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युधिष्ठिर उवाच॥
Yudhiṣṭhira said.
यया बुद्ध्या महीपालो भ्रष्टश्रीर्विचरेन्महीम्। कालदण्डविनिष्पिष्टस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह ॥१२-२१६-१॥
O grandsire, tell me by what wisdom a king, deprived of his fortune and crushed by the rod of Time, should conduct himself on earth.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। वासवस्य च संवादं बलेर्वैरोचनस्य च ॥१२-२१६-२॥
Here too, an ancient story is told: the conversation between Vāsava (Indra) and Bali, son of Virochana.
पितामहमुपागत्य प्रणिपत्य कृताञ्जलिः। सर्वानेवासुराञ्जित्वा बलिं पप्रच्छ वासवः ॥१२-२१६-३॥
Vāsava (Indra), after approaching his grandfather, bowing with joined palms, and conquering all the asuras, asked for tribute.
यस्य स्म ददतो वित्तं न कदाचन हीयते। तं बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रह्मन्नाचक्ष्व मे बलिम् ॥१२-२१६-४॥
O Brahman, tell me of that offering whose giver's wealth is never diminished; I do not obtain such an offering.
स एव ह्यस्तमयते स स्म विद्योतते दिशः। स वर्षति स्म वर्षाणि यथाकालमतन्द्रितः ॥ तं बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रह्मन्नाचक्ष्व मे बलिम् ॥१२-२१६-५॥
He alone sets, he alone shines in all directions. He alone sends the rains at the proper time, tirelessly. That offering I do not obtain, O Brahman; tell me about the offering.
स वायुर्वरुणश्चैव स रविः स च चन्द्रमाः। सोऽग्निस्तपति भूतानि पृथिवी च भवत्युत ॥ तं बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रह्मन्नाचक्ष्व मे बलिम् ॥१२-२१६-६॥
He is the wind, Varuṇa, the sun, and the moon; he is fire, he burns all beings, and he also becomes the earth. I do not obtain that offering, O Brahman; tell me about the offering.
ब्रह्मोवाच॥
Brahmā said.
नैतत्ते साधु मघवन्यदेतदनुपृच्छसि। पृष्टस्तु नानृतं ब्रूयात्तस्माद्वक्ष्यामि ते बलिम् ॥१२-२१६-७॥
O Maghavan, this is not proper for you to ask. But when asked, one should not speak falsehood; therefore, I shall tell you about the offering.
उष्ट्रेषु यदि वा गोषु खरेष्वश्वेषु वा पुनः। वरिष्ठो भविता जन्तुः शून्यागारे शचीपते ॥१२-२१६-८॥
O Indra, lord of Śacī, whether among camels, cows, donkeys, or horses, or again in an empty house, the most excellent creature will arise.
शक्र उवाच॥
Indra said.
यदि स्म बलिना ब्रह्मञ्शून्यागारे समेयिवान्। हन्यामेनं न वा हन्यां तद्ब्रह्मन्ननुशाधि माम् ॥१२-२१६-९॥
O Brahman, if I were to meet the strong one in an empty house, should I kill him or not? Please instruct me on this, O Brahman.
ब्रह्मोवाच॥
Brahmā said.
मा स्म शक्र बलिं हिंसीर्न बलिर्वधमर्हति। न्यायांस्तु शक्र प्रष्टव्यस्त्वया वासव काम्यया ॥१२-२१६-१०॥
O Śakra, do not harm Bali; Bali does not deserve to be killed. Instead, O Śakra, you should question him by just means, O Vāsava, if you desire.
भीष्म उवाच॥
Bhīṣma said.
एवमुक्तो भगवता महेन्द्रः पृथिवीं तदा। चचारैरावतस्कन्धमधिरुह्य श्रिया वृतः ॥१२-२१६-११॥
Thus, when addressed by the venerable one, Mahendra mounted the shoulder of Airāvata and moved over the earth, surrounded by splendor.
ततो ददर्श स बलिं खरवेषेण संवृतम्। यथाख्यातं भगवता शून्यागारकृतालयम् ॥१२-२१६-१२॥
Then he saw Bali, disguised as an ass, just as the Lord had declared, dwelling in a deserted house.
शक्र उवाच॥
Indra said.
खरयोनिमनुप्राप्तस्तुषभक्षोऽसि दानव। इयं ते योनिरधमा शोचस्याहो न शोचसि ॥१२-२१६-१३॥
O demon, you have been born from a donkey and eat only chaff. This is your most degraded birth. Alas, you lament, but you do not truly grieve.
अदृष्टं बत पश्यामि द्विषतां वशमागतम्। श्रिया विहीनं मित्रैश्च भ्रष्टवीर्यपराक्रमम् ॥१२-२१६-१४॥
Indeed, I see the unseen fate: fallen under the control of enemies, deprived of fortune, abandoned by friends, and bereft of strength and valor.
यत्तद्यानसहस्रेण ज्ञातिभिः परिवारितः। लोकान्प्रतापयन्सर्वान्यास्यस्मानवितर्कयन् ॥१२-२१६-१५॥
That vehicle, surrounded by a thousand kinsmen, shining upon all worlds, will go without considering us.
त्वन्मुखाश्चैव दैतेया व्यतिष्ठंस्तव शासने। अकृष्टपच्या पृथिवी तवैश्वर्ये बभूव ह ॥ इदं च तेऽद्य व्यसनं शोचस्याहो न शोचसि ॥१२-२१६-१६॥
Even the Daityas, under your leadership, stood obedient to your rule. The earth, naturally fertile, flourished under your sovereignty. Yet today, you grieve this misfortune—oh, do you not grieve?
यदातिष्ठः समुद्रस्य पूर्वकूले विलेलिहन्। ज्ञातिभ्यो विभजन्वित्तं तदासीत्ते मनः कथम् ॥१२-२१६-१७॥
When you stood on the eastern shore of the ocean, distributing wealth among your relatives, what was your state of mind then?
यत्ते सहस्रसमिता ननृतुर्देवयोषितः। बहूनि वर्षपूगानि विहारे दीप्यतः श्रिया ॥१२-२१६-१८॥
For many groups of years, thousands of divine women danced for you in enjoyment, shining with splendor.
सर्वाः पुष्करमालिन्यः सर्वाः काञ्चनसप्रभाः। कथमद्य तदा चैव मनस्ते दानवेश्वर ॥१२-२१६-१९॥
All are adorned with lotus garlands and all shine with golden radiance. O lord of the Dānavas, how is your mind today and at that time?
छत्रं तवासीत्सुमहत्सौवर्णं मणिभूषितम्। ननृतुर्यत्र गन्धर्वाः षट्सहस्राणि सप्तधा ॥१२-२१६-२०॥
Your umbrella was exceedingly large, made of gold, and decorated with gems. There, six thousand Gandharvas danced in seven groups.
यूपस्तवासीत्सुमहान्यजतः सर्वकाञ्चनः। यत्राददः सहस्राणामयुतानि गवां दश ॥१२-२१६-२१॥
Your sacrificial post was very great and made entirely of gold, O sacrificer. There, you gave away ten times ten thousand cows.
यदा तु पृथिवीं सर्वां यजमानोऽनुपर्ययाः। शम्याक्षेपेण विधिना तदासीत्किं नु ते हृदि ॥१२-२१६-२२॥
But when the sacrificer circumambulated the entire earth with the wooden peg according to the prescribed rule, what, indeed, was in your heart at that time?
न ते पश्यामि भृङ्गारं न छत्रं व्यजनं न च। ब्रह्मदत्तां च ते मालां न पश्याम्यसुराधिप ॥१२-२१६-२३॥
O lord of asuras, I do not see your cosmetic box, nor your parasol or fan; nor do I see the garland given by Brahmā that was yours.
बलिरुवाच॥
Bali said.
न त्वं पश्यसि भृङ्गारं न छत्रं व्यजनं न च। ब्रह्मदत्तां च मे मालां न त्वं द्रक्ष्यसि वासव ॥१२-२१६-२४॥
You will not see the cosmetic box, nor the parasol or the fan; and you will not see my garland given by Brahmadatta, O Indra.
गुहायां निहितानि त्वं मम रत्नानि पृच्छसि। यदा मे भविता कालस्तदा त्वं तानि द्रक्ष्यसि ॥१२-२१६-२५॥
You ask me about the jewels I have hidden in the cave. When the time comes for me, then you will see them.
न त्वेतदनुरूपं ते यशसो वा कुलस्य वा। समृद्धार्थोऽसमृद्धार्थं यन्मां कत्थितुमिच्छसि ॥१२-२१६-२६॥
But this conduct does not befit you, your fame, or your family, that you, being prosperous, wish to boast about me, who is not prosperous.
न हि दुःखेषु शोचन्ति न प्रहृष्यन्ति चर्द्धिषु। कृतप्रज्ञा ज्ञानतृप्ताः क्षान्ताः सन्तो मनीषिणः ॥१२-२१६-२७॥
Truly, those whose wisdom is firm, who are content with knowledge, patient, virtuous, and wise, neither grieve in sorrow nor exult in prosperity.
त्वं तु प्राकृतया बुद्ध्या पुरंदर विकत्थसे। यदाहमिव भावी त्वं तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि ॥१२-२१६-२८॥
But you, O Purandara, boast with an ordinary intellect. When you become like me, then you will not speak in this way.
