बलिस्तु यजते यज्ञमश्चवमेधं महीं गतः । येडन्येडधस्था महीस्थाश्व ते न दग्धा महासुरा:,“उस समय राजा बलि पृथ्वीपर आकर अश्वमेध यज्ञ कर रहे थे। अत: जो दैत्य उनके साथ पृथ्वीपर थे और दूसरे जो पातालमें थे, वे ही दग्ध होनेसे बचे
balis tu yajate yajñam aśvamedhaṁ mahīṁ gataḥ | ye ’nyed adhasthā mahī-sthāś ca te na dagdhā mahāsurāḥ ||
ครั้งนั้นพระราชาพลีขึ้นมาสู่พื้นพิภพประกอบอัศวเมธยัญ; เพราะฉะนั้นมหาอสูรที่อยู่กับท่านบนโลก และพวกอื่นที่สถิตในปาตาลเท่านั้น จึงรอดพ้นจากการถูกเผา
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.