By worshipping (offering sankalpa water) to that hand, Purandara (kausika) and Bali attained the position of Indra. Purandara gave water to Sarvabhauma avatara and Bali gave water to Vamana. Purandara achieved the post, and Bali will attain that post in the future. That same hand, after the rasa dance, at the time of intimate contact, wiped the drops of perspiration arising from fatigue with the dancing from the gopis limbs. (sb 10.33.20) Just as the lotus feet though worshipped by the devatas were holding the kumkum from the gopis’ breasts, so the lotus hands though worshiped by Purandara and Bali, were serving the gopis by wiping away their perspiration. Thus this statement exalts the position of the gopis. What type of hands were those? Those hands had the most wonderful aroma of lotuses because of touching the lotus faces of the gopis. The word saugandhika refers to the lotus of Manasa Sarovara in the Puranas. Though Akrura was a dasya bhakti, because this is a secondary remark, it is not rasabhasa.

He gives details of the lotus hand and thus makes his desire stronger. Into that hand Indra offered water used in the saṅkalpa (that which accomplishes all worship, sam—arhaṇam). By offering water to that hand Indra was able to perform a hundred horse sacrifices. The position of Indra is under the shelter of his hand. Bali attained the position of Indra of the three worlds since the result appeared in an amazing way from the beginning. Viṣṇu Purāṇa describes this. yatrāṁbu vinyasya balir manojñān avāpa bhogān vasudhā-tala-sthaḥ / tathāmaratvaṁ tridaśādhipatvaṁ manvantaraṁ pūrṇam apeta-śatrum // When Bali gave water to Kṛṣṇa’s hand he attained all attractive enjoyment on earth. He became free of enemies, lived for a manvantara and attained the post of Indra. He later lost all desire when the Lord placed his foot on his head. However by the desire of the Lord he accepted the enjoyment like Prahlāda. In the first part of the verse, the Lord’s generous nature is shown. The Lord gives all wealth to devotees with material desires. Because he is the form of the highest bliss by his nature, he also removes all suffering from his pure devotees. That is expressed in the second half of the verse. The word vā indicates conjecture. I think I have heard this from someone. That hand had a fragrance of which heavenly lotuses have but a trace. That hand removed the fatigue of millions of gopīs in the rāsa dance in which they continually fainted by touching him. Or it removed the fatigue during the Horikā pastime where they fainted because of the violence of Śaṅkhacūḍa. Just by the touch of that hand all of their fatigue was removed at once. Here Akrūra thinks of what is suitable for his own dāsya-rasa by the choice of words. This is similar to Śrīdhara Svāmī’s manner of explaining SB10.33.35.

By offering items of worship to his hand, Bali attained the status of Indra. This refers to the statement balir indro bhaviṣyati: Bali will become Indra. (SB 8.13.12) yatrāṁbu vinyasya balir manojñān avāpa bhogān vasudhā-tala-sthaḥ tathāmaratvaṁ tridaśādhipatvaṁ manvantaraṁ pūrṇam apeta-śatrum When Bali gave water to Kṛṣṇa’s hand he attained all attractive enjoyment on earth. He became free of enemies, lived for a manvantara and attained the post of Indra. Viṣṇu Purāṇa Or by doing the viśvajit sacrifice previously, he attained a post like Indra. By offering the sacrifice to the Lord, offering water and other items is included. The word vā indicates that what was described previously cannot compare to the excellence of his hand touching the gopīs. They were qualified with special prema (vraja-yoṣitām). Vihāra indicates his proclivity for play. He gives special prema to these gopīs. Wiping away their perspiration indicates his skill in love. By his touch he removed all suffering. The fragrance of his hand indicates his supreme attractiveness. The fragrance of his hand is mentioned last to indicate that the gopīs alone directly experienced his fragrance. This is explained in Bhāgavatāmṛta. Or Indra by offering a hundred sacrifices to the Lord attained is lordship over the three worlds. Without offering them, he could not get the result. Bali attained the Lord as his gatekeeper. This shows he controlled the Lord. Or Viśvamitra (kauśikaḥ) by offering food and a weapon mantra to Rāma in his āśrama attained a glorious position of realizing ātmā with some bhakti. Bali offered water on the pretext of giving three steps of land and attained rulership of the three worlds. Two personalities are indicated by the word ca.