Shloka 53

Adhyāya 223: Nāradasya Guṇa-kathana

Catalogue of Nārada’s Virtues

Devanagari script

तं॑ बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रद्याज्ञाचश्व मे बलिम्‌ । “वह राजा बलि ही वायु बनकर चलता

Transliteration

taṁ baliṁ nādhigacchāmi bradyājñā caśva me balim |

Translation

毗湿摩说道：“我寻不见那位巴利王。婆罗门啊，请告诉我巴利在何处。他曾是那样的君主：行如风，降雨如伐楼那，光耀如日月，温暖众生如火，解众人之渴如水——然而我却处处不见其踪。”

Word by Word

• {'taṁ': 'that (him)', 'balim': 'Bali (name of the king)

• also ‘tribute/offering’ in other contexts', 'na': 'not', 'adhigacchāmi': 'I find

• I come upon', 'bradya': 'O Brahman (vocative

• addressing a brahmin sage)', 'ājñā': 'command

• authoritative direction', 'ca': 'and', 'śva': 'tell

• declare (imperative sense, as used here)', 'me': 'to me

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King Bali
• Brahman (a brahmin sage addressed)
• Vayu
• Varuna
• Surya
• Chandra
• Agni
• Jala (water)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even the most powerful and beneficent ruler—one who seems to embody cosmic functions—cannot escape disappearance and change; the passage prompts reflection on impermanence and the limits of worldly sovereignty, urging inquiry into the deeper order (dharma) behind visible power.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses a Brahman and expresses astonishment that he cannot locate King Bali, whom he describes through grand cosmic metaphors (wind, rain, sun/moon, fire, water). He asks the Brahman to reveal Bali’s whereabouts, setting up an explanation about Bali’s fate or condition.