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बलिवासवसंवाद (balivAsavasaMvAda)

 
Mahabharata
English
[Bali-Vāsava-saṃvāda(ḥ)]
(“the discourse between Bali and Indra”). (a) § 671b (Mokshadh.): One day, after having subjugated all As., Indra asked Brahmán where Bali now was, he who was Vāyu, etc. (). Brahmán said that Bali might now have taken his birth among camels or bulls, etc., and be staying in a deserted house
he told Indra not to slay him, but to ask him for instruction in morality. Indra roamed over the earth on Airāvata, and found Bali in a deserted house in the form of an ass. Indra scoffed at him, and asked if he did not grieve, and where his 42, 000 Gandharvas had gone who in former days used to dance before him, and also about the garland given to him by Brahmán. Bali said: “When thou becomest like me, thou wilt not indulge in speech like this” (XII, 223). Bali said that D., men, P., G., snakes, and Rā. were under his sway in days gone by, and that all creatures used to flatter him
but he did not grieve at all
in reality it is Time that creates and destroys all things, though living creatures brag of doing this or that
“this royal glory (rājya-śrī) …does not dwell long in one place
she had dwelt in thousands of Indras before thee, who were very much superior to thee
…knowing thee to be full of vanity, she will very soon desert thee” (XII, 224). Indra saw Śrī, adorned with head-plumes, etc., issue out of Bali, who did not know whether she was an As. damsel or a celestial one or a human one
Indra asked her who she was, as she stood there like Māyā herself
she said: “Virocana did not know me
Bali does not know me
the learned called me Duḥsahā. (‘difficult to be borne’), etc. ()
thou knowest me not, O Indra, nor does any one of the deities know me
nor the Creator (Dhātā), nor the Ordainer (Vidhātā) rules over me
it is Time that moves me from one place to another
do not disregard Bali. Bali has fallen off from truth, etc.
formerly he was devoted to the brahmans, etc.
but latterly he began to cherish feelings of animosity towards the brahmans and touched clarified butter with soiled hands
therefore I desert him and shall henceforth dwell in thee
there is none among D., G., As., or Rā. that can keep me for ever.” Requested by Indra, she told him how she might be able to reside in him permanently, dividing herself into four parts, according to the ordinance laid down in the Vedas: one to be established on earth, one in the waters, one in Fire, one among the good, while Indra should continue to protect her. Bali said that when the Sun would shine only upon the region of Brahmán in the middle of Sumeru, then a great battle between the gods and the Asuras would again occur, and in that fight Bali would certainly vanquish them all. Indra said that Brahmán had commanded him never to kill him
“never will come the day when the Sun will shine only from the meridian (madhyataḥ sthitaḥ)
Brahmán has before this laid down the laws that regulate the Sun's motions…” Bali proceeded towards the South
Indra proceeded towards the North and ascended the skies (XII, 225).--(b) § 673b (Mokshadh.): Bhīshma said: After the battle between the gods and the Asuras, in which a large number of Dai. and Dā. fell, Bali became king. He was deceived by Vishṇu, who once more established his sway over all the worlds. Indra was once more invested with the sovereignty of the gods, etc.
the three worlds once more swelled with prosperity, and Brahmán became glad of heart. At that time Indra, accompanied by R., V., Ā., A., D.-ṛ., G., Si., etc., seated on the four-tusked Airāvata, made a progress through all the worlds. Once he saw Bali Vairocani within a certain mountain cave on the sea-shore. Bali showed no signs of sorrow or agitation. Indra asked him how it was that he was so unmoved
“thou art bound with Varuṇa's noose and hast been struck with my thunderbolt.” Bali said: “What I am now, thou wilt be in the future, ” explaining that only time (not merit) rules the destiny of men
“that thou regardest thyself as the actor is the root of all sorrow”
“in the course of time many thousands of Indras and of deities have been swept away yuga after yuga, and will be swept away in future…, just as Pṛthu, etc. (), ” though they were devoted to the Vedas and Vedio rites, etc., and though all of them were the offspring of Daksha's daughters
“those 1, 000 [celestial years], that are the measure of thy sway, will surely come to an end”
“Ā., R., Sā., V., and M. were all vanquished by me, ” etc. Indra's panegyric on Bali. Indra left the spot and was praised by the M.-ṛ.
Fire once more began to bear the libations [to the gods], etc. (XII, 227).
Bali-Vāsava-saṃvāda, v. before Balīhāḥ.