Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains in this regard that the very word harih means one who takes away. If one connects himself with Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord takes away all his miseries, and in the beginning the Lord also superficially appears to take away all his material possessions, reputation, education and beauty. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.88.8), yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih. The Lord said to Maharaja Yudhisthira, The first installment of My mercy toward a devotee is that I take away all his possessions, especially his material opulence, his money. This is the special favor of the Lord toward a sincere devotee. If a sincere devotee wants Krsna above everything but at the same time is attached to material possessions, which hinder his advancement in Krsna consciousness, by tactics the Lord takes away all his possessions. Here Sukracarya says that this dwarf brahmacari would take away everything. Thus he indicates that the Lord will take away all ones material possessions and also ones mind. If one delivers his mind to the lotus feet of Krsna (sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh), one can naturally sacrifice everything to satisfy Him. Although Bali Maharaja was a devotee, he was attached to material possessions, and therefore the Lord, being very kind to him, showed him special favor by appearing as Lord Vamana to take away all his material possessions, and his mind as well.