Text 30] Bali Maharaja Surrenders His Life 187

ksina-rikthah—although bereft of all riches; cyutah—fallen;
sthanat—from his superior position; ksiptah—forcefully thrown away;
baddhah ca—and forcefully bound; satrubhih—by his enemies;
Jnatibhih ca—and by his family members or relatives; parityaktah —
deserted; ydtandm—all kinds of suffering; anuwyapitah—unusually
severely suffered; gurund—by his spiritual master; bhartsitah—
rebuked; Saptah—and cursed; jahau—gave up; satyam—truthfulness;
na—not; su-vratah—being fixed in his vow; chalaih—pretentiously;
uktah—spoken; maya—by Me; dharmah—the religious principles;
na—not; ayam—this Bali Maharaja; tyajati—does give up; satya-vak—
being true to his word.

TRANSLATION

Although bereft of his riches, fallen from his original position,
defeated and arrested by his enemies, rebuked and deserted by his
relatives and friends, although suffering the pain of being bound
and although rebuked and cursed by his spiritual master, Bali
Maharaja, being fixed in his vow, did not give up his truthfulness.
It was certainly with pretention that I spoke about religious prin-
ciples, but he did not give up religious principles, for he is true to

his word.

PURPORT

Bali Maharaja passed the severe test put before him by the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. This is further proof of the Lord’s mercy toward
His devotee. The Supreme Personality of Godhead sometimes puts a de-
votee to severe tests that are almost unbearable. One could hardly even
live under the conditions forced upon Bali Maharaja. That Bali Maharaja
endured all these severe tests and austerities is the mercy of the Supreme
Lord. The Lord certainly appreciates the devotee’s forbearance, and it is
recorded for the future glorification of the devotee. This was not an ordi-
nary test. As described in this verse, hardly anyone could survive such a
test, but for the future glorification of Bali Maharaja, one of the maha-
Janas, the Supreme Personality of Godhead not only tested him but also
gave him the strength to tolerate such adversity. The Lord is so kind to
His devotee that when severely testing him the Lord gives him the
