FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.21.32

ప్రతిశ్రుతమదాతుస్తే నిరయే వాస ఇష్యతే । విశ త్వం నిరయం తస్మాద్ గురుణా చానుమోదిత: ॥ ౩౨ ॥
pratiśrutam adātus te
[pratishrutam adaatus te]
niraye vāsa iṣyate
[niraye vaasa ishyate]
viśa tvaṁ nirayaṁ tasmād
[visha tvam nirayam tasmaad]
guruṇā cānumoditaḥ
[gurunaa chaanumoditah]
pratiśrutam — what had been promised adātuḥ — who could not give te — of you niraye — in hell vāsaḥ — residence iṣyate — prescribed viśa — now enter tvam — yourself nirayam — the hellish planet tasmāt — therefore guruṇā — by your spiritual master ca — also anumoditaḥ — approved.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pratiśrutam adātus te
pratiśrutam
what had been promised
adātuḥ
who could not give
te
of you
niraye vāsa iṣyate
niraye
in hell
vāsaḥ
residence
iṣyate
prescribed
viśa tvaṁ nirayaṁ tasmād
viśa
now enter
tvam
yourself
nirayam
the hellish planet
tasmāt
therefore
guruṇā cānumoditaḥ
guruṇā
by your spiritual master
ca
also
anumoditaḥ
approved.
Because you have been unable to give charity according to your promise, the rule is that you should go down to live in the hellish planets. Therefore, in accordance with the order of Śukrācārya, your spiritual master, now go down and live there.

It is said:

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati svargāpavarga-narakeṣv api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

“Devotees solely engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, never fear any condition of life. For them the heavenly planets, liberation and the hellish planets are all the same, for such devotees are interested only in the service of the Lord.” ( Bhāg. 6.17.28 ) A devotee engaged in the service of Nārāyaṇa is always in equilibrium. A devotee actually lives transcendentally. Although he may appear to have gone to hell or heaven, he does not live in either place; rather, he always lives in Vaikuṇṭha ( sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate ). Vāmanadeva asked Bali Mahārāja to go to the hellish planets, apparently just to show the entire universe how tolerant he was, and Bali Mahārāja did not hesitate to carry out the order. A devotee does not live alone. Of course, everyone lives with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but because the devotee is engaged in His service, he actually does not live in any material condition. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, kīṭa janma hao yathā tuyā dāsa. Thus he prays to take birth as an insignificant insect in the association of devotees. Because devotees are engaged in the service of the Lord, anyone who lives with them also lives in Vaikuṇṭha.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Because you have been unable to give charity according to your promise, you should live in the hellish planets. Therefore, being pleased, enter hell along with your guru. “What should I do if I cannot fulfill my promise?” You should live in hell. The Lord now speaks to show to the world the steadiness and pure bhakti of Bali. Niraye means “in hell.” This is approved by your guru. You can ask your learned guru whether what I now say is reasonable or not. Actually, since even a person with bhakyābhāsa should not go to hell, just for breaking your promise you also cannot go to hell. Niraye can also mean nilaye, since r and l can be interchanged. Thus, please go and live to my abode Vaikuṇṭha (nilaye). Though now I am ordering you to enter my special place Sutala supplied by me, after your position there is finished I will have you enter Vaikuṇṭha. Though you disregard you guru, because you know he is opposed to me, I understand that he has lost his discrimination out of great affection for you. He is also dear to me. Therefore go with him to Sutala.
Related verses
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 21