Shloka 26
Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana
Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues
असुरराज! अब तो मैं तुम्हारे पास न तो सोनेकी झारी, न छत्र और न चँवर ही देखता हूँ तथा ब्रह्माजीकी दी हुई वह दिव्य माला भी तुम्हारे गलेमें नहीं दिखायी देती है ।। (भीष्म उवाच ततः प्रहस्य स बलिवासवेन समीरितम् | निशम्य भावगम्भीरं सुरराजमथाब्रवीत् ।। भीष्मजी कहते हैं--युधिष्ठिर! इन्द्रकी कही हुई वह भावगम्भीर वाणी सुनकर राजा बलि हँस पड़े और देवराजसे इस प्रकार बोले ।। बलिरुवाच अहो हि तव बालिश्यमिह देवगणाधिप । अयुक्तं देवराजस्य तव कष्टमिदं वच: ।।) बलिने कहा--देवेश्वर! यहाँ तुमने जो मूर्खता दिखायी है, वह मेरे लिये आश्चर्यजनक है। तुम देवताओंके राजा हो। इस तरह दूसरोंको कष्ट देनेवाली बात कहना तुम्हारे लिये योग्य नहीं है ।। न त्वं पश्यसि भुज़ारं न च्छत्रं व्यजने न च । ब्रद्मदत्तां च मे मालां न त्वं द्रक्ष्य्सि वासव,इन्द्र! इस समय तुम मेरी सोनेकी झारीको, मेरे छत्र और चँवरको तथा ब्रह्माजीकी दी हुई मेरी उस दिव्य मालाको भी नहीं देख सकोगे
asurarāja! adya tvāṃ prati na suvarṇa-śarāvaṃ na chatraṃ na ca vyajane paśyāmi, brahmadattā sā divyā mālāpi tava kaṇṭhe na dṛśyate. (bhīṣma uvāca) tataḥ prahasya sa balir vāsavena samīritam | niśamya bhāva-gambhīraṃ surarājam athābravīt || (baliḥ uvāca) aho hi tava bāliśyam iha deva-gaṇādhipa | ayuktaṃ devarājasya tava kaṣṭam idaṃ vacaḥ || na tvaṃ paśyasi bhūjāraṃ na chatraṃ vyajane na ca | brahmadattāṃ ca me mālāṃ na tvaṃ drakṣyasi vāsava ||
Indra said: “O lord of the Asuras! Now I do not see with you the golden vessel, nor the royal parasol, nor the fans; and that divine garland granted by Brahmā is not seen upon your neck either.” Bhīṣma said: Hearing Indra’s grave and pointed words, King Bali laughed and replied to the king of the gods: Bali said: “How astonishing is your folly here, O leader of the hosts of gods! Such harsh speech is unfit for you, the lord of the gods—speech that brings pain to another. Vāsava (Indra), you will not now behold my golden vessel, my parasol, my fans, nor even that garland bestowed on me by Brahmā.”
(भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a powerful ruler must restrain speech: harsh, humiliating words are ethically improper, especially for one who claims dharmic authority. True nobility is shown in self-control and compassion, not in gloating over another’s loss of status.
Indra remarks that Bali no longer possesses or displays royal emblems (golden vessel, parasol, fans, Brahmā’s garland). Bali laughs and rebukes Indra, saying such painful speech is unworthy of the king of gods, and declares that Indra will not see those insignia now—highlighting the reversal of fortune and the moral fault in Indra’s taunting.