FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.24.19

नो एवैतत्साक्षात्कारो भूमिदानस्य यत्तद्भ‍गवत्यशेषजीवनिकायानां जीवभूतात्मभूते परमात्मनि वासुदेवे तीर्थतमे पात्र उपपन्ने परया श्रद्धया परमादरसमाहितमनसा सम्प्रतिपादितस्य साक्षादपवर्गद्वारस्य यद्ब‍िलनिलयैश्वर्यम् ॥ १९ ॥
no evaitat sākṣātkāro bhūmi-dānasya yat tad bhagavaty aśeṣa-jīva-nikāyānāṁ jīva-bhūtātma-bhūte paramātmani vāsudeve tīrthatame pātra upapanne parayā śraddhayā paramādara-samāhita-manasā sampratipāditasya sākṣād apavarga-dvārasya yad bila-nilayaiśvaryam.
[no evaitat saakshaatkaaro bhoomi-daanasya yat tad bhagavaty ashesha-jeeva-nikaayaanaam jeeva-bhootaatma-bhoote paramaatmani vaasudeve teerthatame paatra upapanne parayaa shraddhayaa paramaadara-samaahita-manasaa sampratipaaditasya saakshaad apavarga-dvaarasya yad bila-nilayaishvaryam.]
Word-for-word
no — not eva — indeed etat — this sākṣātkāraḥ — the direct result bhūmi-dānasya — of contribution of land yat — which tat — that bhagavati — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead aśeṣa-jīva-nikāyānām — of unlimited numbers of living entities jīva-bhūta-ātma-bhūte — who is the life and the Supersoul parama-ātmani — the supreme regulator vāsudeve — Lord Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) tīrtha-tame — who is the best of all places of pilgrimage pātre — the most worthy recipient upapanne — having approached parayā — by the topmost śraddhayā — faith parama-ādara — with great respect samāhita-manasā — with an attentive mind sampratipāditasya — which was given sākṣāt — directly apavarga-dvārasya — the gate of liberation yat — which bila-nilaya — of bila-svarga, the imitation heavenly planets aiśvaryam — the opulence.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
no evaitat sākṣātkāro bhūmi-dānasya yat tad bhagavaty aśeṣa-jīva-nikāyānāṁ jīva-bhūtātma-bhūte paramātmani vāsudeve tīrthatame pātra upapanne parayā śraddhayā paramādara-samāhita-manasā sampratipāditasya sākṣād apavarga-dvārasya yad bila-nilayaiśvaryam.
no
not
eva
indeed
etat
this
sākṣātkāraḥ
the direct result
bhūmi-dānasya
of contribution of land
yat
which
tat
that
bhagavati
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
aśeṣa-jīva-nikāyānām
of unlimited numbers of living entities
jīva-bhūta-ātma-bhūte
who is the life and the Supersoul
parama-ātmani
the supreme regulator
vāsudeve
Lord Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)
tīrtha-tame
who is the best of all places of pilgrimage
pātre
the most worthy recipient
upapanne
having approached
parayā
by the topmost
śraddhayā
faith
parama-ādara
with great respect
samāhita-manasā
with an attentive mind
sampratipāditasya
which was given
sākṣāt
directly
apavarga-dvārasya
the gate of liberation
yat
which
bila-nilaya
of bila-svarga, the imitation heavenly planets
aiśvaryam
the opulence.
My dear King, Bali Mahārāja donated all his possessions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāmanadeva, but one should certainly not conclude that he achieved his great worldly opulence in bila-svarga as a result of his charitable disposition. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the source of life for all living entities, lives within everyone as the friendly Supersoul, and under His direction a living entity enjoys or suffers in the material world. Greatly appreciating the transcendental qualities of the Lord, Bali Mahārāja offered everything at His lotus feet. His purpose, however, was not to gain anything material, but to become a pure devotee. For a pure devotee, the door of liberation is automatically opened. One should not think that Bali Mahārāja was given so much material opulence merely because of his charity. When one becomes a pure devotee in love, he may also be blessed with a good material position by the will of the Supreme Lord. However, one should not mistakenly think that the material opulence of a devotee is the result of his devotional service. The real result of devotional service is the awakening of pure love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, which continues under all circumstances.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Mere attainment of the enjoyment on Sutala is not the real result of Bali’s giving land to Vāsudeva, the life of unlimited jīvas, the supreme source of Paramātmā, the most suitable and most pure. This act was executed with great faith and devotion and is the door to the highest liberation. Some people will think that Bali attained his position on Sutala as a result of giving land to Vāmana. This verse negates that idea. The wealth in his abode in Sutala is not the real result (sākṣātkāraḥ) of giving land to the Lord. His giving land is famous. Bhūmi means the three worlds. It is stated in the scriptures that just by giving a small portion of land to a brāhmaṇa learned in the Vedas one can attain the enjoyment of Svarga. Thus it is impossible that he attained only enjoyment of wealth on Sutala as a result of giving the three worlds to the Supreme Lord. He should get liberation from the world. And the incidental enjoyment on Sutala should be greater that the enjoyment on Svarga. He gave land to Lord Vāsudeva, who acts as the life of beings (jīva-bhūta-ātma-bhūte), antaryāmī. But he is the supreme ātmā (paramātmane), being the aṁśī or source of all the antaryāmīs. Viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam ekāṁśena sthito jagat: by one portion of myself I am situated in this universe. (BG 10.42) Being fit as the supreme (upapanne), he is also the supreme pure (tiṛthatmane). If giving a leaf or flower gives liberation, how much more will giving the three worlds yield (apavarga-dvārasya)? Thus merely attaining Sutala is not the result of his giving the three worlds.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Bali's worldly opulence in bila-svarga is not a result of his charity; charity to the Lord does not buy material rewards. Don't bargain with the Lord for trinkets in exchange for sincerity. The real fruit is something else entirely.
Reflection Questions
  • Have I been giving to the Lord in expectation of a worldly return?
  • If material reward is not the fruit of devotion, what is — and do I actually want that fruit?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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