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ŚB 8.11.48

Devanagari

बलिश्चोशनसा स्पृष्ट: प्रत्यापन्नेन्द्रियस्मृति: ।
पराजितोऽपि नाखिद्यल्ल‍ोकतत्त्वविचक्षण: ॥ ४८ ॥

Text

baliś cośanasā spṛṣṭaḥ
pratyāpannendriya-smṛtiḥ
parājito ’pi nākhidyal
loka-tattva-vicakṣaṇaḥ

Synonyms

baliḥ — Mahārāja Bali; ca — also; uśanasā — by Śukrācārya; spṛṣṭaḥ — being touched; pratyāpanna — was brought back; indriya-smṛtiḥ — realization of the actions of the senses and memory; parājitaḥ — he was defeated; api — although; na akhidyat — he did not lament; loka-tattva-vicakṣaṇaḥ — because he was very experienced in universal affairs.

Translation

Bali Mahārāja was very experienced in universal affairs. When he regained his senses and memory by the grace of Śukrācārya, he could understand everything that had happened. Therefore, although he had been defeated, he did not lament.

Purport

It is significant that Bali Mahārāja is here said to be very experienced. Although defeated, he was not at all sorry, for he knew that nothing can take place without the sanction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since he was a devotee, he accepted his defeat without lamentation. As stated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Bhagavad-gītā (2.47), karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana. Everyone in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should execute his duty, without regard for victory or defeat. One must execute his duty as ordered by Kṛṣṇa or His representative, the spiritual master. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā. In first-class devotional service, one always abides by the orders and will of Kṛṣṇa.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Eleventh Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “King Indra Annihilates the Demons.”