94
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 8, Ch. 20]
flower garland, and ornaments decorating His entire body. The Lord gradually covered the entire surface of the world, and by extending His body He covered the entire sky. With His hands He covered all directions, and with His second footstep He covered the entire upper planetary system. Therefore there was no vacant place where He could take His third footstep.
TEXT 1
श्रीशुक उवाच
बलिरेवं गृहपतिः कुलाचार्येण भाषितः ।
तूष्णीं भूत्वा क्षणं राजन्नुवाचावहितो गुरुम् ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca 
    balir evaṁ gṛha-patiḥ 
    kulācāryeṇa bhāṣitaḥ 
    tūṣṇīṁ bhūtvā kṣaṇaṁ rājann 
    uvācāvahito gurum
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca—Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; baliḥ—Bali Mahārāja; evaṁ—thus; gṛha-patiḥ—the master of the household affairs, although guided by the priests; kula-ācāryeṇa—by the family ācārya or guide; bhāṣitaḥ—being thus addressed; tūṣṇīṁ—silent; bhūtvā—becoming; kṣaṇaṁ—for a moment; rājan—O King (Mahārāja Parikṣit); uvāca—said; avahitaḥ—after full deliberation; gurum—unto his spiritual master.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King Parikṣit, when Bali Mahārāja was thus advised by his spiritual master, Śukrācārya, his family priest, he remained silent for some time, and then, after full deliberation, he replied to his spiritual master as follows.
PURPORT
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura remarks that Bali Mahārāja remained silent at a critical point. How could he disobey the instruction