स धर्मविन्मूर्ध्न्यदधात् सुमङ्गलम् ।
यद् देवदेवो गिरिशश्चन्द्रमौलि
र्दधार मूर्ध्ना परया च भक्त्या ॥२८॥
tat-pÄda-Å›aucaá¹ jana-kalmaá¹£Äpahaá¹
sa dharma-vin mÅ«rdhny adadhÄt sumaá¹…galam
yad deva-devo giriśaś candra-maulir
dadhÄra mÅ«rdhnÄ parayÄ ca bhaktyÄ
tat-pÄda-Å›aucam - the water that washed the lotus feet of the Lord; jana-kalmaá¹£a-apaham - which washes away all the sinful reactions of the people in general; saḥ - he (Bali MahÄrÄja); dharma-vit - completely aware of religious principles; mÅ«rdhni - on the head; adadhÄt - carried; su-maá¹…galam - all-auspicious; yat - which; deva-devaḥ - the best of the demigods; giriÅ›aḥ - Lord Åšiva; candra-mauliḥ - who carries on his forehead the emblem of the moon; dadhÄra - carried; mÅ«rdhnÄ - on the head; parayÄ - supreme; ca - also; bhaktyÄ - with devotion.
Lord Åšiva, the best of demigods, who carries on his forehead the emblem of the moon, receives on his head with great devotion the Ganges water emanating from the toe of Viṣṇu. Being aware of religious principles, Bali MahÄrÄja knew this. Consequently, following in the footsteps of Lord Åšiva, he also placed on his head the water that had washed the Lord’s lotus feet.
Lord Åšiva is known as Gaá¹…gÄ-dhara, or one who carries the water of the Ganges on his head. On Lord Åšiva’s forehead is the emblem of the half-moon, yet to give supreme respect to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Åšiva placed the water of the Ganges above this emblem. This example should be followed by everyone, or at least by every devotee, because Lord Åšiva is one of the mahÄjanas. Similarly, MahÄrÄja Bali also later became a mahÄjana. One mahÄjana follows another mahÄjana, and by following the paramparÄ system of mahÄjana activities one can become advanced in spiritual consciousness. The water of the Ganges is sanctified because it emanates from the toe of Lord Viṣṇu. Bali MahÄrÄja washed the lotus feet of VÄmanadeva, and the water with which he did so became equal to the Ganges. Bali MahÄrÄja, who perfectly knew all religious principles, therefore took that water on his head, following in the footsteps of Lord Åšiva.
