Text 33] Bali Maharaja Arrested by the Lord 151

TRANSLATION

Because you have been unable to give charity according to your
promise, the rule is that you should go down to live in the hellish
planets. Therefore, in accordance with the order of Sukracarya,
your spiritual master, now go down and live there.

PURPORT
It is said:

narayana-parah sarve
na kutascana bibhyati

svargapavarga-narakesv
api tulyartha-darsinah

“Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead, Narayana, never fear any condition of life. For
them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the
same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.”
(Bhag. 6.17.28) A devotee engaged in the service of Narayana is always
in equilibrium. A devotee actually lives transcendentally. Although he
may appear to have gone to hell or heaven, he does not live in either
place; rather, he always lives in Vaikuntha (sa gundn samatityaitan
brahma-bhityaya kalpate). Vamanadeva asked Bali Maharaja to go to the
hellish planets, apparently just to show the entire universe how tolerant
he was, and Bali Maharaja did not hesitate to carry out the order. A de-
votee does not live alone. Of course, everyone lives with the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, but because the devotee is engaged in His ser-
vice, he actually does not live in any material condition. Bhaktivinoda
Thakura says, kita-janma hao yatha tuyd dasa. Thus he prays to take
birth as an insignificant insect in the association of devotees. Because de-
votees are engaged in the service of the Lord, anyone who lives with
them also lives in Vaikuntha.

TEXT 33

TN HATTA A ATs TTY |
BC CME INDE MECECIOCATEEY)
