Shloka 28
Bali Mahārāja’s Empowerment and Conquest of Indra’s City
Prelude to Vāmana’s Petition
श्रीगुरुरुवाच जानामि मघवञ्छत्रोरुन्नतेरस्य कारणम् । शिष्यायोपभृतं तेजो भृगुभिर्ब्रह्मवादिभि: ॥ २८ ॥
śrī-gurur uvāca jānāmi maghavañ chatror unnater asya kāraṇam śiṣyāyopabhṛtaṁ tejo bhṛgubhir brahma-vādibhiḥ
శ్రీగురు బృహస్పతి అన్నారు—ఓ మఘవన్ (ఇంద్రా), నీ శత్రువు ఎదుగుదలకు కారణం నాకు తెలుసు. భృగువంశీయ బ్రహ్మవాదీ బ్రాహ్మణులు తమ శిష్యుడైన బలి మహారాజుపై ప్రసన్నులై అతనికి అసాధారణ తేజస్సును ప్రసాదించారు.
Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods, informed Indra, “Ordinarily, Bali and his forces could not achieve such strength, but it appears that the brāhmaṇa descendants of Bhṛgu Muni, being pleased with Bali Mahārāja, endowed them with this spiritual power.” In other words, Bṛhaspati informed Indra that Bali Mahārāja’s prowess was not his own but that of his exalted guru, Śukrācārya. We sing in our daily prayers, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi. By the pleasure of the spiritual master, one can get extraordinary power, especially in spiritual advancement. The blessings of the spiritual master are more powerful than one’s personal endeavor for such advancement. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura therefore says:
FAQs
This verse says that an enemy’s rise can come from spiritual potency (tejas) granted by powerful brāhmaṇa sages—here, the Bhṛgus empowered their disciple.
In the narrative of Canto 8, Indra is anxious about the growing power of the Daityas; Śukrācārya explains that the Daitya leader’s elevation is due to brahmanical blessings and support from the Bhṛgu lineage.
Power and success often rest on guidance and blessings from the wise; seek genuine spiritual education and character-building rather than relying only on force or status.