Text 4] Bali Maharaja Surrenders the Universe 99

achieved the ultimate fruit of that service, namely love of Godhead
(prema pum-artho mahan), immediately upon the appearance of Lord
Vamanadeva. Bali Maharaja regularly maintained devotion for the Lord,
and because he was purified, the Lord appeared before him. Because of
unalloyed love for the Lord, he then immediately decided, “‘I shall give
this little dwarf brahmana whatever He asks from me.” This is a sign of
love. Thus Bali Maharaja is understood to be one who received the high-
est perfection of devotional service by special mercy.

TEXT 4

AT TAA ISTH eT lars Lay |
aq aigne AY wasdleat aT Ne II

na hy asatyat paro ‘dharma
iti hovdca bhir iyam

sarvam sodhum alarn manye
rte ‘lika-param naram

na—not; hi—indeed; asatydt—than compulsion to untruthfulness;
parah—more; adharmah—irreligion; iti—thus; ha uvdca—indeed had
spoken; bhih—mother earth; iyam—this; sarvam—everything;
sodhum—to bear; alam—I am able; manye—although I think; rte—ex-
cept; alika-param—the most heinous liar; naram—a human being.

TRANSLATION

There is nothing more sinful than untruthfulness. Because of
this, mother earth once said, ‘‘I can bear any heavy thing except a
person who is a liar.””

PURPORT

On the surface of the earth there are many great mountains and oceans
that are very heavy, and mother earth has no difficulty carrying them.
But she feels very much overburdened when she carries even one person
who is a liar. It is said that in Kali-yuga lying is a common affair:
mayaiva vydvaharike (Bhég. 12.2.3). Even in the most common deal-
ings, people are accustomed to speaking so many lies. No one is free from
