FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.15.1-2

श्रीराजोवाच बले: पदत्रयं भूमे: कस्माद्धरिरयाचत । भूतेश्वर: कृपणवल्ल‍ब्धार्थोऽपि बबन्ध तम् ॥ १ ॥ एतद् वेदितुमिच्छामो महत्कौतूहलं हि न: । याच्ञेश्वरस्य पूर्णस्य बन्धनं चाप्यनागस: ॥ २ ॥
śrī-rājovāca
[shree-raajovaacha]
baleḥ pada-trayaṁ bhūmeḥ
[baleh pada-trayam bhoomeh]
kasmād dharir ayācata
[kasmaad dharir ayaachata]
bhūteśvaraḥ kṛpaṇa-val
[bhooteshvarah kripana-val]
labdhārtho ’pi babandha tam
[labdhaartho ’pi babandha tam]
etad veditum icchāmo
[etad veditum ichchaamo]
mahat kautūhalaṁ hi naḥ
[mahat kautoohalam hi nah]
yācṣeśvarasya pūrṇasya
[yaachsheshvarasya poornasya]
bandhanaṁ cāpy anāgasaḥ
[bandhanam chaapy anaagasah]
Word-for-word
śrī-rājā uvāca — the King said baleḥ — of Bali Mahārāja pada-trayam — three steps bhūmeḥ — of land kasmāt — why hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead (in the form of Vāmana) ayācata — begged bhūta-īśvaraḥ — the proprietor of all the universe kṛpaṇa-vat — like a poor man labdha-arthaḥ — He got the gift api — although babandha — arrested tam — him (Bali) etat — all this veditum — to understand icchāmaḥ — we desire mahat — very great kautūhalam — eagerness hi — indeed naḥ — our yācṣā — begging īśvarasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead pūrṇasya — who is full in everything bandhanam — arresting ca — also api — although anāgasaḥ — of he who was faultless.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-rājovāca
śrī-rājā uvāca
the King said
baleḥ pada-trayaṁ bhūmeḥ
baleḥ
of Bali Mahārāja
pada-trayam
three steps
bhūmeḥ
of land
kasmād dharir ayācata
kasmāt
why
hariḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead (in the form of Vāmana)
ayācata
begged
bhūteśvaraḥ kṛpaṇa-val
bhūta-īśvaraḥ
the proprietor of all the universe
kṛpaṇa-vat
like a poor man
labdhārtho ’pi babandha tam
labdha-arthaḥ
He got the gift
etad veditum icchāmo
mahat kautūhalaṁ hi naḥ
yācṣeśvarasya pūrṇasya
api
although
bandhanaṁ cāpy anāgasaḥ
babandha
arrested
tam
him (Bali)
etat
all this
veditum
to understand
icchāmaḥ
we desire
mahat
very great
kautūhalam
eagerness
hi
indeed
naḥ
our
yācṣā
begging
īśvarasya
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
pūrṇasya
who is full in everything
bandhanam
arresting
ca
also
api
although
anāgasaḥ
of he who was faultless.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the proprietor of everything. Why did He beg three paces of land from Bali Mahārāja like a poor man, and when He got the gift for which He had begged, why did He nonetheless arrest Bali Mahārāja? I am very much anxious to know the mystery of these contradictions.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: The Supreme Lord is the proprietor of everything. Why did the Lord of all beings beg three paces of land from Bali Mahārāja like a poor man, and when he got the gift for which he had begged, why did he nonetheless arrest Bali Mahārāja? I am very anxious to know the begging and binding up by the Lord who is complete in himself and faultless. The Fifteenth Chapter describes how Bali obtained a chariot and horses by performance of sacrifice, how he attained Svarga and how the devatās fled in fear.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Parīkṣit asks: the Lord owns everything — why beg three paces, and why arrest Bali after the gift? The genuine inquirer brings contradictions to the teacher, not just questions. Mystery is the invitation to deeper hearing.
Reflection Questions
  • What apparent contradiction in the Lord's behavior am I sitting with — and am I willing to ask out loud?
  • Where do I avoid puzzling questions because they would complicate my settled picture of God?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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