यस्य विष्णुः सहायश्च तपश्चैव बलं तथा । तस्यैव च जयो दृष्ट इति धर्मविदो विदुः
He whose ally is Viṣṇu, whose austerity and strength are present, victory is seen for him alone—so say the knowers of righteousness.
यूयं धर्मविहीनास्तु तपः सत्यविवर्जिताः । ऐंद्रं पदं बलेनैव प्राप्तवंतश्च पूर्वतः
You are devoid of righteousness, lacking austerity and truth; you attained the Indra's position previously only by strength.
तपो विना महाप्राज्ञा धर्मेण यशसा विना । बलदर्पगुणैः पुत्रा न प्राप्यमैन्द्रकं पदम्
Without austerity, O greatly wise ones, and without righteousness or fame, sons, the Indra's position cannot be attained by strength, pride, or qualities.
प्राप्याप्यैंद्रं पदं पुत्रास्ततो भ्रष्टा भवंति हि । तस्माद्यूयं प्रकुर्वंतु तपः पुत्राः समन्विताः
Even after attaining the Indra's position, sons, you become fallen from it; therefore, you should practice austerity, O sons, endowed with it.
अविरोधेन संयुक्ता ज्ञानध्यानसमन्विताः । वैरं चैव न कर्तव्यं केशवेन समं कदा
United without opposition, endowed with knowledge and meditation, you should never make enmity with Keśava at any time.
एवंविधा यदा पुत्रा यूयं धन्या भविष्यथ । परां सिद्धिं तदा सर्वे प्रयास्यथ न संशयः
When you sons are thus, you will become blessed; then all of you will attain supreme accomplishment, without doubt.
एवं संभाषितास्ते तु कश्यपेन महात्मना । समाकर्ण्य पितुर्वाक्यं दानवास्ते महौजसः
Thus addressed by the great-souled Kaśyapa, the powerful Dānavas listened attentively to their father's words.
प्रणम्य कश्यपं भक्त्या समुत्थाय त्वरान्विताः । सुमंत्रं चक्रिरे दैत्याः परस्परसमाहिताः
Having bowed to Kaśyapa with devotion, the Daityas quickly rose and, united in purpose, held a council among themselves.
हिरण्यकशिपू राजा तानुवाचाथ दानवान् । तपश्चैव करिष्यामो दुष्करं सर्वदायकम्
Then King Hiraṇyakaśipu spoke to the Dānavas: 'We shall undertake severe austerity, which is difficult and grants all desires.'
हिरण्याक्षस्तदोवाच करिष्ये दारुणं तपः । ततो बलेन त्रैलोक्यं ग्रहीष्ये नात्र संशयः
Hiraṇyākṣa then said: 'I will perform fierce penance; by its power, I shall seize the three worlds—there is no doubt of this.'
रणे निर्जित्य गोविंदं तमिमं पापचेतसम् । व्यापाद्य देवताः सर्वाः पदमैंद्रं व्रजाम्यहम्
Having conquered Govinda in battle and slain this evil-minded one, I will destroy all the gods and attain Indra's throne.
बलिरुवाच- एवं न युज्यते कर्तुं युष्माभिर्दितिजेश्वराः । विष्णुना सह यद्वैरं तद्वैरं नाशकारणम्
Bali said: 'It is not fitting for you, O lords of the Dānavas, to act thus; enmity with Viṣṇu cannot be the cause of our destruction.'
दानधर्मैस्तथा पुण्यैस्तपोभिर्यज्ञयाजनैः । तमाराध्य हृषीकेशं सुखं गच्छंति मानवाः
By charity, righteousness, penance, and sacrificial rites, men propitiate Hṛṣīkeśa and attain happiness.
हिरण्यकशिपुरुवाच- अहमेवं न करिष्ये हरेराराधनं कदा । स्वभावं तु परित्यज्य शत्रुसेवा प्रचर्यते
Hiraṇyakaśipu said: 'I will never act thus, nor worship Hari; abandoning my own nature, I would be serving the enemy.'
मरणादधिकं तं तु मानयंति हि पंडिताः । विष्णोः सेवा न वै कार्या मया चान्यैश्च दानवैः
The wise honor one who surpasses even death; service to Viṣṇu should not be performed by me or by other Dānavas.
तमुवाच महात्मानं बलिः पितामहं पुनः । धर्मशास्त्रेषु यद्दृष्टं मुनिभिस्तत्त्ववेदिभिः
Bali again spoke to the great-souled patriarch: 'What is seen in the scriptures of dharma by sages who know the truth—'
राजनीतियुतं मंत्रं शत्रोश्चैव प्रधानतः । हीनमात्मानमाज्ञाय रिपुं तं बलिनं तथा
'A strategy endowed with political wisdom, especially concerning the enemy, is to recognize one's own weakness and the strength of the foe.'
तस्य पार्श्वे प्रगत्वैव जयकालं प्रतीक्षयेत् । दीपच्छायां समाश्रित्य तमो वसति सर्वदा
'Having approached his side, one should wait for the right moment to win; darkness always dwells in the shadow of a lamp.'
स्नेहं दशागतं प्रेक्ष्य दीपस्यापि महाबलम् । प्रकाशं याति वेगेन तमश्च वर्द्धते पुनः
'Observing the oil's condition, even the great lamp's light quickly increases, and yet darkness also grows again.'
तथा प्रसादयेच्छन्नः स्नेहं निर्दिश्य तत्त्वतः । स्नेहं कृत्वासुरैः सार्द्धं धर्मभावैः सुरद्विषः
'In the same way, one should secretly win favor, truly indicating affection; by forming alliances with the Asuras, the enemies of the gods act with righteousness.'
पूर्वमुक्तं सुमंत्रं तु मुनिना कश्यपेन हि । तेन मंत्रेण राजेंद्र कुरु कार्यं स्वमात्मवान्
'The strategy previously spoken by the sage Kaśyapa—O king, act according to that counsel, being self-possessed.'
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्राह दैत्यः प्रतापवान् । पौत्र नैवं करिष्येहं मानभंगं तथात्मनः
Hearing these words, the mighty Daitya replied: 'Grandson, I will not act thus, nor bring dishonor upon myself.'
अन्ये च बांधवाः सर्वे तमूचुर्नयपंडितम् । बलिनोक्तं च यत्पुण्यं देवतानां प्रियंकरम्
And all the other kinsmen said to him, the wise in policy: 'The merit spoken by Bali, which is dear to the gods—'
शक्रमानकरं प्रोक्तं दानवानां भयंकरम् । करिष्यामो वयं सर्वे तप एवमनुत्तमम्
'It is said to be powerless against Indra, and dreadful to the Dānavas; therefore, we shall all perform the highest penance.'
तपसा निर्जित्य देवान्हरिष्यामः स्वकं पदम् । एवमामंत्र्य ते सर्वे निराकृत्य बलिं तदा
Having resolved to conquer the gods through austerity and reclaim our rightful place, all of them thus consulted together and rejected Bali at that time.
विष्णोः सार्द्धं महावैरं हृदि कृत्वा महासुराः । तपश्चक्रुस्ततः सर्वे गिरिदुर्गेषु सानुषु
Harboring great enmity toward Vishnu in their hearts, the mighty asuras, together, undertook austerities upon the mountain heights.
एवं ते दानवाः सर्वे त्यक्तरागाः सुनिश्चिताः । कामक्रोधविहीनाश्च निराहारा जितक्लमाः
Thus, all those danavas, renouncing attachment, firmly determined, free from desire and anger, fasting, and having overcome fatigue.
ऋषय ऊचुः- सर्वज्ञेन त्वया प्रोक्तं दैत्यदानवसंगरम् । इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्छामः सुव्रतस्य महात्मनः
The sages said: You have spoken of the conflict between the daityas and danavas, O all-knowing one; now we wish to hear about the noble Suvrata.
कस्य पुत्रो महाप्राज्ञः कस्य गोत्रसमुद्भवः । किं तपस्तस्य विप्रस्य कथमाराधितो हरिः
Whose son was this wise one? From which lineage did he arise? What austerity did this brahmin perform, and how did he please Hari?
सूत उवाच- कथा प्रज्ञाप्रभावेण पूर्वमेव यथा श्रुता । तथा विप्राः प्रवक्ष्यामि सुव्रतस्य महात्मनः
The suta said: According to what was previously heard, I will narrate the story of the noble Suvrata, as it is known for its wisdom.