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.
Ô roi, il ne faut pas conclure que la grande opulence obtenue par Bali Mahārāja en bila-svarga soit le fruit direct de son don de terres. Avec une foi suprême, un profond respect et l’esprit parfaitement recueilli, il offrit tout aux pieds de lotus de Vāsudeva, le Paramātmā, source de vie de tous les êtres et résident du cœur de chacun, le plus saint des tīrthas et le réceptacle le plus digne. Cet abandon est, en vérité, la porte même de la délivrance. Ne croyez donc pas que cette opulence vienne seulement de la charité.
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.