Lord's Hidden Purpose

2010-07-03
Srimad Bhagavatam 08.22.06-07 - Lord's Hidden Purpose (download mp3)
by Madan Gopal Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net





 SB 8.22.6-7
yasmin vairanubandhena
vyudhena vibudhetarah
bahavo lebhire siddhim
yam u haikanta-yoginah
tenaham nigrhito 'smi
bhavata bhuri-karmana
baddhas ca varunaih pasair
nativride na ca vyathe

Translation:
Many demons who were continuously inimical toward You finally achieved the perfection of great mystic yogis. Your Lordship can perform one work to serve many purposes, and consequently, although You have punished me in many ways, I do not feel ashamed of having been arrested by the ropes of Varuna, nor do I feel aggrieved.

Purport:
Bali Maharaja appreciated the Lord's mercy not only upon him but upon many other demons. Because this mercy is liberally distributed, the Supreme Lord is called all-merciful. Bali Maharaja was indeed a fully surrendered devotee, but even some demons who were not at all devotees but merely enemies of the Lord attained the same exalted position achieved by many mystic yogis. Thus Bali Maharaja could understand that the Lord had some hidden purpose in punishing him. Consequently he was neither unhappy nor ashamed because of the awkward position in which he had been put by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.