TEXT 18
tato ’dhastat sutale udara-sravah punya-sloko virocanatmajo balir bhagavata mahendrasya priyam cikirsamanenaditer labdha-kayo bhutva vatu-vamana-rupena paraksipta-loka-trayo bhagavad-anukampayaiva punah pravesita indradisv avidyamanaya susamrddhaya sriyabhijustah sva-dharmenaradhayams tam eva bhagavantam aradhaniyam apagata-sadhvasa aste ’dhunapi.
SYNONYMS
tatah adhastat—beneath the planet known as Vitala; sutale—on the planet known as Sutala; udara-sravah—very greatly celebrated; punya-slokah—very pious and advanced in spiritual consciousness; virocana-atmajah—the son of Virocana; balihBali Maharaja; bhagavata—by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; maha-indrasya—of the King of heaven, Indra; priyam—the welfare; cikirsamanena—desiring to perform; aditeh—from Aditi; labdha-kayah—having obtained His body; bhutva—appearing; vatubrahmacari; vamana-rupena—in the form of a dwarf; paraksipta—wrested away; loka-trayah—the three worlds; bhagavat-anukampaya—by the causeless mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; eva—certainly; punah—again; pravesitah—caused to enter; indra-adisu—even among the demigods like the King of heaven; avidyamanaya—not existing; susamrddhaya—much enriched by such exalted opulence; sriya—by good fortune; abhijustah—being blessed; sva-dharmena—by discharging devotional service; aradhayan—worshiping; tam—Him; eva—certainly; bhagavantam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; aradhaniyam—who is most worshipable; apagata-sadhvasah—without fear; aste—remains; adhuna api—even today.
TRANSLATION
Below the planet Vitala is another planet, known as Sutala, where the great son of Maharaja Virocana, Bali Maharaja, who is celebrated as the most pious king, resides even now. For the welfare of Indra, the King of heaven, Lord Visnu appeared in the form of a dwarf brahmacari as the son of Aditi and tricked Bali Maharaja by begging for only three paces of land but taking all the three worlds. Being very pleased with Bali Maharaja for giving all his possessions, the Lord returned his kingdom and made him richer than the opulent King Indra. Even now, Bali Maharaja engages in devotional service by worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the planet of Sutala.
PURPORT
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described as Uttamasloka, “He who is worshiped by the best of selected Sanskrit verses,” and His devotees such as Bali Maharaja are also worshiped by punya-sloka, verses that increase one’s piety. Bali Maharaja offered everything to the Lord—his wealth, his kingdom and even his own body (sarvatma-nivedane balih). The Lord appeared before Bali Maharaja as a brahmana beggar, and Bali Maharaja gave Him everything he had. However, Bali Maharaja did not become poor; by donating all his possessions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he became a successful devotee and got everything back again with the blessings of the Lord. Similarly, those who give contributions to expand the activities of the Krsna consciousness movement and to accomplish its objectives will never be losers; they will get their wealth back with the blessings of Lord Krsna. On the other side, those who collect contributions on behalf of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness should be very careful not to use even a farthing of the collection for any purpose other than the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

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