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The administration of each Manvantara is in the hands of a separate set of kings and ministers. Vishnu incar- nates in each Manvantara, as the king of all who serve as administra- tive officers of that Manvantara and he is as such called the special Avatara for that Manvantara. The divine kings, the Rishis, the Devas, all work under His direction. He gives the law that is to be adminis- tered. He shews the path, which evolution is to take in any particular Manvantara.) Yajna and others are Avataras of Purusha. Guided by them, Manu and others lead the course of the universe. Rishis:—At the end of every four Yugas, the Srutis become de- voured by time. (The human races have a life period timed to the four Yugas. They have their infancy, as it were, in Satya Yuga, and they have to be guided by wise sayings, which form the Srutis of those races. The Srutis become better understood with the growth of racial intelligence and other texts take the place of old ones. When the races do not require the help of the earlier texts, those texts become lost in time. When the races begin another life cycle, they require again the help of teachings, which become revealed to the Rishis. The Rishis then give those teachings to the races.) The Rishis find out the Srutis, by means of Tapas. The eternal Dharma proceeds from the Srutis. Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 195 (People know their duties from the scriptures.) Manus.—The Manus then take up the Dharma, and each in his own time devotedly promulgates it on the earth. Manu’s sons.—The sons of Manu preserve the Dharma, generation after generation, till the end of the Manvantara. Devas and Indra.—Indra, with the Devas that participate in sacri- ficial offerings, protects the three Lokas and gives rains. (Besides this general administration, there are other ways also of managing the affairs of the universe and these are mentioned inci- dentally in the following slokas. Sridhara.) Hari appears as the Siddhas (Sanaka and others) and expounds divine wisdom (Jnana) in every Yuga. He appears as Rishis (Yaj- navalkya and others) and expounds Karma. As Lords of Yoga (Dat- tatreya and others), He expounds Yoga. THE STORY OF BALI. SKANDHA VIII. CHAPS. 15-23. Bali, son of Virochana and grandson of Prahlada, was once de- feated by Indra. His Guru, Sukra, advised him to perform the Vis- vajit sacrifice. When ghee was offered at the sacrifice, one chariot, some green coloured horses, one lion-marked flag, one golden bow, two quivers with an inexhaustible store of arrows, and one divine kavacha (protective charm) arose from the fire. Bali gladly accepted these things. Prahlada also gave him a fresh garland and Sukra gave him a conch. Equipped with these things Bali attacked Svarga. Brihaspati told Indra the time was inauspicious and the Devas could not succeed without the help of Vishnu. He advised them to give in and to remain concealed somewhere, till the time came for their ascendancy. The Devas followed the advice of Brihaspati and Bali became the king of Triloki. Sukra advised Bali to perform one hundred Asvamedha sacrifices. Aditi became disconsolate at the down-fall of her sons. She asked her husband Kasyapa what to do for her sons. The Prajapati advised her to observe Payoravata in honor of Vishnu (for details, see the 196 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana original). She observed the Vrata for 12 days when Vishnu appeared before her and assured her He would incarnate as her son. Vamana was born of Aditi at midday, on the 12th day of the moon, during the white quarter in the month of Bhadra, while the moon was in the first part of Sravana, in the Abhijit. (Vamana = Dwarf). Vamana heard that Bali was performing As- vamedha on the banks of the Narmada. He went there and Bali re- ceived him duly and enquired what he wanted, expressing his will- ingness to gratify him fully. Vamana asked for only three paces of ground. Bali laughed at this modest prayer and asked him to take more land. But Vamana excused himself, saying a Brahmana should be content with small things only. Bali laughed again and at once said "Then accept." He then took the water pot to make the formal gift. Sukra perceived the object of Vishnu. He tried to dissuade Bali from carrying out his promise. "This is not a dwarf Brahmana but Vishnu Himself. By one pace he will cover the whole of Bhar Loka and Bhuvar Loka. By the second pace, He will cover Svar Loka and what then will become of the third pace? You will have to go to Naraka for not being able to fulfil your promise. And where shall you yourself remain after giving over all you have? Therefore desist from what you are doing. No doubt truth is preferable. But the Vedas also allow untruth in extreme cases." Bali replied:—"The grandson of Prahlada shall never speak an un- truth. I will give to this Brahmana boy what I have promised, even if he be Vishnu and my enemy too." Sukra said in anger—"You disregard the words of your Guru. So you shall forthwith lose everything." Bali remained unmoved. He worshipped the Brahmana boy and read out the formal Mantra of giving over three paces of land. Vin- dhyavali, the virtuous consort of Bali, at this time placed a golden pitcher filled with water before her husband. He washed the feet of Vamana with that water, and sprinkled it over his head. Then Va- mana wonderfully grew in size. The whole Universe became visible in him. He seized the whole of Bhtir Loka with one pace the whole of Bhuvar Loka with his body, and the directions in space with his hands, so that even the whole of Svar Loka became insufficient for the second pace. But nothing remained for the third pace. For the second Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 197 pace of Vamana passed through Mahar Loka, Jana Loka, Tapas Loka and reached even Satya Loka. The Asuras exclaimed:—"By what an unjust device has our king been deprived of all! It is no sin to fight with this disgrace of a Brah- mana, this deceitful Vishnu." So they engaged in fight with the fol- lowers of Vishnu, but were defeated by them. Bali told his followers there was no use fighting, for Kala was against them. The same Bhagavan who had favored them was now in opposition. Garuda, knowing the intention of Vishnu, tied Bali with the noose of Varuna. Vamana then addressing Bali said:—"Where is your promised ground for my third pace? You have told a lie. You do not carry out your promise to a Brahmana. For this you will have to go to Naraka." Bali said:—"Do not think I told an untruth or that I mean to de- ceive thee. Here is my head for the third pace. I am not so much afraid of the Naraka thou art speaking of, nor of this noose, nor of any troubles I may undergo, nor of any punishment thou mayest in- flict on me as I am afraid of doing anything for which good people will blame me. I deem this punishment an act of favor a favor shewn perhaps out of consideration for my grand-father Prahlada. For this kingdom only maddened me with power and made me forget my end. And what shall I do with this body too? True thou art my enemy, but this loss of kingdom has brought me nearer to thee." Prahlada appeared at this time. He bowed down to Vamana and said:—"It is thou that didst give the kingdom of Triloki to Bali and it is thou that hast taken it away and really thou hast shewn him a favor by doing so. For power maddens a man and blinds him as to his real self." Vindhyavali said:—"O Lord, Thou art the Creator, the Preserver, and the Destroyer of Triloki. Who else could own it besides Thyself? It was the height of presumption to pretend to give the Triloki to you." Brahma said:—"O Deva of Devas, all-pervading Lord, thou hast taken away everything from this Bali. He has also given himself up entirely to Thee, without being moved in the least. He does not now deserve to remain tied up." Bhagavan said:—"O Brahma, I take away all his riches from him 198 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana whom I favor. For one proud of riches disregards both myself and others. When after many births the Jiva happens to become a man, and when in that birth he is found not to entertain any pride of birth, karma, age, beauty, wisdom, power, wealth and other things, you should know that to be my favor. One constantly devoted to me is not led away by anything apt to beget pride. "This king of Danavas and Daityas has now conquered Maya. So he is not beside himself even in grief. His wealth gone, his posi- tion lost, himself overpowered and chained by enemies, forsaken by friends, reviled and cursed by his own preceptor, and what not, this Bali did not give up Truth. "I will give him a place, difficult for others to attain. He shall be the Indra of Savarni Manvantara. Till then let him reside in Sutala. By my wish, the dwellers of Sutala shall have no mental or bodily pain, no fatigue, no sleepiness, no defeat and no misfortune. Bless thee, O Maharaj, go to Sutala with thy clan. Sutala is even wished for by those that dwell in Svarga. Even the Lokapalas shall not be able to overpower thee. What of others? If any Daitya does not follow thee, I will kill him by my Chakra. By all means I will preserve thee and thy followers. There you shall always find me at your door. Thy Asura nature shall be there entirely destroyed under my influence." Prahlada was also ordered by Bhagavan to accompany Bali to Su- tala. So they all went to Sutala. THOUGHTS ON THE ABOVE. We now find Bali shorn of all materialism and restored to spiritual purity. We can well understand the removal of Bali from the kingdom of Triloki, for the cyclic movement was tending that way since the last Manvantara, and the Devas were to have supremacy over Triloki. We have to study the future of Bali, as holding further light for us.