or killed by the Vajra. Then Indra heard an oracle that Namuchi was protected by a boon and that he would not be killed by anything hard or wet. Indra thought deeply, and found a way to kill Nauchi with the foam of the ocean, which is neither solid nor wet!
Thus Indra and the other gods killed many demons. This us described at length.
Then, at the request of Lord Brahma, Narada went to the gods and forbade them to kill any more Asuras.
नारद उवाच
भवद्भिरमृतं प्राप्तं नारायणभुजाश्रयैः ।
श्रिया समेधिताः सर्व उपारमत विग्रहात् ॥
T: The great sage Narada said: “All of you gods are protected by the arms of Narayana, the Bhagavan, and by His grace, you have gotten the Amrutha. By the grace of Sri Devi’s glance, you are glorious in every way. Therefore, be sensible and stop this fighting."
The gods listened to Narada and went to heaven amidst victory celebrations.
Then the surviving Asuras were advised by Sage Narada to carry their King Bali, who was in a precarious condition, to the mountain Ashtagiri. There, on that hill, Shukracharya, the great preceptor of Daityas and a descendant of Sage Bhrigu, brought Bali back to his former glory full of life and energy. He also brought to life all the dead Asura soldiers who had not lost their heads, trunks and limbs. He achieved this through his mastery of the mantra known as Sanjivini.
Sage Vyasa indicates to us how great King Bali was.
बलिश्चोशनसा स्पृष्टः प्रत्यापन्नेन्द्रियस्मृतिः ।
पराजितोऽपि नाखिद्यल्लोकतत्त्वविचक्षणः ॥
T: Thus, fully restored by Sage Shukracharya who was also called Ushanas, by a mere touch, Bali was again fully in possession of all his faculties as well as memory. He had been defeated by Indra but did not lose heart. He had internalised the wise understanding of how the Lord runs this universe. We have already seen him indicating this to Indra before.
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॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
