Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 23
Rāhu, Eclipses, Antarikṣa, and the Seven Subterranean Heavens
Bila-svarga
यत्तद्भगवतानधिगतान्योपायेन याच्ञाच्छलेनापहृतस्वशरीरावशेषितलोकत्रयो वरुणपाशैश्च सम्प्रतिमुक्तो गिरिदर्यां चापविद्ध इति होवाच ॥ २३ ॥
yat tad bhagavatānadhigatānyopāyena yācñā-cchalenāpahṛta-sva-śarīrāvaśeṣita-loka-trayo varuṇa-pāśaiś ca sampratimukto giri-daryāṁ cāpaviddha iti hovāca.
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead could see no other means of taking everything away from Bali Mahārāja, He adopted the trick of begging from him and took away all the three worlds. Thus only his body was left, but the Lord was still not satisfied. He arrested Bali Mahārāja, bound him with the ropes of Varuṇa and threw him in a cave in a mountain. Nevertheless, although all his property was taken and he was thrown into a cave, Bali Mahārāja was such a great devotee that he spoke as follows.
FAQs
This verse explains that the Lord used the pretext of begging to take everything from Bali—even his own body—yet Bali’s devotion made him spiritually accomplished, and the Lord ultimately protected him.
Because the Lord’s request for charity was a divine device to reclaim the three worlds and simultaneously reveal Bali Maharaja’s extraordinary surrender and devotion.
It teaches that real success is devotion and surrender to God’s will; even when material security is lost, bhakti remains one’s true wealth and protection.