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 ।।
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 ||
インドラは言った。「おお、アスラの王よ。いまや汝のもとに黄金の器もなく、天蓋の傘もなく、拂扇も見えぬ。梵天より授けられたあの神聖なる花鬘も、汝の首には見当たらぬ。」 ビーシュマは語った。インドラの重く鋭い言葉を聞くや、バリ王は笑い、天界の王にこのように答えた。 バリは言った。「ああ、神々の軍勢の主よ、ここでの汝の愚かさはまことに驚くべきことだ！ 他者を苦しめるような苛烈な言葉は、神々の王たる汝にふさわしくない。ヴァーサヴァ（インドラ）よ、いま汝は我が黄金の器も、我が傘も、我が拂扇も、さらには梵天が我に賜った花鬘さえも、見ることはできぬであろう。」
(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.