युधिष्ठिर उवाच यथा बुद्ध्या महीपालो भ्रष्टश्रीविचरेन्महीम्। कालदण्डविनिष्पिष्टस्तन्मे ब्रूहि पितामह॥
Yudhisthira said Tell me, O grandfather, by adopting what sort of intelligence may a king, who has been divested of prosperity and crushed by Time's heavy bludgeon, still live on this Earth.
भीष्म उवाच अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम्। वासवस्य च संवादं बलेवैरोचनस्य च॥
Regarding it is cited the old discourse between Vasava and Virochana's son Vali.
पितामहमुपागम्य प्रणिपत्यकृताञ्जलिः। सर्वानेवासुरान् जित्वा बलिं पप्रच्छ वासवः॥
After having defeated all the Assuras, one day Vasava went to the Grandfather and joining his hands bowed to him and enquired after the whereabouts of Vali.
यस्य स्म ददतो वित्तं न कदाचन हीयते। तं बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रह्मन्नाचक्ष्व मे बलिम्॥
Tell me, O Brahman, where may I now find that Vali whose wealth continued undiminished even though he used to distribute it as largely as he wished.
स वायुर्वरुणश्चैव स रविः स च चन्द्रमाः। सोऽग्निस्तपति भूतानि जलं च स भवत्युत॥
He was the god of wind. He was Varuna. He was Surya. He was Soma. He was Agni that used to warm all creatures. He became water. I do not find where he now is. Indeed, O Brahmana, tell me where I may find Vali now.
तं बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रह्मन्नाचक्ष्व मे बलिम्। स एव ह्यस्तमयते स स्म विद्योतते दिशः॥ स वर्षति स्म वर्षाणि यथाकालमतन्द्रितः। तं बलिं नाधिगच्छामि ब्रह्मन्नाचक्ष्व मे बलिम्॥
Formerly, it was he who used to light up all the cardinal points and to set. Shaking off idieness, it was he who used to pour rain upon all creatures at the proper season. I do not now see that Vali. Indeed, tell me, O Brahman, where I may find that king of the Asuras now.
ब्रह्मोवाच नैतत् ते साधु मघवन् यदेनमनुपृच्छसि। पृष्टस्तु नानृतं ब्रूयात् तस्माद् वक्ष्यामि ते बलिम्॥
Brahman said You should not, O Maghavat, thus enquire after Vali now! One should not, however, speak a falsehood when he is questioned by another. I shall tell you the whereabouts of Vali.
उष्टेषु यदि वा गोषु खरेष्वश्वेषु वा पुनः। वरिष्ठो भविता जन्तुः शून्यागारे शचीपते॥
O husband of Sachi, Vali may now have taken his birth among camels or bulls or asses or horses, and having become the foremost of his species may now be living in an empty room.
शक्र उवाच यदि स्म बलिना ब्रह्मशून्यागारे समेयिवान्। हन्यामेनं न वा हन्यां तद् ब्रह्मन्ननुशाधि माम्॥
Shakra said 'If, O Brahman, I happen to meet with Vali in an empty room, shall I kill him or spare him? Tell me how I shall act!'
ब्रह्मोवाच मा स्म शक्र बलिं हिंसीन बलिर्वधमर्हति। न्यायस्तु शक्र प्रष्टव्यस्त्वया वासव काम्यया॥
Brahma said 'Do not, O Shakra, injure Vali! Vali does not deserve death. You should, on the other hand, O Vasava, seek instruction from him about morality, O Shakra, as you wish,'
एवमुक्तो भगवता महेन्द्रः पृथिवीं तदा। चचारैरावतस्कन्धमधिरुह्य श्रिया वृतः॥
‘Thus addressed by the divine Creator, Indra travelled over the Earth, seated on Airavata in great splendour.
ततो ददर्श स बलिं खरवेषेण संवृतम्। यथाऽऽख्यातं भगवता शून्यागारकृतालयम्॥
He succeeded in meeting with Vali, who, as the Creator had said, was living in an empty room, clothed in the form of an ass.
शक्र उवाच खरयोनिमनुप्राप्तस्तुषभक्षोऽसि दानव। इयं ते योनिरधमा शोचस्याहो न शोचसि॥
'You are now, O Danava, born as an ass living on chaff. This your birth is certainly a low one. Do you or do you not grieve for it?
अदृष्टं बत पश्यामि द्विषतां वशामागतम्। श्रिया विहीनं मित्रैश्च भ्रष्टवीर्यपराक्रमम्॥
I see what I had never seen before, viz., yourself brought under the control of your enemies, divested of prosperity and friends, and shorn of energy and prowess.
यत् तद् यानसहौस्त्वं ज्ञातिभिः परिवारितः। लोकान् प्रतापयन् सर्वान् यास्यस्मानवितर्कयन्॥
Formerly you used to march through the words, with your train consisting of thousands of carriages and thousands of kinsmen, and to move along, burning, everybody with your splendour and disregarding us all.
त्वन्मुखाश्चैव दैतेय व्यतिष्ठंस्त्व शासने। अकृष्टपच्या च मही तवैश्वर्ये बभूव ह॥
Considering you as their protector the Daityas lived under your sway! Through your power, the Earth used to yield crops without waiting for tillage. To-day, however, I behold you overtaken by this dire calamity! Do you or do you not grieve for this.
इदं च तेऽद्य व्यसनं शोचस्याहो न शोचसि। यदाऽऽतिष्ठः समुद्रस्य पूर्वकूले विलेलिहन्॥
When formerly you used with pride beaming on your face, to divide on the eastern shores of the ocean your vast wealth among thy kinsmen, what then was the state of your mind?
ज्ञातीन् विभजतो वित्तं तदाऽऽसीत् ते मनः कथम्। यत् ते सहस्रसमिता ननृतुर्देवयोषितः॥
Formerly, for many years, when shining with splendour, you used to sport, thousands of celestial damsels used to dance before you.
कथमद्य तदा चैव मनस्ते दानवेश्वर। छत्रं तवासीत् सुमहत् सौवर्णं रत्नभूषितम्॥
All of them were decorated with garlands of lotuses and all had companions bright as gold. What, O king of Danavas, was the state of your mind then and what is it now.
बहूनि वर्षपूगानि विहारे दीप्यतः श्रिया। सर्वाः पुष्करमालिन्यः सर्वाः काञ्चनसप्रभाः॥
You had a very large golden umbrella set with jewels and gems. Fully forty-two thousand Gandharvas used in those days to dance before you.
ननृतुस्तत्र गन्धर्वाः षट् सहस्राणि सप्तधा। यूपस्तवासीत् सुमहान् यजतः सर्वकाशनः॥
In your sacrifices you had a very large stake made entirely of gold. On such occasions you used to give away millions and millions of kine. What, O Ditya, was the state of your mind then?
यत्राददः सहस्राणि अयुतानां गवां दश। अनन्तरं सहस्रेण तदाऽऽसीद् दैन्य का मतिः॥
Formerly, engaged in sacrifice, you had gone round the whole Earth, following the rule of the hurling of the Shamya. What was the state of your mind then?
यदा च पृथिवीं सर्वां यजमानोऽनुपर्यगाः। शम्याक्षेपेण विधिना तदाऽऽसीत् किं तु ते हृदि॥ न ते पश्यामि भृङ्गारं न च्छत्रं व्यजने न च। ब्रह्मदत्तां च ते मालां न पश्याम्यसुराधिप॥
I do not now see that golden jar of yours, nor that umbrella of yours, nor those fans. I behold not also, O king of the Asuras, that garland which was given given to you by Grandfather.'
बलिरुवाच न त्वं पश्यसि भृङ्गारं न च्छत्रं व्यजने न च। ब्रह्मदत्तां च मे मालां न त्वं द्रक्ष्यसि वासव॥
Bali said. 'You do not behold now, O Vasava, my jar and umbrella and fans. You do not see also my garland, that was given by the Grandfather.
गुहायां निहितानि त्वं मम रत्नानि पृच्छसि। यदा मे भविता कालस्तदा त्वं यानि द्रक्ष्यसि॥
Those valuable possessions of mine about which you ask are now buried in the darkness of a cave. When my time comes again, you will, forsooth, behold them again.
न त्वेतदनुरूपं ते यशसो वा कुलस्य च। समृद्धार्थोऽसमृद्धार्थं यन्मां कस्थितुमिच्छसि॥
This conduct of yours, however, does not become your fame or birth. Yourself enjoying prosperity, you wish to mock me that am sunk in adversity.
न हि दुःखेषु शोचन्ते न प्रहृष्यन्ति चर्धिषु। कृतप्रज्ञा ज्ञानतृप्ताः क्षान्ताः सन्तो मनीषिणः॥
They who acquired wisdom, and have won contentment therefrom, they who are of tranquil should, who are virtuous and good among creatures, never grieve in misery nor rejoice in happiness.
त्वं तु प्राकृतया बुद्ध्या पुरन्दर विकत्यसे। यदाहमिव भावी स्यास्तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि॥
Guided, however, by a vulgar intelligence, you are bragging, O Purandara. When you will become like me you will not then give vent to speeches like these.'
त्वं तु प्राकृतया बुद्ध्या पुरन्दर विकत्यसे। यदाहमिव भावी स्यास्तदा नैवं वदिष्यसि॥
Guided, however, by a vulgar intelligence, you are bragging, O Purandara. When you will become like me you will not then give vent to speeches like these.'