बलिस्तु यजते यज्ञमश्चवमेधं महीं गतः । येडन्येडधस्था महीस्थाश्व ते न दग्धा महासुरा:
balis tu yajate yajñam aśvamedhaṁ mahīṁ gataḥ | ye ’nyed adhasthā mahī-sthāś ca te na dagdhā mahāsurāḥ ||
ភីෂ្មៈបានមានព្រះបន្ទូលថា៖ «នៅពេលនោះ ព្រះបាទបលិបានឡើងមកលើផែនដី ហើយកំពុងប្រតិបត្តិពិធីយញ្ញ អશ્વមេធ។ ដូច្នេះ អសុរៈដ៏ខ្លាំងក្លាដែលនៅជាមួយព្រះអង្គលើផែនដី និងអ្នកដទៃដែលស្ថិតនៅក្រោមក្នុងលោកបាតាល គឺជាពួកដែលរួចផុតពីការត្រូវដុតឆេះ»។
भीष्म उवाच
The verse highlights the protective and status-conferring power of sacred action (yajña) and location: Bali’s presence on earth performing a royal sacrifice becomes the contextual reason some Asuras are spared, suggesting that ritual order and circumstance can shape outcomes even amid cosmic upheaval.
Bhishma explains that when a destructive burning occurred, the Asuras who were with King Bali on earth—where he was conducting an Aśvamedha—and those who remained in the lower regions were not consumed; others, by implication, were burned.