Shloka 18

Brahmā Worships Vāmana; the Demons Attack; Bali is Bound and Questioned About the Third Step

Devanagari script

हन्यमानान् स्वकान् द‍ृष्ट्वा पुरुषानुचरैर्बलि: । वारयामास संरब्धान् काव्यशापमनुस्मरन् ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

hanyamānān svakān dṛṣṭvā puruṣānucarair baliḥ vārayām āsa saṁrabdhān kāvya-śāpam anusmaran

Translation

When Bali Mahārāja saw his own soldiers being slain by the attendants of Lord Viṣṇu, he remembered Śukrācārya’s curse and restrained his enraged troops from fighting on.

Synonyms

• हन्यमानान्: being slain
• हन्यमानान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √हन् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (कर्मणि शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘being killed/being struck’ (qualifies ‘स्वकान्’)

• स्वकान्: his own (people)
• स्वकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘his own (men)’

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive)

• पुरुष-अनुचरैः: by the attendants of the Lord (Puruṣa)
• पुरुष-अनुचरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (पुरुषस्य अनुचराः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बलिः: Bali
• बलिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम

• वारयाम्: (he) restrained
• वारयाम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृ (वारयति) (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect) ‘वारयाम्’ (periphrastic/auxiliary construction with ‘आस’), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense ‘I restrained’

• आस: did/was (auxiliary)
• आस: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; सहायक-क्रिया (auxiliary)

• संरब्धान्: the enraged (ones)
• संरब्धान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-√रभ् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘enraged’ (object of restraining)

• काव्य-शापम्: the curse of Kāvya (Śukra)
• काव्य-शापम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (काव्यस्य शापः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनुस्मरन्: remembering
• अनुस्मरन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-√स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘remembering’ (qualifies Baliḥ)

Characters & Entities

• Bali
• Puruṣānucara (attendants of the Supreme Lord)
• Kāvya (Śukrācārya)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about controlling anger during conflict?

This verse shows Bali becoming angry at seeing his men harmed, yet he restrains his forces by remembering higher consequences (Śukrācārya’s curse), illustrating mastery over impulse even in battle.

Why did Bali stop his warriors even when his followers were being attacked?

Because he remembered Kāvya (Śukrācārya)’s curse and the unfolding of divine arrangement connected to the Supreme Lord’s attendants, Bali chose restraint over retaliation.

How can Bali Maharaja’s restraint be applied in modern life?

When provoked, pause and recall long-term outcomes, dharmic principles, and spiritual priorities before reacting—choosing self-control over immediate retaliation.