Text 34]
Bali Mahārāja Surrenders the Universe
127
TEXT 34
पदं द्वितीयं क्रमतन्निविष्टपं न वै तृतीयाय तदीयमण्वपि । उरुक्रमस्याङ्घ्रिरुपर्युपर्यथो महर्जनाभ्यां तपसः परं गतः ॥३४॥
padam dvitīyam kramatas triviṣṭapam na vai tṛtīyāya tadīyam aṇu api urukramasyānghrir upary upary atho mahar-janābhyām tapasaḥ param gataḥ
padam—step; dvitīyam—second; kramataḥ—advancing; tri- viṣṭapam—all of the heavenly planets; na—not; vai—indeed; tṛtīyāya—for the third step; tadīyam—of the Lord; aṇu api—only a spot of land remained; urukramasya—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who performs uncommon activities; anghriḥ—steps occupying above and below; upari upari—higher and higher; atho—now; mahaḥ- janābhyām—than Maharloka and Janaloka; tapasaḥ—that Tapoloka; param—beyond that; gataḥ—approached.
TRANSLATION
As the Lord took His second step, He covered the heavenly planets. And not even a spot remained for the third step, for the Lord's foot extended higher and higher, beyond Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and even Satyaloka.
PURPORT
When the Lord's footstep exceeded the height of all the  lokas , including Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka, His nails certainly pierced the covering of the universe. The universe is covered by the five material elements ( bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ kham ). As stated in the  śāstra , these elements are in layers, each ten times thicker than the previous one. Nonetheless, the nails of the Lord pierced through all these layers and made a hole penetrating into the spiritual world. From this