Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.21.23

bhavadbhir nirjitā hy ete

bahuśo 'nucarā hareḥ

daivenarddhais ta evādya

yudhi jitvā nadanti naḥ

SYNONYMS

bhavadbhiḥ — by all of you demons; nirjitāḥ — have been defeated; hi — indeed; ete — all these soldiers of the demigods; bahuśaḥ — in great number; anucarāḥ — followers; hareḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; daivena — by providence; ṛddhaiḥ — whose opulence was increased; te — they (the demigods); eva — indeed; adya — today; yudhi — in the fight; jitvā — defeating; nadanti — are vibrating in jubilation; naḥ — us.

TRANSLATION

Previously, being empowered by providence, you defeated a great number of such followers of Lord Viṣṇu. But today those same followers, having defeated us, are roaring in jubilation like lions.

PURPORT

Bhagavad-gītā mentions five causes of defeat or victory. Of these five, daiva (providence) is the most powerful (na ca daivāt paraḿ balam). Bali Mahārāja knew the secret of how he had formerly been victorious because providence was in his favor. Now, since that same providence was not in his favor, there was no possibility of his victory. Thus he very intelligently forbade his associates to fight.

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