tribhiḥ kramair imÄl lokÄn
viÅ›va-kÄyaḥ kramiá¹£yati
sarvasvaá¹ viṣṇave dattvÄ
mÅ«á¸ha vartiá¹£yase katham
tribhiḥ - three; kramaiḥ - by steps; imÄn - all these; lokÄn - three planetary systems; viÅ›va-kÄyaḥ - becoming the universal form; kramiá¹£yati - gradually He will expand; sarvasvam - everything; viṣṇave - unto Lord Viṣṇu; dattvÄ - after giving charity; mÅ«á¸ha - O you rascal; vartiá¹£yase - you will execute your means of livelihood; katham - how.
Bali MahÄrÄja might argue that he had promised only three steps of land. But ÅšukrÄcÄrya, being a very learned brÄhmaṇa, immediately understood that this was a plan of Hari, who had falsely appeared there as a brahmacÄrÄ«. The words mÅ«á¸ha vartiá¹£yase katham reveal that ÅšukrÄcÄrya was a brÄhmaṇa of the priestly class. Such priestly brÄhmaṇas are mostly interested in receiving remuneration from their disciples. Therefore when ÅšukrÄcÄrya saw that Bali MahÄrÄja had risked all of his possessions, he understood that this would cause havoc not only to the King but also to the family of ÅšukrÄcÄrya, who was dependent on MahÄrÄja Bali’s mercy. This is the difference between a Vaiṣṇava and a smÄrta-brÄhmaṇa. A smÄrta-brÄhmaṇa is always interested in material profit, whereas a Vaiṣṇava is interested only in satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead. From the statement of ÅšukrÄcÄrya, it appears that he was in all respects a smÄrta-brÄhmaṇa interested only in personal gain.