82 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 19

giving everything to Lord Visnu, you will have no means of liveli-
hood. How then shall you live?

PURPORT

Bali Maharaja might argue that he had promised only three steps of
land. But Sukracdrya, being a very learned braéhmana, immediately
understood that this was a plan of Hari, who had falsely appeared there
as a brahmacari. The words miidha vartisyase katham reveal that
Sukracarya was a brahmana of the priestly class. Such priestly
bréhmanas are mostly interested in receiving remuneration from their
disciples. Therefore when Sukracarya saw that Bali Maharaja had risked
all of his possessions, he understood that this would cause havoc not only
to the King but also to the family of Sukracarya, who was dependent on
Maharaja Bali’s mercy. This is the difference between a Vaisnava and a
smarta-brahmana. A smarta-brdhmana is always interested in material
profit, whereas a Vaisnava is interested only in satisfying the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. From the statement of Sukracdrya, it appears
that he was in all respects a smarta-brahmana interested only in personal
gain.

TEXT 34

HAR Te Taha fatter fea frat: |
GF BIA ACA MAI FAT TAA: vl

kramato gam padaikena
duitiyena divam vibhoh

kham ca kdyena mahata
tdrtiyasya kuto gatih

kramatah—gradually; gam—the surface of the land; pada ekena—
by one step; dvitiyena—by the second step; divam—the whole of outer
space; vibhoh—of the universal form; kham ca—the sky also; kayena—
by the expansion of His transcendental body; mahata—by the universal
form; ¢tdrtiyasya—as far as the third step is concerned; kutah—where
is; gatih—to keep His step.
