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2024-03-28, 11:30 PM |
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Chapter
15: Bali
Mahârâja Conquers the Heavenly Places
(1-2) The king said: 'Why did the Lord, the
Controller of all living beings, like a poor man beg Bali for three
steps of land and why did He fetter him notwithstanding his donation? We very much would like to understand all this begging of the Controller who is so
complete in Himself and the arrest of Bali in spite of his innocence.'
(3) S'rî S'uka said: 'Bali
being defeated by Indra and deprived of his opulence and his life [see 8.11], was resuscitated by the followers of
Bhrigu [S'ukrâcârya and his pupils]. He [then] as a
great soul and disciple proved his respect for them by offering in full surrender everything he had. (4)
The brahmin followers of Bhrigu who enjoyed
a great authority, very pleased with him who wanted to conquer the
heavenly places [of Indra] engaged him in a sacrifice called Vis'vajit.
For that purpose they first according
to the regulations subjected him to a great purification ritual [abhisheka].
(5) From
the blazing fire that was worshiped with oblations of ghee, a brilliant
chariot appeared drawn by horses with the same color as those of Indra
[yellow]. It was covered with gold and silk and was adorned with a
banner marked with a lion. (6) There was a special gilded bow, two quivers
with an inexhaustible supply of arrows and a celestial armor. His
grandfather [Prahlâda] donated a garland of never fading flowers
and S'ukrâcârya gave him a conch shell. (7) After
he on the advice of the brahmins had performed the ritual and thus by their grace had obtained the fighting gear, he circumambulated
the scholars, offered his
obeisances and with due respect
bade Prahlâda
Mahârâja farewell. (8-9) Next having ascended
the divine chariot that was donated by
S'ukrâcârya, the great charioteer, decorated with his
garland, covered
by his armor and equipped with his bow, took up a sword and quiver of
arrows. With his golden bangles on his arms and the rings in his ears
that glittered with their sapphires, he from his elevated position on
the
chariot
shone like the fire of worship on an altar. (10-11) Surrounded by his men and the
other Daitya leaders equal
to him in opulence, strength and beauty, they seemed to drink in the
sky and burn the directions with their looks. Having gathered the
greatest Asura warriors they went to the supremely wealthy capital of
Indra, making the earth tremble
under their feet.
(12) That
place was most agreeable
with orchards and gardens - like the beautiful Nandana garden - full of
pairs of chirping birds, madly humming bees and eternal trees
with branches overladen with leaves, flowers and fruits. (13) They were crowded with groups of swans,
cranes, cakravâka birds, ducks, lotus flowers and beautiful,
sporting women protected by the godly ones. (14)
The ever worshipable river goddess surrounded the city with trenches
filled
with celestial
Ganges water outside of the parapeted ramparts in the color of fire. (15) The gates that gave access to the city made
of marble, the doors [of the houses] covered by golden plates and the
many, carefully
laid out public
roads, were all constructed
by
Vis'vakarmâ. (16) It was
replete with assembly houses, courtyards, roads, and countless opulent
palaces. The crossroads were constructed with natural stone and had
sitting places
adorned with pillars and coral. (17) In
that city one found the most
beautiful, ever young women glittering like the flames of a fire, who cool, warm, round
breasted and well
decorated,
always
wore
impeccably clean clothes. (18)
The breezes blowing in the streets carried the fragrance of the fresh
aromatic flowers that had slipped down from the hair of the demigod
women.
(19) The
divine sweethearts
passed on the streets through the white fragrant smoke of
the aguru incense that was burned behind the windows with golden
filigree. (20) There
were
canopies strewn with pearls and gold, a variety of flags that adorned
the domes of the palaces and peacocks, pigeons and bees that vibrated
their sounds. The women in their heavenly buildings sang thereto in
chorus about their happiness. (21) The city with all its brilliance so
beautiful and pleasing with all the singing of the Gandharvas, the solo
instruments, the dancing and the sounds of flutes, vînâs,
drums, conch shells and kettledrums all perfectly in tune, defeated the
splendor of beauty personified. (22)
No
godless people roamed the streets there, no one was envious or of
violence against other creatures, no one cheated and no one was of
false prestige, lust or greed. All who moved around there were
completely free from all of that.
(23) And
it was that city of God that from the outside on all sides was
attacked by him, the commander of the troops provided by
S'ukrâcârya, who loudly resounding his conch shell created
fear among all the ladies protected by Indra.
(24) Indra facing the situation understood Bali's
fervent zeal and addressed with
the following words the spiritual
master [Brihaspati] in the
company of the godly ones: (25) 'Oh
my lord, who gave Bali, our enemy from the past, the great fervor and
prowess I am afraid we are unable to withstand? (26) There is no one to
be found who can counter
this [opposition of Bali]. It is as if he, having risen like the fire at the end of time, with his mouth wants to
drink in and lick up the whole world and with his vision wants to set
ablaze all directions. (27) Please tell us,
what is the cause of the formidable prowess of our enemy and from where
does he derive his energy, strength, grip and zeal?'
(28) Brihaspati said: 'Oh Indra, I know how
your enemy could rise against you. He derives his power from being a
disciple of the
mighty brahmins who are the followers of Bhrigu. (29) Being that powerful this strong man cannot
be defeated by someone like you or by anyone belonging to you. Except
for
the Supreme Controller, the Lord, no one will be able to vanquish him
now that he is endowed with a superior spiritual strength. To oppose
him is
just as useless as to oppose the lord of death. (30) You
must therefore all give up your place in the
heavenly kingdom, leave and go elsewhere to await the time your enemy
has
to face his reverse. (31) He who now is
so
utterly mighty, arising by the brahminical power invested in him,
will by insulting the same power find his demise together with all his
friends and helpers.'
(32) Thus being advised by their spiritual master
on what
they had to do, they who were
the gods who could assume any form they liked, gave up their heavenly kingdom and departed. (33) When
the
gods thus had left, Bali, the son of Virocana, took hold of the
city where the residents of heaven had their stay and brought the three
worlds
under his control. (34) Because he was their disciple the followers of Bhrigu,
who
were very pleased
with the conqueror of the universe, told him to devote himself to a hundred [as'vamedha]
horse
sacrifices. (35) From
performing
those sacrifices his fame spread in all directions of the
three worlds so that he shone with a glory equal to that of the moon.
(36)
From winning
the favor of the twice-born ones he, in enjoying an
opulence and prosperity like that
of the
demigods, deemed himself most happy with all that he
had conceived and done so greatly.'
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