अहो प्रणामाय कृतः समुद्यमः
प्रपन्नभक्तार्थविधौ समाहितः ।
यल्लोकपालैस्त्वदनुग्रहोऽमरै
रलब्धपूर्वोऽपसदेऽसुरेऽर्पितः ॥२॥
Å›rÄ«-balir uvÄca
aho praṇÄmÄya ká¹›taḥ samudyamaḥ
prapanna-bhaktÄrtha-vidhau samÄhitaḥ
yal loka-pÄlais tvad-anugraho 'marair
alabdha-pūrvo 'pasade 'sure 'rpitaḥ
Å›rÄ«-baliḥ uvÄca - Bali MahÄrÄja said; aho - alas; praṇÄmÄya - to offer my respectful obeisances; ká¹›taḥ - I did; samudyamaḥ - only an endeavor; prapanna-bhakta-artha-vidhau - in the regulative principles observed by pure devotees; samÄhitaḥ - is capable; yat - that; loka-pÄlaiḥ - by the leaders of various planets; tvat-anugrahaḥ - Your causeless mercy; amaraiḥ - by the demigods; alabdha-pÅ«rvaḥ - not achieved previously; apasade - unto a fallen person like me; asure - belonging to the asura community; arpitaḥ - endowed.
Bali MahÄrÄja said: What a wonderful effect there is in even attempting to offer respectful obeisances to You! I merely endeavored to offer You obeisances, but nonetheless the attempt was as successful as those of pure devotees. The causeless mercy You have shown to me, a fallen demon, was never achieved even by the demigods or the leaders of the various planets.
When VÄmanadeva appeared before Bali MahÄrÄja, Bali MahÄrÄja immediately wanted to offer Him respectful obeisances, but he was unable to do so because of the presence of ÅšukrÄcÄrya and other demoniac associates. The Lord is so merciful, however, that although Bali MahÄrÄja did not actually offer obeisances but only endeavored to do so within his mind, the Supreme Personality of Godhead blessed him with more mercy than even the demigods could ever expect. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ (2.40), svalpam apy asya dharmasya trÄyate mahato bhayÄt: “Even a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.†The Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as bhÄva-grÄhÄ« janÄrdana because He takes only the essence of a devotee’s attitude. If a devotee sincerely surrenders, the Lord, as the Supersoul in everyone’s heart, immediately understands this. Thus even though, externally, a devotee may not render full service, if he is internally sincere and serious the Lord welcomes his service nonetheless. Thus the Lord is known as bhÄva-grÄhÄ« janÄrdana because He takes the essence of one’s devotional mentality.
