Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 8 Chapter 21:14-26

Book 8: Chapter 21

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 8: Chapter 21: Verses 14-26 Bali put in bonds Their anger having been roused, they all ran forward, Sula (an ancient spear-like steel weapon) and Pattiaa (a kind of sharp-edged spear) in hand, to strike the divine Dwarf, even though Bali did not desire it, O Pariksit I Seeing those Daitya generals attacking the divine Dwarf, the attendants of Lord Visnu heartily laughed and stopped them, their weapons uplifted (to meet their onslaught). Nanda and Sunanda, Jaya, Vijaya, Prabala, Bala, Kumuda and Kumudaksa, Viswaksena, Garuda (the 'ruler of the feathered kingdom), Jayanta and Srutadeva, Puspadanta and Satvata, each possessing the strength of ten thousand elephants-they all proceeded to extirpate the Asura army. Finding his own people being slain by the attendants of Lord Visnu (the supreme Person), and recollecting the imprecation pronounced by the sage Kavya (Sukracarya), Bali stopped them (in the following words), enraged as they were:- "O Vipracitti, Hullo Rahu, O Nemi, listen to my word. (Pray,) do not make war, but retreat; (for) the present time is not conducive to our advantage. No individual is able to prevail through (personal) prowess, 0 Daityas, over Him (the Time-Spirit) who is capable of bringing joy and sorrow to all created beings. The same Lord who was formerly favourable to our growth and conducive to the decline of the gods (lit., the denizens of heaven), is proving the reverse of that (i.e., favourable to the growth of the divinities and conducive to our decline). Indeed no created being can override the Time-Spirit through physical strength, (expert) counsellors, (a penetrating) intellect, fortifications, spells and medicines and through conciliation and other expedients. These attendants of Hari were actually routed by you several times when you were fostered by fate. Having conquered us in battle, the very same people are roaring today. We shall utterly vanquish them if fate turns out to be propitious (again). Therefore, await a time which may redound to our advantage. Sri Suka continued : Hearing the (aforesaid) speech of their master (Bali), the Daitya and Danava generals, beaten by the attendants of Lord Visnu, withdrew to the nether world, O king Thereupon Garuda (the ruler of the feathered kingdom), son of Tarksya (the sage Kasyapa), knowing (as he did) the intention of his Master, bound Bali with cords of Varuna (the god of water) on the day fixed for extracting the juice of the Soma plant in the course of that sacrificial performance.