Srimad Bhagavatam 08.06.26-28 - Making Truce For A Higher Cause (download mp3)
by Radhanath Swami at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net
SB 8.6.26
sri-suka uvaca
iti devan samadisya
bhagavan purusottamah
tesam antardadhe rajan
svacchanda-gatir isvarah
Translation:
Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O King Pariksit, after advising the demigods in this way, the independent Supreme Personality of Godhead, the best of all living entities, disappeared from their presence.
SB 8.6.27
atha tasmai bhagavate
namaskrtya pitamahah
bhavas ca jagmatuh svam svam
dhamopeyur balim surah
Then Lord Brahma and Lord Siva, after offering their respectful obeisances to the Lord, returned to their abodes. All the demigods then approached Maharaja Bali.
SB 8.6.28
drstvarin apy asamyattañ
jata-ksobhan sva-nayakan
nyasedhad daitya-rat slokyah
sandhi-vigraha-kalavit
Translation:
Maharaja Bali, a most celebrated king of the demons, knew very well when to make peace and when to fight. Thus although his commanders and captains were agitated and were about to kill the demigods, Maharaja Bali, seeing that the demigods were coming to him without a militant attitude, forbade his commanders to kill them.
Vedic etiquette enjoins: grhe satrum api praptam visvastam akutobhayam. When enemies come to their opponent's place, they should be received in such a way that they will forget that there is animosity between the two parties. Bali Maharaja was well conversant with the arts of peacemaking and fighting. Thus he received the demigods very well, although his commanders and captains were agitated. This kind of treatment was prevalent even during the fight between the Pandavas and the Kurus. During the day, the Pandavas and Kurus would fight with the utmost strength, and when the day was over they would go to each other's camps as friends and be received as such. During such friendly meetings, one enemy would offer anything the other enemy wanted. That was the system.
