Shloka 13
मარკण्डेयागमनम् तथा सत्यव्रत-उपदेशः
Arrival of Mārkaṇḍeya and Counsel on Truth-Vows
अनूनमासीदसुरस्य कामै- वैंरोचने: श्रीरपि चाक्षया5डसीत् । लब्ध्वा महीं ब्राह्मणसम्प्रयोगात् तेष्वाचरन् दुष्टमथो व्यनश्यत्,“ब्राह्मणके सहयोगसे पृथ्वीका राज्य पाकर विरोचन-पुत्र बलि नामक असुरका जीवन सम्पूर्ण आवश्यक कामोपभोगकी सामग्रीसे सम्पन्न हो गया और अक्षय राज्यलक्ष्मी भी प्राप्त हो गयी। परंतु वह उन ब्राह्मणोंके साथ दुर्व्यवहार करनेपर नष्ट हो गया--उसका राज्यलक्ष्मीसे वियोग हो गया-
anūnam āsīd asurasya kāmaiḥ vairocaneḥ śrīr api cākṣayā āsīt | labdhvā mahīṃ brāhmaṇa-samprayogāt teṣv ācaran duṣṭam atho vyanaśyat ||
Vaiśampāyana said: For Virocana’s son, the Asura (Bali), nothing was lacking in objects of enjoyment; even royal fortune (śrī) became inexhaustible for him. Having obtained sovereignty over the earth through association with Brahmins, he later behaved wickedly toward those very Brahmins—and thus he perished, losing his prosperity and royal splendor.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Prosperity gained through righteous support—especially through the counsel and sanction of Brahmins—does not endure if one turns to arrogance and mistreats those who uphold dharma; ethical conduct is the condition for lasting śrī (fortune).
The narrator states that Bali, after attaining abundant enjoyments and seemingly inexhaustible royal fortune by means of Brahmin association, later acted wrongly toward those Brahmins; as a consequence, he was ruined and lost his regal prosperity.