Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 24
Rāhu, Eclipses, Antarikṣa, and the Seven Subterranean Heavens
Bila-svarga
नूनं बतायं भगवानर्थेषु न निष्णातो योऽसाविन्द्रो यस्य सचिवो मन्त्राय वृत एकान्ततो बृहस्पतिस्तमतिहाय स्वयमुपेन्द्रेणात्मानमयाचतात्मनश्चाशिषो नो एव तद्दास्यमतिगम्भीरवयस: कालस्य मन्वन्तरपरिवृत्तं कियल्लोकत्रयमिदम् ॥ २४ ॥
nūnaṁ batāyaṁ bhagavān artheṣu na niṣṇāto yo ’sāv indro yasya sacivo mantrāya vṛta ekāntato bṛhaspatis tam atihāya svayam upendreṇātmānam ayācatātmanaś cāśiṣo no eva tad-dāsyam ati-gambhīra-vayasaḥ kālasya manvantara-parivṛttaṁ kiyal loka-trayam idam.
Hélas, qu’Indra, roi du ciel, est pitoyable ! Bien qu’il soit savant et puissant, et qu’il ait choisi Bṛhaspati pour premier ministre, il demeure ignorant du progrès spirituel. Bṛhaspati lui-même manque de discernement, car il n’a pas instruit correctement son disciple. Upendra, le Seigneur Vāmanadeva, se tenait à la porte d’Indra, mais au lieu de Lui demander l’occasion de Le servir avec amour transcendantal, Indra L’employa à me réclamer l’aumône afin d’obtenir les trois mondes pour la satisfaction de ses sens. La souveraineté sur les trois mondes est bien dérisoire, car toute opulence matérielle ne dure qu’un manvantara, infime parcelle du temps sans fin.
Bali Mahārāja was so powerful that he fought with Indra and took possession of the three worlds. Indra was certainly very advanced in knowledge, but instead of asking Vāmanadeva for engagement in His service, he used the Lord to beg for material possessions that would be finished at the end of one age of Manu. An age of Manu, which is the duration of Manu’s life, is calculated to last seventy-two yugas. One yuga consists of 4,300,000 years, and therefore the duration of Manu’s life is 309,600,000 years. The demigods possess their material opulence only until the end of the life of Manu. Time is insurmountable. The time one is allotted, even if it be millions of years, is quickly gone. The demigods own their material possessions only within the limits of time. Therefore Bali Mahārāja lamented that although Indra was very learned, he did not know how to use his intelligence properly, for instead of asking Vāmanadeva to allow him to engage in His service, Indra used Him to beg Bali Mahārāja for material wealth. Although Indra was learned and his prime minister, Bṛhaspati, was also learned, neither of them begged to be able to render loving service to Lord Vāmanadeva. Therefore Bali Mahārāja lamented for Indra.
FAQs
This verse implies that even if one approaches Upendra (Vishnu) with petitions, service to Him (tad-dāsyam) is never fruitless—devotional connection itself carries lasting benefit beyond temporary goals.
Indra is described as not fully discerning real welfare because he set aside his proper spiritual adviser Bṛhaspati and acted independently; the verse contrasts such short-sightedness with the vast perspective of Time and divine service.
Remembering the immense scale of time and cosmic cycles helps reduce anxiety over short-term gains and losses, encouraging steadiness and prioritizing lasting spiritual practice—especially devotion and service to the Lord.