Shloka 31
The Lord Appears to the Devas and Instructs the Truce; Mandara Is Brought for Churning
तत्त्वरोचत दैत्यस्य तत्रान्ये येऽसुराधिपा: । शम्बरोऽरिष्टनेमिश्च ये च त्रिपुरवासिन: ॥ ३१ ॥
tat tv arocata daityasya tatrānye ye ’surādhipāḥ śambaro ’riṣṭanemiś ca ye ca tripura-vāsinaḥ
Indra’s proposals were at once accepted by Bali, king of the daityas. Led by Śambara and Ariṣṭanemi, the other asura chiefs and all the residents of Tripura also agreed immediately.
It appears from this verse that politics, diplomacy, the propensity to cheat, and everything that we find in this world in individual and social negotiations between two parties are also present in the upper planetary systems. The demigods went to Bali Mahārāja with the proposal to manufacture nectar, and the Daityas, the demons, immediately accepted it, thinking that since the demigods were already weak, when the nectar was produced the demons would take it from them and use it for their own purposes. The demigods, of course, had similar intentions. The only difference is that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṇu, was on the side of the demigods because the demigods were His devotees, whereas the demons did not care about Lord Viṣṇu. All over the universe there are two parties — the Viṣṇu party, or God-conscious party, and the godless party. The godless party is never happy or victorious, but the God-conscious party is always happy and victorious.
FAQs
This verse notes that the asura leaders accepted the proposal, indicating a temporary agreement among the demons to proceed with the churning of the Milk Ocean.
They are named as prominent asura chiefs who endorsed the plan, showing that the demon leadership collectively approved the arrangement.
Even opposing groups may cooperate for a shared goal; however, in Bhagavatam narratives such alliances are often temporary and should be guided by discernment and higher principles.