CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Bali Maharaja Arrested by the Lord
This chapter describes how Lord Visnu, desiring to advertise the glories
of Bali Maharaja, arrested him for not fulfilling his promise in regard to
the Lord’s third step.

With the second step the Supreme Personality of Godhead reached the
topmost planet of the universe, Brahmaloka, which He diminished in
beauty by the effulgence of His toenails. Thus Lord Brahma, accom-
panied by great sages like Marici and the predominating deities of all the
higher planets, offered humble prayers and worship to the Lord. They
washed the Lord’s feet and worshiped Him with all paraphernalia.
Rksaraja, Jambavan, played his bugle to vibrate the glories of the Lord.
When Bali Maharaja was deprived of all his possessions, the demons were
very angry. Although Bali Maharaja warned them not to do so, they took
up weapons against Lord Visnu. All of them were defeated, however, by
Lord Visnu’s eternal associates, and, in accordance with Bali Maharaja’s
order, they all entered the lower planets of the universe. Understanding
Lord Visnu’s purpose, Garuda, the carrier of Lord Visnu, immediately
arrested Bali Maharaja with the ropes of Varuna. When Bali Maharaja
was thus reduced to a helpless position, Lord Visnu asked him for the
third step of land. Because Lord Visnu appreciated Bali Maharaja’s deter-
mination and integrity, when Bali Maharaja was unable to fulfill his
promise, Lord Visnu ascertained that the place for him would be the
planet Sutala, which is better than the planets of heaven.

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