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[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

艢r墨 艢uka said:

1. The magnanimous Bali who was highly respected by all righteous persons, joined his palms, and with his eyes flowing with tears and throat choked with emotion, submitted in faltering accents to Lord 痴颈峁ａ箛耻, the ancient-most person who addressed him (as reported in the previous chapter).

Bali said:

2.^[1] How wonderful! Even an attempt made to offer you obeisance was efficacious enough to accomplish the blessings coveted by your devotees who resorted to you for protection. This unique Grace has never been obtained by the protectors of the world as well as by gods (who are of 厂腻迟迟惫颈肠 disposition) before. It has been conferred upon a wretched Asura (of a 谤腻箩补蝉颈肠 nature).

艢r墨 艢uka said:

3. Having addressed thus, Bali, bowed down to Lord Hari, god 叠谤补丑尘腻 along with 艢颈惫补. Being free from bondage, Bali was highly pleased and he entered the Sutala region along with his Asuras.

4. Restoring (the kingdom of) the celestial region to Indra in this way, and having thus fulfilled the desire of Aditi, the Lord ruled over the whole of the world;

5. Seeing that his grandson Bali, the scion of his family, freed from bondage and the recipient of the Grace of the Lord, 笔谤补丑濒腻诲补, full of devotion spoke as follows:

笔谤补丑濒腻诲补 said:

6. Neither god 叠谤补丑尘腻, nor goddess 艢r墨 or god 艢颈惫补 ever received such a Grace. How can others (Indra etc.) obtain it? You whose feet are worshipped by persons adored by the world have become the protector of the fortress of us, the Asuras.

7. Oh Lord that affords shelter! 叠谤补丑尘腻 and other celestials have attained greatness (prosperity and power) by virtue of their enjoyment of the honey in the lotuslike feet of yours. (I, however, wonder) why we, of crooked behaviour and belonging to ferocious races, are made the recipients of your gracious look.

8. Oh how miraculous are your acts and behaviour! You have created the worlds as the sportive activity of your inconceivable 测辞驳补-尘腻测腻; you are omniscient, nay the veritable in-dwelling soul of all, and hence, view all equally. Even though you are fond of your devotees, there is no partiality in your nature, you are just like the wish-yielding tree, by nature.

The Lord replied:

9. Child 笔谤补丑濒腻诲补! May you be blessed! Go happily to your residence in Sutala along with your grandson, and enhance the happiness of your kith and kin.

10. You will always see me there standing with a mace in hand, and the bonds of your karmas will be snapped by the highest bliss of seeing me.

艢r墨 艢uka said:

11. 12. With their palms folded and head bowed down, pure-minded 笔谤补丑濒腻诲补, the Supreme Commander of all the Asura forces, along with Bali, respectfully accepted the command of the glorious Lord. Circumambulating the Eternal Person, they bowed again, and with his permission entered the 鈥楪reat cavity鈥� (of Sutala), Oh King.

13. Thereafter, Oh King! Lord 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 whose abode is cosmic waters, and who removes the sins of his votaries, spoke to 艢耻办谤补 who was sitting near, among the sacrificial priests, in that assembly of experts in Vedas.

14. 鈥淥h Brahman! Do you now make up for the interruption and deficiency in the sacrificial act that was being performed by your disciple. Whatever defects remain in religious performances are rectified even by the look of Br膩h- 尘补峁嘺蝉 (much more so if actually performed by them).鈥�

艢耻办谤补 replied:

15. How can there be any deficiency in ritualistic performance, where you, the presiding Lord of all religious acts, the master of sacrifice who confer their fruit on performers, the sacrifice itself incarnate, are worshipped with complete devotion?

16. The recital of Your Name rectified all the defects arising out of (wrong pronunciation and intonation of) mantras (Vedic verses to be chanted at the time of sacrifices), wrong ritualistic procedure, in-opportuneness of time and unsuitability of place or in the provision of materials for sacrifices.^[2]

17. Still, however, as, Oh Mighty Lord, You insist on it, I shall carry out your behest. For what constitutes obedience to your commands, is (in itself) the highest beatitude of human beings.

艢r墨 艢uka said:

18. Gladly accepting Hari鈥檚 mandate, the worshipful sage 艢耻办谤补, with the assistance of other 叠谤腻丑尘补峁嘺 sages, rectified the deficiencies in Bali鈥檚 sacrifice.

19. In this way, having begged the earth (as well as celestial regions) from Bali, Lord Hari disguised as a dwarf, gave back to his brother, the great Indra, the celestial region (as well as the earth) which was usurped from him by his enemies.

20-21. Then for accomplishing the pleasure of 碍补艣测补辫补 and Aditi, and for the well-being of all creatures, god 叠谤补丑尘腻, the head of all the Protectors of the world (笔谤补箩腻辫补迟颈蝉) together with gods, sages, manes and Manu and his sons with 顿补办峁�a, 叠丑峁沢耻, 础峁単颈谤补蝉, as well as with 碍耻尘腻谤补 and god 艢颈惫补, crowned 痴腻尘补苍补 as the King (and protector) of all the worlds, and the guardians of the worlds.

22-23. For the sake of the prosperity of all, god 叠谤补丑尘腻 installed 痴腻尘补苍补, the younger brother of Indra as the protector of all Vedas, gods, dharma (righteousness), glory, affluence, auspicious vows and of the celestial regions as well as of 惭辞办峁�a (Liberation of 厂补峁僺腻谤补). Oh King, all created beings thereby felt extremely delighted.

24. Then with the approval of god 叠谤补丑尘腻, Indra accompanied by the Protectors of the world, placed 痴腻尘补苍补 at their head, carried him to heaven, in a suitable celestial car.

25. With the sovereignty of the three worlds restored to him, and being free from fear due to his being protected by the arms of 痴腻尘补苍补, Indra who was endowed with supreme glory, felt highly delighted.

26-27. Eulogising that extremely miraculous great deed of 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 and praising Aditi, god 叠谤补丑尘腻, 艢颈惫补, 碍耻尘腻谤补, sages headed by 叠丑峁沢耻 and others, and masses, all beings, Siddhas, all beings moving in aerial cars, repaired to their respective abodes, Oh King.

28. I have recounted to you everything pertaining to the episode of the Lord of Mighty wide Strides which destroys all the sins of the listener to this story, Oh delight of the Kuru family!

29.^[3] A mortal being who presumes to recount completely and exhaustively the glories of Lord 痴颈峁ａ箛耻 with mighty wide strides, is like unto a person who would count all the particles of dust on the earth. About such a person the seer of the mantra (峁歡 Veda 厂补峁僪颈迟腻. 1.1.54.1 etc.) asks, 鈥業s there born now or likely to be born (in future) such a person (who can do so)? (The answer is 鈥楴o鈥�).

30. A person who listens to the account of this incarnation of Lord Hari, the god of gods of miraculous deeds, attains to the highest stage (of Liberation from 厂补峁僺腻谤补).

31. If this story is recited repeatedly during the performance of religious observance to propitiate gods, masses and men, the learned declare that that observance is auspiciously well-done.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

厂颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补辫谤补诲墨辫补: If mere attempt to bow down is so efficacious, how much more fruitful must be the worship etc. of Lord Hari.

[2]:

Cf. the famous verses quoted by 叠丑腻惫腻谤迟丑补-诲墨辫颈办腻-辫谤补办腻艣补

yosya sm峁泃y膩 ca n膩mokty膩 迟补辫辞-测补箩帽补-kriy膩di峁�u /
苍测奴苍补峁� samp奴r峁嘺t膩峁� y膩t; ta峁� vande harim acyutam //

[3]:

Vi峁ａ箛or nu ka峁� v墨ry膩峁噄 pra vocam鈥�峁歡 Veda 厂补峁僪颈迟腻. 1.154-1a; AV. 7. 26-1a; VS. 5.18a; TS. 1.2.13.9a etc.