FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.22.21

श्रीब्रह्मोवाच भूतभावन भूतेश देवदेव जगन्मय । मुञ्चैनं हृतसर्वस्वं नायमर्हति निग्रहम् ॥ २१ ॥
śrī-brahmovāca
[shree-brahmovaacha]
bhūta-bhāvana bhūteśa
[bhoota-bhaavana bhootesha]
deva-deva jaganmaya
[deva-deva jaganmaya]
muñcainaṁ hṛta-sarvasvaṁ
[munchainam hrita-sarvasvam]
nāyam arhati nigraham
[naayam arhati nigraham]
Word-for-word
śrī-brahmā uvāca — Lord Brahmā said bhūta-bhāvana — O Supreme Being, well-wisher of everyone, who can cause one to flourish bhūta-īśa — O master of everyone deva-deva — O worshipable Deity of the demigods jagat-maya — O all-pervading one muñca — please release enam — this poor Bali Mahārāja hṛta-sarvasvam — now bereft of everything na — not ayam — such a poor man arhati — deserves nigraham — punishment.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-brahmovāca
śrī-brahmā uvāca
Lord Brahmā said
bhūta-bhāvana bhūteśa
bhūta-bhāvana
O Supreme Being, well-wisher of everyone, who can cause one to flourish
bhūta-īśa
O master of everyone
deva-deva jaganmaya
deva-deva
O worshipable Deity of the demigods
jagat-maya
O all-pervading one
muñcainaṁ hṛta-sarvasvaṁ
muñca
please release
enam
this poor Bali Mahārāja
hṛta-sarvasvam
now bereft of everything
nāyam arhati nigraham
na
not
ayam
such a poor man
arhati
deserves
nigraham
punishment.
Lord Brahmā said: O well-wisher and master of all living entities, O worshipable Deity of all the demigods, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, now this man has been sufficiently punished, for You have taken everything. Now You can release him. He does not deserve to be punished more.
Purport

When Lord Brahmā saw that Prahlāda Mahārāja and Vindhyāvali had already approached the Lord to ask mercy for Bali Mahārāja, he joined them and recommended Bali Mahārāja’s release on the grounds of worldly calculations.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Lord Brahmā said: O well-wisher and master of all living entities! O worshipable deity of all the devatās! O all-pervading Lord! Please release this person bereft of everything. He does not deserve to be punished further. After Prahlāda and Vindyavali pleased the Lord by spiritual statements, Brahmā pleased the Lord by practical considerations.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
This man has been sufficiently punished — release him; he does not deserve more. Even Brahmā advocates for the bound devotee. Saints, including the highest, ask for mercy on our behalf.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose 'sufficient punishment' am I refusing to acknowledge — and could I ask for their release?
  • Where could I be the Brahmā-voice asking for mercy on someone else's behalf?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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