Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 08 Chapter 20 Purports - Bali Maharaja Surrenders the Universe
From Vaniquotes
Pages in category "Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 08 Chapter 20 Purports - Bali Maharaja Surrenders the Universe"
The following 111 pages are in this category, out of 111 total.
A
- A devotee is determined to serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead to His full satisfaction. Anything that hampers such determination should certainly be rejected. This is the principle of bhakti. Anukulyasya sankalpah pratikulyasya varjanam
- A scholarly brahmana expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaisnava, but a person born in a family of a lower caste can become a spiritual master if is a Vaisnava - Padma Purana
- A Vaisnava automatically acquires all the qualities of a brahmana
- A Vaisnava should possess the brahminical qualities such as satya, sama, dama, titiksa and arjava (BG 18.42)
- Although the Supreme Lord is situated in the core of everyone's heart, unless one is a Vaisnava, unless one is engaged in bhakti, one does not get sound advice by which to return home, back to Godhead. Such instructions are meant only for devotees
- Anyone cared for by Lord Visnu does not need to care about anyone else
- Anyone who is supposed to be a guru but who goes against the principle of visnu-bhakti cannot be accepted as guru
- Arjavam - simplicity or freedom from duplicity - is a qualification of a brahmana and a Vaisnava
- As stated by Lord Siva: Although in the Vedas there are recommendations for worshiping many demigods, Lord Visnu is the Supreme Person, and worship of Visnu is the ultimate goal of life
- As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gita (BG 10.10) To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me
- As stated in Bhagavad-gita 17.20 - That gift which is given out of duty, at the proper time and place, to a worthy person, and without expectation of return is considered to be charity in the mode of goodness
B
- Bali decided not to follow his spiritual master's instruction that he deny his promise to Vamanadeva; instead, he decided to give the land according to the promise and be everlastingly celebrated as one of the twelve mahajanas (balir vaiyasakir vayam)
- Bali Maharaja cited the tangible examples of Maharaja Sibi and Maharaja Dadhici, who had given up their lives for the benefit of the general public
- Bali Maharaja decided that even though he would become poverty-stricken by giving everything to Vamanadeva, this is what he would prefer
- Bali Maharaja decided that such hindrances (Sukracharya's putting forward a material argument to hamper this process of devotional service) should certainly be avoided
- Bali Maharaja defied the order of his so-called spiritual master
- Bali Maharaja had already been blessed by his grandfather Prahlada Maharaja. Therefore, he was a pure devotee, although born in a family of demons
- Bali Maharaja had confidentially decided to give the gift to Lord Vamanadeva without discussion, but because such a decision would hurt the hearts of the asuras and his spiritual master, Sukracarya, he spoke equivocally
- Bali Maharaja had the opportunity to contribute everything he possessed to the lotus feet of Lord Vamanadeva, but Sukracarya was putting forward a material argument to hamper this process of devotional service
- Bali Maharaja regularly maintained devotion for the Lord, and because he was purified, the Lord appeared before him
- Bali Maharaja wanted to give charity to Vamanadeva, but the Lord expanded His body in such a way that He showed Bali Maharaja that everything in the universe is already in His body
- Bali Maharaja was prepared to give everything to Lord Visnu, and Sukracarya, being a professional priest, might have been anxiously waiting, doubting whether there had been any such instance in history in which one had given everything in charity
- Bali Maharaja's grave answer (the principle of religion that does not hinder one's economic development, sense gratification, fame and means of livelihood is the real occupational duty of the householder) to Sukracarya is meaningful
- Bali Maharaja's statement that Visnu would lie down having been killed is not the direct meaning, for Visnu cannot be killed by anyone
- Bali Maharaja, as a pure devotee, had already decided to give all the land to Lord Visnu
- Bali thought that there would be no fault if he disobeyed the order of his spiritual master. He deliberated on this point - should he refuse to accept the advice of his spiritual master, or should he independently do everything to please the SPG?
- Bali, by the grace of Prahlada Maharaja, got the seed of devotional service, and when that seed developed, he achieved the ultimate fruit of that service, namely love of Godhead (prema pum-artho mahan), immediately upon the appearance of Lord Vamanadeva
- Bali, having been perfectly educated in bhakti by his grandfather Prahlada, knew how things are to be done. He was never to be misguided by anyone, even by a person who happened to be his so-called spiritual master. This is the sign of full surrender
- Because he (Bali) was so learned, he could disobey the order of his so-called spiritual master
- Because of unalloyed love for the Lord, he (Bali) then immediately decided, "I shall give this little dwarf brahmana whatever He asks from me." This is a sign of love
- Because the Lord kicked a hole in the covering of the universe, the water of the Ganges came into this material world to deliver all the fallen souls
- Bhaktivinoda Thakura said: When one surrenders to Lord Visnu, one must be prepared to abide by His orders in all circumstances, whether He kills one or gives one protection. Lord Visnu must be worshiped in all circumstances
C
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms this favor (the special mercy of both guru and Krsna awards the perfection of pure devotional service): guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija - CC Madhya 19.151
- Canakya says, ayusah ksana eko 'pi na labhya svarna-kotibhih. The duration of one's life is extremely short, but if in that short lifetime one can do something that enhances his good reputation, that may continue to exist for many millions of years
- Certainly one has attachment for everything material, especially one's land, but land and other possessions are forcibly taken away at the time of death, as stated in Bhagavad-gita - mrtyuh sarva-haras caham (BG 10.34)
H
- He (Bali) decided immediately to reject the advice of Sukracarya and go on with his duty. Thus he gave all his possessions to Lord Vamanadeva
- He (Bali) had no fear of any condition of material existence
- Here, Bali Maharaja was the seer of the Personality of Godhead's universal body, and that body was that which was seen
I
- If a benevolent and merciful person exhibits his pride in becoming poverty-stricken by giving his possessions in charity for good causes, his poverty is a welcome and auspicious sign of a great personality
- If a religious principle does not affect one's material condition, it is to be accepted. At the present time, in this age of Kali, this idea is extremely prominent
- If Lord Visnu as He is had come to Bali Maharaja and asked him to do something, Bali Maharaja certainly would not have refused His request
- If one accepts a poverty-stricken position because of losing money in business, gambling, prostitution or intoxication, no one will praise him, but if one becomes so by giving all of his possessions in charity, he becomes adored all over the world
- If one has falsely accepted such a guru (who goes against the principle of visnu-bhakti), one should reject him. Such a guru is described in Mahabharata Udyoga 179.25
- If one regularly executes such devotional service (regular execution of the regulative principles mentioned in the sastras, as ordered and directed by the spiritual master), he will certainly attain perfection in due course of time
- In Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, BG 10.8 - Krsna is the origin of everything. BG 7.19 - Krsna is everything. BG 9.4 - everything rests in the body of the Lord, yet the Lord is not everywhere
- In other words, if a devotee becomes very opulent, it is to be understood that his opulence is a gift of the SPG. Such opulence will never be vanquished, whereas the opulence achieved by one's fruitive activity may be vanquished at any moment
- In this regard, the example is given that when one's face is decorated with a garland and sandalwood pulp, the reflection of one's face in a mirror automatically becomes beautiful
- It is said that in Kali-yuga lying is a common affair: mayaiva vyavaharike. Even in the most common dealings, people are accustomed to speaking so many lies
- It is the duty of such a sober personality as Bali Maharaja to abide by the orders of his spiritual master immediately, as his spiritual master had advised
L
M
- Many ksatriyas have laid down their lives on the battlefield for their nations, but hardly a person can be found who has given up all his property and his accumulated wealth in charity to a person worthy of the gift
- Mayavadi philosophers think that since the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, has become everything, He has no separate existence. Their philosophy is called advaita-vada. Actually, however, their philosophy is not correct
N
- No one is free from the sinful reactions of speaking lies. Under the circumstances, one can just imagine how this has overburdened the earth, and indeed the entire universe
- Nondevotees, cannot see the Lord face to face; to such persons the Lord appears as death and takes away all their possessions by force
- Now Sukracarya has advised Bali Maharaja to deny the promise to Vamanadeva
O
- On the surface of the earth there are many great mountains and oceans that are very heavy, and mother earth has no difficulty carrying them. But she feels very much overburdened when she carries even one person who is a liar
- One may get various opportunities to lay down his life on the battlefield, but such an opportunity (to give the Lord charity) as this is hardly ever obtained
- One might argue, "Since Bali Maharaja promised Vamanadeva only the land occupied by His steps, why did Lord Vamanadeva occupy the sky also?"
- One must ultimately worship Lord Visnu, and for that purpose the varnasrama system organizes society into brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, sudras, brahmacaris, grhasthas, vanaprasthas and sannyasis
S
- Sadhana-siddha refers to one who has become a devotee by regular execution of the regulative principles mentioned in the sastras, as ordered and directed by the spiritual master
- Similarly, when we offer anything with devotion and faith, what we offer does not belong to us, nor does it enrich the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But if one offers whatever he has in his possession, he becomes a recognized devotee
- Since our money and possessions do not last but will somehow or other be taken away, as long as they are in our possession it is better to use them for charity to a noble cause
- Sometimes we see a devotee offering Ganges water to the Ganges. After taking his bath in the Ganges, a devotee takes a palmful of water and offers it back to the Ganges
- Srila Jiva Gosvami has advised that such a useless guru (one who goes against the principle of visnu-bhakti), a family priest acting as guru, should be given up, and that the proper, bona-fide guru should be accepted
- Srila Jiva Gosvami says that the steps include everything, downward and upward. When one stands up, he certainly occupies certain parts of the sky and certain portions of the earth below his feet
- Srila Sanatana Gosvami has therefore compiled Hari-bhakti-vilasa to guide the Vaisnavas, who never follow the smarta-viddhi
- Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks that Bali Maharaja remained silent at a critical point. How could he disobey the instruction of Sukracarya, his spiritual master?
- Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that Bali Maharaja was not pandita-mani, or one who falsely assumes himself learned; rather, he was pandita-manya-jnah, one who is so learned that all other learned persons worship him
- Sukracarya should have encouraged Bali Maharaja to give everything to Lord Visnu. This would have been a sign of love for the Supreme Lord. But he did not do so. On the contrary, he wanted to punish his devoted disciple by cursing him
- Sukracarya stressed that one's material means of livelihood and one's material reputation, sense gratification and economic development must continue properly
- Sukracarya, being a person of this material world, did not know the principles of a devotee
T
- The difference between the behavior of Bali Maharaja and that of his spiritual master, Sukracarya, was that Bali Maharaja had already developed love of Godhead, whereas Sukracarya, being merely a priest of routine rituals, had not
- The goal of life is to become a devotee of Lord Krsna so that one may be freed from the bondage of material existence. The spiritual master helps the disciple attain this stage by developing Krsna consciousness
- The Lord personally appeared to Bali Maharaja to take away everything he had, and thus he was so fortunate that he could see the Lord face to face
- The nails of the Lord pierced through all these layers and made a hole penetrating into the spiritual world. From this hole, the water of the Ganges infiltrated into this material world, and therefore it is said, pada-nakha-nira janita jana-pavana
- The original source of everything is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is our original source also. Therefore when the Supreme Personality of Godhead is decorated, the devotees and all living entities are decorated automatically
- The seer is a part of the whole, but he is not equal to the whole. The part of the whole, the seer, is also one with the whole, but since he is but a part, he cannot be the complete whole at any time
- The study of this universal form begins from the sole. Above the soles are the feet, above the feet are the calves, above the calves are the knees, and above the knees are the thighs
- The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varna and asrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Visnu Purana 3.8.9)
- The universal situation is described herein in regard to the complete constitution of the Lord's gigantic universal form
- The universe is covered by the five material elements (bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham (BG 7.4)). As stated in the sastra, these elements are in layers, each ten times thicker than the previous one
- The Vedic principles of the varnasrama institution are meant to organize society to prepare everyone to worship Lord Visnu
- The word vipra means brahmana, and at the same time confidential
- The yajna-patnis were the wives of ordinary brahmanas engaged in fruitive activities. Although the brahmanas were learned and advanced in Vedic knowledge, they could not get the mercy of Krsna-Balarama, but their wives got complete perfection in bhakti
- There are other devotees, who may not have undergone all the required details of devotional service but who, by the special mercy of guru and Krsna - the spiritual master and the SPOG - have immediately attained the perfection of pure devotional service
- There are two kinds of highly elevated devotees, called sadhana-siddha and krpa-siddha
- There cannot be any duplicity in the character of a Vaisnava
- Therefore in this verse the word daiva-prahitah, "being inspired by the Supreme Lord," is important
- This acintya-bhedabheda - simultaneous oneness and difference - is the perfect philosophy propounded by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
- Thus Bali Maharaja could never be bereft of all opulences. The opulences offered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead are not to be compared to the opulences obtained by karma-kanda
- Thus Bali Maharaja is understood to be one who received the highest perfection of devotional service by special mercy
- Thus charity given in the proper place is called sattvika. And above this charity in goodness is transcendental charity, in which everything is sacrificed for the sake of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- Thus Sukracarya was never inspired by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to develop in devotional service
- Thus the parts of the universal body, one after another, are described herein. The knees are the place of birds, and above that are varieties of air. The birds can fly over the mountains, and above the birds are varieties of air
- Thus the real meaning of the words "lie down" is that Lord Visnu would reside within the core of Bali Maharaja's heart
- Thus there is dvaita-vada; there are always two entities - the seer and the seen
- Thus there was nothing uncommon for the Supreme Personality of Godhead when He occupied the entire sky with His body
- To enjoy a little humor between Himself and His devotee, the Lord covered Himself as a brahmana-brahmacari and thus came to Bali Maharaja to beg for only three feet of land
- To perform devotional service, one must accept only that which is favorable and reject that which is unfavorable
- To see to this (that one's material means of livelihood, material reputation, sense gratification and economic development must continue properly) is the first duty of a man who is a householder, especially one who is interested in material affairs
V
- Vairocani, Bali, received the mercy of Prahlada, and by Prahlada's mercy he also received the mercy of Lord Visnu, who appeared before him as a brahmacari beggar. Thus Bali became a krpa-siddha because of the special mercy of both guru and Krsna
- Vamanadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, had come to Bali Maharaja for alms. How could one get such an opportunity to give charity? Therefore, Bali Maharaja decided without hesitation to give the Lord whatever He wanted
W
- When Bali Maharaja acted with unflinching faith and devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Visnu, this was very much appreciated by all the residents of the higher planetary system
- When one takes a palmful of water from the Ganges, the Ganges does not lose anything, similarly if a devotee offers a palmful of water to the Ganges, the Ganges does not increase. But by such offering, the devotee is celebrated as a devotee of Ganges
- When the Lord's footstep exceeded the height of all the lokas, including Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka, His nails certainly pierced the covering of the universe
- Why should we not part with our possessions and deliver them to Lord Visnu for His satisfaction? Sri Canakya Pandita says in this regard, san-nimitte varam tyago vinase niyate sati (Canakya-sloka 36)