366
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 2, Ch. 7]
Himself, pretending to be a beggar. Bali Mahārāja did not agree to abide by the order of his spiritual master when he understood that the beggar was Viṣṇu Himself, and he at once agreed to give Him in charity the land requested. By this agreement Lord Vāmana covered all the lands of the universe with His first two steps and then asked Bali Mahārāja where to place the third step. Bali Mahārāja was very glad to receive the Lord's remaining step upon his head, and thus Bali Mahārāja, instead of losing everything that he possessed, was blessed by the Lord's becoming his constant companion and doorman. So, by giving everything to the cause of the Lord, one does not lose anything, but he gains everything that he could never otherwise expect.
TEXT 18
नाथों बलेरयमुरुक्रमपादशौच- मापः शिखाधृतवतो विबुधाधिपत्यम्। यो वै प्रतिश्रुतमृते न चिकीर्षदन्य- दात्मानमङ्ग मनसा हरयेऽभिमेने ॥१८॥
nārtho baler ayam urukrama-pāda-śaucam āpaḥ śikhā-dhṛtavato vibudhādhipatyam yo vai pratiśrutam ṛte na cikīrṣad anyad ātmānam aṅga manasā haraye' bhimene
na—never; arthaḥ—of any value in comparison with; baleḥ—of strength; ayam—this; urukrama-pāda-śaucam—the water washed from the feet of the Personality of Godhead; āpaḥ—water; sikhā-dhṛtavataḥ—of one who has kept it on his head; vibudha-adhipatyam—supremacy over the kingdom of the demigods; yaḥ—one who; vai—certainly; pratiśrutam—what was duly promised; ṛte na—besides that; cikīrṣat—tried for; anyat—anything else; ātmānam—even his personal body; aṅga—O Nārada; manasā—within his mind; haraye—unto the Supreme Lord; abhimene—dedicated.
TRANSLATION
Bali Mahārāja, who put on his head the water washed from the lotus feet of the Lord, did not think of anything else besides his promise, in