Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 5 Chapter 24:17-25

Book 5: Chapter 24

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 5: Chapter 24: Verses 17-25 The position of Rahu etc., and the limits of the heavenlike subterranean regions Below that, in (the region of) Vitala, resides Lord Siva (the Destroyer of the universe), (known by the name of) Hatakeswara, surrounded by troops of ghosts, forming His retinue, and united with His (divine) Spouse (Goddess Parvati) under the name of Bhava (the Source of the creation) for multiplying the creation of Brahma (the lord of creation). From Him has issued the great river Hataki, charged with the energy of both Lord Bhava and Goddess Bhavani (His Consort), where fire, kindled by the wind, absorbs with (great) vigour the water ~i (of the river), and the same, thrown out (in the form of froth), is condensed into (the variety/ of) gold, known by the name of Hataka which both males and females (who are equally! strong) in the gynaeceums of the Asura chiefs wear' (on their person) in the form of ornaments.Below that, in (the region of) Sutala, resides, free from (all) fear, even to this day (the demon king) Bali of sacred renown, the illustrious son of Virocana. (Once) robbed of (the sovereignty of all) the three worlds (heaven, earth and the intermediate region) by the Lord-who in order to please the mighty Indra (the chief of the gods) descended through (the womb of) Aditi (the mother of the gods and a wife of the sage Kasyapa) and appeared (before him) in the form of a celibate dwarf-he was admitted (into this realm) through the Lord's very grace and endowed once more with overflowing wealth, (the like of) which is not forthcoming even with indra and others, and continues to worship the same adorable Lord through (the performance of) his duty. The (great) fortune which is enjoyed by Bali in the subterranean region of Sutala is certainly not the direct result of the gift (made by him) of land (in the shape of the sovereignty of the three worlds), inasmuch as it was duly bestowed, with supreme piety and with a calm and composed mind full of highest regard, on the celebrated Lord Vasudeva (the Abode of the whole universe)-the Supreme Spirit, the very life (animating principle) and Soul (the Inner Controller) of all species of living beings, the holiest recipient presenting Himself (before him)-and was (therefore) directly conducive to final beatitude. A man helplessly (involuntarily) uttering His Name (only) once (even) while sneezing, falling down or stumbling and on other (such) occasions actually shakes off without delay, it is said, the shackles of Karma (that kept him tied down to worldly existence), the means of overcoming which the seekers of liberation find in altogether different processes (courses of spiritual disciplines other than the repetition of the Divine Name, such as Karmayoga, Jnanayoga and Dhyanayoga, which are so difficult to follow). Hence the fortune (referred to above) could not be the fruit of the gift (of land) made-as to one's own self---to the Lord, who is the very Self of all (living beings), (particularly) of those who have attained Self-Realization, nay, who bestows His own Self on (places Himself at the disposal of) His devotees. Nor indeed can it be said that the Lord showered His grace on Indra in that He bestowed on him only the illusory pleasures of sense and affluence, which, on the other hand, take away the remembrance in relation to the Lord Himself. For, (when) robbed of (the sovereignty of) all the three worlds (and allowed no other possessions) except his mere body and thrown into a mountain-cave, tightly bound with the cords of Varuna (the god of water), by the Lord (who did all this) under the pretext of begging for three paces of land) because He found no other means (of depriving him of his glory and possessions), Bali actually uttered the following memorable words:- "Alas! this glorious god who is called Indra is surely not clever in attaining the object of (his) life in that he-whose counseller is (the celebrated sage) Brhaspati, exclusively chosen (by him) for deliberation-ignored that sage and asked me through Lord Vamana (younger brother of Indra) Himself for (the sovereignty of) the three worlds (the objects of his desire) and on no account the service of that Lord. (After all) of what account are these three worlds, which change hands at the end of a Manvantara (the period of sovereignty of a Manu, extending to a little over seventy-one rounds of the four Yugas), a (minute) fraction of Time, which has an infinite duration. It is well-known that my grandfather (the great devotee Prahlada) asked for His service only, but not the throne of his father (Hiranyakasipu, the suzerain lord of the three worlds), which had (now) no fear from any quarter, even though it was being offered by the Lord on the latter's death, (only) because it was something other than the Lord.