Shloka 43

Devanagari script

बली वीर इति ख्यातो यस्त्वासीदसुरोत्तम: । पौण्ड्रमात्स्यक इत्येवं बभूव स नराधिप:,महाबली वीर नामसे विख्यात जो श्रेष्ठ असुर (विक्षरका तीसरा भाई) था, पौण्ड्रमात्स्यक नामसे प्रसिद्ध राजा हुआ

Transliteration

balī vīra iti khyāto yas tv āsīd asurottamaḥ | pauṇḍramātsyaka ity evaṃ babhūva sa narādhipaḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: “That foremost of the Asuras, renowned by the name ‘Balī Vīra’, later became a human king, known in the world as Pauṇḍramātsyaka.”

Word by Word

बलीBali (the mighty one)

वीरःhero, brave one

इतिthus, as (called)

ख्यातःrenowned, known

यःwho

त्वindeed, but (emphatic particle)

आसीत्was

असुरोत्तमःthe best of Asuras

पौण्ड्रमात्स्यकःPauṇḍra and Mātsyaka (as a combined designation)

इतिthus

एवम्in this manner

बभूवbecame

सःhe

नराधिपःking, lord of men

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Balī Vīra

Asura

Pauṇḍramātsyaka

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights continuity of reputation and inherent potency across changing forms: an exalted Asura identity can culminate in human kingship, suggesting that status shifts with birth while renown follows one’s nature and deeds.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana identifies a figure previously famed as the mighty hero Balī Vīra among the Asuras and states that he later became a human ruler known by the name Pauṇḍramātsyaka.