Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 19
Rāhu, Eclipses, Antarikṣa, and the Seven Subterranean Heavens
Bila-svarga
नो एवैतत्साक्षात्कारो भूमिदानस्य यत्तद्भगवत्यशेषजीवनिकायानां जीवभूतात्मभूते परमात्मनि वासुदेवे तीर्थतमे पात्र उपपन्ने परया श्रद्धया परमादरसमाहितमनसा सम्प्रतिपादितस्य साक्षादपवर्गद्वारस्य यद्बिलनिलयैश्वर्यम् ॥ १९ ॥
no evaitat sākṣātkāro bhūmi-dānasya yat tad bhagavaty aśeṣa-jīva-nikāyānāṁ jīva-bhūtātma-bhūte paramātmani vāsudeve tīrthatame pātra upapanne parayā śraddhayā paramādara-samāhita-manasā sampratipāditasya sākṣād apavarga-dvārasya yad bila-nilayaiśvaryam.
Oh rey, no debe concluirse que la gran opulencia que Bali Mahārāja obtuvo en bila-svarga sea el resultado directo de su donación de tierras. Con fe suprema y profundo respeto, con la mente recogida, él ofreció todo a los pies de loto de Vāsudeva, el Paramātmā, fuente de vida de todos los seres y morador del corazón de cada uno, el más santo de los tīrthas y el recipiente más digno. Esa entrega es, en verdad, la puerta misma de la liberación. Por ello, no piense que tal opulencia provino solo de la caridad.
FAQs
This verse says the true fruit of land charity is not material opulence (even in subterranean worlds), but offering it with faith to Lord Vāsudeva—the supreme worthy recipient—which becomes a direct gateway to liberation.
Because Canto 5 describes various planetary realms and their pleasures; Śukadeva emphasizes that even extraordinary prosperity is still within saṁsāra, whereas devotionally offered charity to Vāsudeva leads to apavarga—release from bondage.
Give resources responsibly with sincere faith and humility, and connect your charity to service of the Supreme (supporting genuine devotion, sacred learning, and compassionate care), aiming for inner purification rather than prestige or worldly reward.