Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.21.18
हन्यमानान् स्वकान् दृष्ट्वा पुरुषानुचरैर्बलि: ।
वारयामास संरब्धान् काव्यशापमनुस्मरन् ॥ १८ ॥
hanyamānān svakān dṛṣṭvā
[hanyamaanaan svakaan drishtvaa]
puruṣānucarair baliḥ
[purushaanucharair balih]
vārayām āsa saṁrabdhān
[vaarayaam aasa samrabdhaan]
kāvya-śāpam anusmaran
[kaavya-shaapam anusmaran]
Word-for-word
hanyamānān
—
being killed
svakān
—
his own soldiers
dṛṣṭvā
—
after seeing
puruṣa-anucaraiḥ
—
by the associates of the Supreme Person
baliḥ
—
Bali Mahārāja
vārayām āsa
—
forbade
saṁrabdhān
—
even though they were very angry
kāvya-śāpam
—
the curse given by Śukrācārya
anusmaran
—
remembering.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
hanyamānān svakān dṛṣṭvā
hanyamānān
being killed
svakān
his own soldiers
dṛṣṭvā
after seeing
puruṣānucarair baliḥ
puruṣa-anucaraiḥ
by the associates of the Supreme Person
baliḥ
Bali Mahārāja
vārayām āsa saṁrabdhān
vārayām āsa
forbade
saṁrabdhān
even though they were very angry
kāvya-śāpam anusmaran
kāvya-śāpam
the curse given by Śukrācārya
anusmaran
remembering.
When Bali Mahārāja saw that his own soldiers were being killed by the associates of Lord Viṣṇu, he remembered the curse of Śukrācārya and forbade his soldiers to continue fighting.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
When Bali Mahārāja saw that his soldiers were being killed by the associates of Viṣṇu and when he remembered the curse of Śukrācārya, he prevented his angry soldiers from fighting.
Personal Guidance
Seeing his soldiers killed, Bali remembered Śukrācārya's curse and forbade them to fight. Even as a 'defeated' figure, Bali still tries to protect his men. Compassion survives loss of position.
Reflection Questions
- Have I retained compassion for those who depend on me even in my own defeats?
- Where does loss of position become an excuse to abandon those who followed me?
My note
Source: vedabase.io