Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.20.13
एष वा उत्तमश्लोको न जिहासति यद् यश: ।
हत्वा मैनां हरेद् युद्धे शयीत निहतो मया ॥ १३ ॥
eṣa vā uttamaśloko
[esha vaa uttamashloko]
na jihāsati yad yaśaḥ
[na jihaasati yad yashah]
hatvā maināṁ hared yuddhe
[hatvaa mainaam hared yuddhe]
śayīta nihato mayā
[shayeeta nihato mayaa]
Word-for-word
eṣaḥ
—
this (brahmacārī)
vā
—
either
uttama-ślokaḥ
—
is Lord Viṣṇu, who is worshiped by Vedic prayers
na
—
not
jihāsati
—
desires to give up
yat
—
because
yaśaḥ
—
perpetual fame
hatvā
—
after killing
mā
—
me
enām
—
all this land
haret
—
will take away
yuddhe
—
in the fight
śayīta
—
will lie down
nihataḥ
—
being killed
mayā
—
by me.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
eṣa vā uttamaśloko
eṣaḥ
this (brahmacārī)
vā
either
uttama-ślokaḥ
is Lord Viṣṇu, who is worshiped by Vedic prayers
na jihāsati yad yaśaḥ
na
not
jihāsati
desires to give up
yat
because
yaśaḥ
perpetual fame
hatvā maināṁ hared yuddhe
hatvā
after killing
mā
me
enām
all this land
haret
will take away
yuddhe
in the fight
śayīta nihato mayā
śayīta
will lie down
nihataḥ
being killed
mayā
by me.
If this brāhmaṇa really is Lord Viṣṇu, who is worshiped by Vedic hymns, He would never give up His widespread reputation; either He would lie down having been killed by me, or He would kill me in a fight.
Purport
Bali Mahārāja’s statement that Viṣṇu would lie down having been killed is not the direct meaning, for Viṣṇu cannot be killed by anyone. Lord Viṣṇu can kill everyone, but He cannot be killed. Thus the real meaning of the words “lie down” is that Lord Viṣṇu would reside within the core of Bali Mahārāja’s heart. Lord Viṣṇu is defeated by a devotee through devotional service; otherwise, no one can defeat Lord Viṣṇu.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Since he is Viṣṇu of imperishable fame, he will not give up that fame. Killing me in battle, he will take the land. I can never kill him.
Since he is certainly the lord of fame, he will not give up his fame. If I say I will not give land, and then, not tolerating a broken promise requests a fight and I accept, he will kill me in battle and take the land. “But he may be defeated by you, since you are a great warrior.” Then, will he lie down in battle, killed by me? He will never lie down in battle, since Viṣṇu cannot be killed. Though the sentence is expressed is in the positive, it has negative sense. Or the na from the previous phrase can be taken to apply to this phrase as well.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
If this brāhmaṇa really is Viṣṇu, He never abandons His reputation — either He lies down killed by me, or He kills me. Bali knows real Viṣṇu cannot be killed; 'lie down killed' means reside in Bali's heart. Loving defeat is the heart of bhakti.
Reflection Questions
- Where do I want the Lord to 'lie down defeated' in my heart through love, rather than vanquish me from outside?
- Can my 'enmity' actually be a posture that the Lord transforms into deepest residence?
My note
Source: vedabase.io