Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic CreationsChapter 20: Bali Mahārāja Surrenders the Universe

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.20.19

tadāsurendraḿ divi devatā-gaṇā

gandharva-vidyādhara-siddha-cāraṇāḥ

tat karma sarve 'pi gṛṇanta ārjavaḿ

prasūna-varṣair vavṛṣur mudānvitāḥ

SYNONYMS

tadā — at that time; asura-indram — unto the King of the demons, Bali Mahārāja; diviin the higher planetary system; devatā-gaṇāḥ — the residents known as the demigods; gandharva — the Gandharvas; vidyādhara — the Vidyādharas; siddha — the residents of Siddhaloka; cāraṇāḥ — the residents of Cāraṇaloka; tat — that; karma — action; sarve api — all of them; gṛṇantaḥ — declaring; ārjavam — plain and simple; prasūna-varṣaiḥ — with a shower of flowers; vavṛṣuḥ — released; mudā-anvitāḥ — being very pleased with him.

TRANSLATION

At that time, the residents of the higher planetary system, namely the demigods, the Gandharvas, the Vidyādharas, the Siddhas and the Cāraṇas, all being very pleased by Bali Mahārāja's simple, nonduplicitous act, praised his qualities and showered upon him millions of flowers.

PURPORT

Ārjavam — simplicity or freedom from duplicity — is a qualification of a brāhmaṇa and a Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava automatically acquires all the qualities of a brāhmaṇa.

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā

sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ

(Bhāg. 5.18.12)

A Vaiṣṇava should possess the brahminical qualities such as satya, śama, dama, titikṣā and ārjava. There cannot be any duplicity in the character of a Vaiṣṇava. When Bali Mahārāja acted with unflinching faith and devotion unto the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu, this was very much appreciated by all the residents of the higher planetary system.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness