Text 33] The Lord Begs Charity from Bali Maharaja 81
harisye tad-dhanam Sanaih. The Lord said to Maharaja Yudhisthira,
“The first installment of My mercy toward a devotee is that I take away
all his possessions, especially his material opulence, his money.” This is
the special favor of the Lord toward a sincere devotee. If a sincere devo-
tee wants Krsna above everything but at the same time is attached to ma-
terial possessions, which hinder his advancement in Krsna consciousness,
by tactics the Lord takes away all his possessions. Here Sukracarya says
that this dwarf brahmacdri would take away everything. Thus he indi-
cates that the Lord will take away all one’s material possessions and also
one’s mind. If one delivers his mind to the lotus feet of Krsna (sa vai
manah krsna-padaravindayoh), one can naturally sacrifice everything to
satisfy Him. Although Bali Maharaja was a devotee, he was attached to
material possessions, and therefore the Lord, being very kind to him,
showed him special favor by appearing as Lord Vamana to take away all
his material possessions, and his mind as well.
TEXT 33
fifa: mafalaarEra: Rhea |
Sue
ade frend zat Ae afar eZ 112311
tribhih kramair imél lokan
visva-kayah kramisyati
sarvasvam visnave dattva
miidha vartisyase katham

tribhih—three; kramaih—by steps; imén—all these; lokadn—three
planetary systems; visva-kayah—becoming the universal form;
kramisyati—gradually He will expand; sarvasvam—everything;
visnave—unto Lord Visnu; dattva —after giving charity; miidha—O you
rascal; vartisyase—you will execute your means of livelihood; katham—
how.

TRANSLATION

You have promised to give Him three steps of land in charity,
but when you give it He will occupy the three worlds. You are a
rascal! You do not know what a great mistake you have made. After
