FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.41.14

अवनिज्याङ्‍‍‍‍‍घ्रियुगलमासीत्श्लोक्यो बलिर्महान् । ऐश्वर्यमतुलं लेभे गतिं चैकान्तिनां तु या ॥ १४ ॥
avanijyāṅghri-yugalam
[avanijyaanghri-yugalam]
āsīt ślokyo balir mahān
[aaseet shlokyo balir mahaan]
aiśvaryam atulaṁ lebhe
[aishvaryam atulam lebhe]
gatiṁ caikāntināṁ tu yā
[gatim chaikaantinaam tu yaa]
Word-for-word
avanijya — bathing aṅghri - yugalam — the two feet āsīt — became ślokyaḥ — glorious baliḥ — King Bali mahān — the great aiśvaryam — power atulam — unequaled lebhe — he achieved gatīm — the destination ca — and ekāntinām — of the unalloyed devotees of the Lord tu — indeed yā — which .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
avanijyāṅghri-yugalam
avanijya
bathing
aṅghri - yugalam
the two feet
āsīt ślokyo balir mahān
āsīt
became
ślokyaḥ
glorious
baliḥ
King Bali
mahān
the great
aiśvaryam atulaṁ lebhe
aiśvaryam
power
atulam
unequaled
lebhe
he achieved
gatiṁ caikāntināṁ tu yā
gatīm
the destination
ca
and
ekāntinām
of the unalloyed devotees of the Lord
tu
indeed
yā
which .
Important Words
  • baliḥ — King Bali
    Nominative. The Daitya emperor who surrendered everything to Vāmana. Gauḍīyas count Bali among the twelve mahājanas (SB 6.3.20) — devotion proven not by birth but by act.
  • ekāntinām — of the unalloyed devotees
    Genitive plural of ekāntin — one who is exclusively dedicated. The Gauḍīya technical term for ananya-bhakti. The gati of ekāntins is Vaikuṇṭha, or higher — for Kṛṣṇa's ekāntins, Goloka.
  • avanijya — bathing
    Absolutive of ava + √nij — to wash down. The verb of pāda-prakṣālana. The single act named here is the foundation of Bali's entire promotion. Bhakti's grammar: one small act on Bhagavān's feet outranks vast karma-kāṇḍa.
  • ślokyaḥ — glorious, worthy of being sung
    From śloka (verse, fame-song). Bali became one whose name is sung in verses — exactly the destiny the Bhāgavatam itself confers by recording him. The text enacts what it predicts.
By bathing Your feet, the exalted Bali Mahārāja attained not only glorious fame and unequaled power but also the final destination of pure devotees.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
By bathing Your feet, the exalted Bali Mahārāja attained not only glorious fame and unequaled power but also the final destination of pure devotees.
Commentary

"Bali Maharaja, by washing your feet, attained a position of great fame (slokya). He attained unequalled power and the destination of the pure devotees."

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

This is not empty praise. One can see the results. Or Kṛṣṇa may say “Then just take some dust or water from my feet to your houses.” I desire to wash your feet just as Bali did. Bali was the best among those with good qualities since he is praised by Vyāsa and others. He attained powers unobtainable by Indra and what is attained by the greatest devotees. In this world the Lord became his doorkeeper.

Related values & verses
Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
BG 15.9 BG 9.1 BG 4.8 BG 10.1 BG 18.64 BG 15.7 BG 2.62 BG 3.11 BG 10.4 BG 12.3 BG 15.2 SB 4.29.2 BG 2.21 BG 16.1 BG 9.11 BG 3.30 BG 7.1 BG 2.66
Concepts
Jiva
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
By bathing the Lord's feet, exalted Bali Mahārāja attained glorious fame, unequaled power, and the final destination of pure devotees. Foot-bathing is small in form and enormous in effect.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'small' devotional act in your life could carry that much weight if done sincerely?
  • Where do you skip humble service because it doesn't look impressive?
Analogy

Bali bathed two small feet and gained three worlds — the cosmic exchange-rate of bhakti. A single act of pāda-pūjā outweighs every empire he had ever conquered, because the feet were the Lord's.

Stories
Bali Mahārāja's surrender to Vāmana

When Vāmana, the dwarf-brāhmaṇa avatāra, came to Bali's sacrificial arena and asked for three paces of land (SB 8.18-22), Bali — against Śukrācārya's warning — washed Vāmana's feet and poured the water on his own head. With two steps the Lord covered the universe; for the third, Bali offered his own head.

The result, recorded right here in verse 14: glory, unequaled power, and finally gati ekāntinām — the destination of pure devotees. Akrūra uses Bali as precedent: 'Let me also bathe Your feet, Lord, and the rest will follow.'

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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