Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.85.45
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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gṛha-andha-kūpāt
—
from the dark well of family life
Compound: gṛha (home) + andha (blind) + kūpa (well). The Bhāgavatam's signature metaphor for entangled household existence — repeated in Prahlāda's prayers and Kapila's instructions to Devahūti. Bali quotes the family tradition.
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viśva-śaraṇa-aṅghri
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the feet that shelter the universe
Compound: viśva (universe) + śaraṇa (shelter) + aṅghri (foot). Bhagavān's feet are the universal asylum. The trees of the forest are charitable; the Lord's feet are the source of that charity.
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sarva-sakhaiḥ
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with the friends of all beings
Compound: sarva + sakha (friend). The sādhu who is friend to every creature — Gauḍīyas describe Mahāprabhu's associates this way. Bali asks to wander either alone or in this company; both modes are sanctioned.
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śāntaḥ
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peaceful
Past participle of √śam, 'to be peaceful'. The single adjective that summarizes the renounced state. Gauḍīyas: śānta-bhakti is real bhakti but not the topmost rasa; the gopīs surpass it by going further into mādhurya.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī states that in response to Bali’s prayers, Śrī Kṛṣṇa invited him to choose some benediction, and in this verse Bali submits his request. Bali begs to be relieved of the entanglement of material life so he will be free to leave home and wander in the wilderness, with only the Lord’s lotus feet as his shelter. For his subsistence, Bali proposes, he will take help from the forest trees, at whose feet are fruits to eat and leaves to sleep on, for all to use as needed. And if the Lord is especially merciful to him, Bali hopes, he will not have to wander alone but will be allowed to travel in the company of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s devotees.
"Please ask for a benediction." "Overcoming the well of household life, which is opposite of the shelter (dihisana) your lotu s feet, sought by even the atam rama s( nirapeksa), may I wander alone being peaceful in living (vrtti) having obtained fruit spontaneously dropping at the root of trees which act as a shelter for the universe. If you are more merciful then let me wander with the friends of all beings (sarva sakhaih), your devotees."
Because of your merciful nature mentioned in the previous verse, therefore (tat) be merciful to me. He describes that mercy. The feet of you two are sought but not immediately achieved by liberated souls, who are also endowed with the bhāva of pure devotees. They are like lotuses because they destroy all suffering, are most beautiful, and give the greatest fragrance. Because they are the supreme shelter they are the best home. Other places are simply dull reflections. Get me out of this house which is actually like a blind well since it is the cause of bondage for a great fool, especially if it is Sutala, which is different from the shelter of your feet. Having attained your lotus feet which are the object of surrender for the universe, remaining as your servant (vṛttiḥ), going alone, not with followers, I will wander about with your devotees who are friends of everyone. Because they are friendly they will not criticize me.
Therefore (tat), because you let us see you, give us mercy. Plural indicates his followers as well. Your feet are sought even by liberated souls, disregarding liberation (vimṛgya), but they cannot attain those feet. The feet of you two, or you and devotees (yuṣmat) are like lotuses, destroying all suffering and flowing with sweet rasa. They are a shelter (dhiṣaṇa). Take us from the blind well of the house, which are not a shelter. It gives suffering but is unnoticed by the unintelligent. I will attain closeness with those feet which give shelter to the universe, causelessly giving benefit. There is no endeavor for this attainment, just as ripe fruits fall by themselves everywhere. I will be peaceful at heart (śāṇtaḥ) in cold or heat, even in the absence of those feet. Or devoid of attachment and hatred, alone, constantly chanting and remembering you, or with friends (uta) in order to taste the rasa of bhakti, I will wander about there and there. Because the great devotees are merciful I am qualified for their association. Or the shelter of your lotus feet, Vraja, is sought by the detached. Everything else, all houses, even Brahmaloka, are a blind well, since those who fall into the well cannot attain your place. Therefore do not give this regard (niṣkramya). Being situated (vṛrtiḥ) near the base of the trees of Vṛndāvana (viśva-śarana) or being situated near your feet, the shelter of the universe, giving up friends, some peaceful devotee (śāṇtaḥ) will wander about. Or being happy in your association, sometimes being alone with you (śānṭaḥ), and sometimes being with the people of Vraja, I will wander about. Or being the most excellent as a cowherd, or being one among the cowherds, I will wander with cowherd friends of you, the whole universe (sarva), in Vṛndāvana. However he does not directly state this out of shyness, since he prays for a position difficult to attain. In the beginning he mentions the plural naḥ (we), but at the end he mentions one person (ekaḥ) since a rare object cannot be given to many. Or we all have to attain the mercy. Your associates already have that mercy by their nature.
A man stuck in a deep dark well of household life looks up and sees a rope made of lotus feet. He prays: 'Pull me out — and let me wander as a free creature with the trees as my providers.' Bali, who once gave away the three worlds, is asking now to be a forest-mendicant under Bhagavān's roof.
Raghunātha dāsa (Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya 6) was born to the wealthiest family in Bengal. Mahāprabhu told him not to run away in haste — wait for the proper time. Eventually he abandoned home, served Mahāprabhu at Purī, and ended his days at Rādhā-kuṇḍa eating only a little buttermilk a day, sheltering under trees.
Bali's prayer — 'release me from the blind well of household, let me wander among śāntaḥ devotees' — is the exact mood Raghunātha lived out. Gauḍīyas hold him up as Bali's spiritual descendant in this line.
My note
Source: vedabase.io