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.
चरितं पावनं दिव्यं वैष्णवं श्रेयआवहम् । भवतामग्रतः सर्वं विष्णोश्चैव प्रसादतः
I will recount before you all the pure, divine, Vaishnava conduct, which brings auspiciousness, by the grace of Vishnu.
पूर्वकल्पे महाभागाः सुक्षेत्रे पापनाशने । रेवातीरे सुपुण्ये च तीर्थे वामनसंज्ञके
In a previous kalpa, O blessed ones, at the sacred site that destroys sin, on the holy bank of the Reva, at the tirtha called Vamana.
कौशिकस्य कुले जातः सोमशर्मा द्विजोत्तमः । स तु पुत्रविहीनस्तु बहुदुःखसमन्वितः
Born in the lineage of Kaushika, Somaśarman was a foremost brahmin; he was childless and afflicted with much suffering.
दारिद्रेण स दुःखेन सर्वदैवप्रपीडितः । पुत्रोपायं धनस्यापि दिवारात्रौ प्रचिंतयेत्
Tormented always by poverty and sorrow, he would ponder day and night the means for obtaining a son and wealth.
एकदा तु प्रिया तस्य सुमना नाम सुव्रता । भर्तारं चिंतयोपेतमधोमुखमलक्षयत्
One day, his beloved wife, named Sumanā, virtuous and devoted, noticed her husband deep in thought, his face cast downward.
समालोक्य तदा कांतं तमुवाच तपस्विनी । दुःखजालैरसंख्यैस्तु तव चित्तं प्रधर्षितम्
Seeing her beloved thus, the ascetic woman spoke: Your mind is overwhelmed by countless webs of sorrow.
व्यामोहेन प्रमूढोसि त्यज चिंतां महामते । मम दुःखं समाचक्ष्व स्वस्थो भव सुखं व्रज
You are bewildered by confusion; abandon worry, O wise one. Tell me your sorrow, be at ease, and find happiness.
नास्ति चिंतासमं दुःखं कायशोषणमेव हि । यश्चिंतां त्यज्य वर्तेत स सुखेन प्रमोदते
There is no suffering equal to worry, for it emaciates the body; whoever lives free from worry enjoys happiness and delight.
चिंतायाः कारणं विप्र कथयस्व ममाग्रतः । प्रियावाक्यं समाकर्ण्य सोमशर्माब्रवीत्प्रियाम्
Tell me, O brahmin, the cause of your worry before me; hearing her loving words, Somaśarman spoke to his beloved.
सोमशर्मोवाच-। इच्छया चिंतितं भद्रे चिंता दुःखस्य कारणम् । तत्सर्वं तु प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रुत्वा चैवावधार्यताम्
Somaśarman said: Out of desire, I have worried, O gentle one; worry is the cause of sorrow. I will tell you everything, listen and understand.