Bali in Sutala

After Vāmana sent him to Sutala, Bali lived there with his chief queen Vindhyāvalī. Chapters 67 and 68 of the Vāmana Purāṇa tell what happened next. The Sudarśana cakra came to Sutala, and Bali made a stotra (hymn of praise) in its honour. Bali then called his great-grandfather Prahlāda, who came and taught him that devotion to Bhagavān Vishṇu is the only way across saṃsāra (the cycle of birth and death). Bali built a temple of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Vindhyāvalī lit its lamps, and Bhagavān Vishṇu himself stood guard at the door. The chapters also tell briefly of Jyāmagha, a king of the Yādava line, who built a temple of Bhagavān Vishṇu.

Bali’s realm in Sutala

Bali settled in Sutala, one of the fair lower worlds, with Vindhyāvalī, his beloved chief queen. Viśvakarmā built him a grand city with pillars of crystal and gateways hung with pearls. There he enjoyed every pleasure, divine and human, free from disease, with Vindhyāvalī at his side. Of Bali’s thousand wives, Vindhyāvalī is named as the first. She was a woman of good conduct, virtue and deep loyalty.

The Sudarśana cakra comes to Sutala

One day the Sudarśana cakra, the blazing disc-weapon of Bhagavān Vishṇu, came down into Sutala. Its coming made a great roaring sound, like the churning of the ocean. Bali was startled and drew his sword. Vindhyāvalī calmed him at once. She knew that this was the sound of the divine weapon of Bhagavān Vishṇu, and she told him it should be honoured and not feared. She took the arghya (water of welcome) vessel and went with Bali to receive the cakra.

As the blazing Sudarśana came near, Bali made a stotra in its honour (the Sudarśana Stotra of Bali). He praised it as the destroyer of the cakras of the daityas. He praised it as the one that bears Brahmā at its hub, Bhagavān Śiva at its face, and all the devas at its rim. He said its speed equals that of wind, fire, water and ether together. He prayed that it would burn away all his pāpa (sin) of mind, speech and body, and that of his whole family line on both sides.

The Sudarśana accepted Bali’s worship and left. It drew away the tejas (radiance) of all the asuras in Sutala, and it went out by the southern solstice.

Bali calls on Prahlāda

Bali was shaken by the great presence of the Sudarśana and was unsure of his path. He called on Prahlāda, his great-grandfather. Prahlāda came to Sutala at once. Bali received him with deep respect. He offered arghya and bowed at his feet. Then he asked the question that lay at the root of his state. By what means could he cross the ocean of saṃsāra without drowning in it? What must a person do to live in the world without being bound by it?

Prahlāda’s teaching on Vishṇu-bhakti

Prahlāda’s answer fills the second half of Chapter 67 and a large part of Chapter 68. He spoke to Bali, but his teaching was meant as an example for all. Its centre is that Bhagavān Vishṇu is the only raft across the ocean of saṃsāra.

Prahlāda explains that the ocean of saṃsāra is a terrible sea, tossed by the opposing winds of dvandvas (pairs of opposites): pleasure and pain, love and hatred, good and evil. Its waters are the vāsanās (leftover desires) gathered through countless births. No human being enters this ocean with a raft. Most carry the load of family, wife, children and goods, and they sink. The only boat is Bhagavān Vishṇu. Yama gives his messengers set orders about those who take refuge in Bhagavān Vishṇu: do not go near them. His devotees are outside Yama’s rule.

Prahlāda goes on. The tongue that praises Bhagavān Vishṇu is the only true tongue. The hands that worship him are the only true hands. The mind fixed on him is the only true mind. A life not given to him is a life already dead, and the relatives should mourn for one who has not surrendered to Bhagavān Vishṇu.

The teaching ends with the statement that the mantra Oṃ namo nārāyaṇāya alone gives all things. All yajñas, all tapas and all study are empty without Vishṇu-bhakti. But even the most sincere pretender who worships other devas while secretly loving Bhagavān Kṛshṇa reaches the highest state.

Jyāmagha’s temple

In his teaching, Prahlāda tells Bali of Jyāmagha, a great king of the Yādava line. The pitaras (ancestors) of Jyāmagha prayed in his court that a devotee of Bhagavān Vishṇu would be born in their line. They asked whether any of their descendants would build a temple of Bhagavān Vishṇu, sweep its floors, light its lamps and hang its flags. Moved by these prayers, Jyāmagha built a grand temple of Bhagavān Vishṇu. It was coloured in five colours and hung with garlands. It had lamp-stands that he himself filled with sweet-smelling oils. He had the walls painted in five colours with scenes of the deeds of Bhagavān Vishṇu. He gave this service to Bhagavān Vishṇu with his whole heart and reached Vishṇu-loka.

Prahlāda holds up Jyāmagha as a model for Bali. Those who follow his way of temple service are the ones who truly walk toward moksha (liberation).

Bali builds a temple and Bhagavān Vishṇu stands guard

Prahlāda’s teaching moved Bali. He had the craftsmen of Indra make a fine image of Bhagavān Vāsudeva and set it up in a temple he built in Sutala. Bali and Vindhyāvalī did the sāmmārjana (sweeping) and the lepana (plastering and painting) of the temple with their own hands. Vindhyāvalī lit the lamps herself. Bali arranged for the paurāṇikas (those who recite the Purāṇas) and the brāhmaṇas to give talks on dharma (dharma-pravacana) and to sing the names of Bhagavān Vishṇu (saṃkīrtana) every day in the temple grounds.

Bhagavān Vishṇu was moved by Bali’s whole-hearted devotion. He stood at the door of Bali’s palace as his own dvāra-pālaka (doorkeeper). He held his blazing gadā (mace), guarded Bali from all enemies, and let no one in without his leave. In this way the greatest emperor of the asuras became the devotee in whose court Bhagavān Vishṇu himself took his place, standing at the door and guarding the home.

Sources

• Vāmana Purāṇa (Vāmana Mahā Purāṇa), Chapters 67–68
• Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 67 (Bali’s realm; the Sudarśana cakra; Bali calls on Prahlāda; the start of the teaching)
• Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 68 (Jyāmagha’s temple; Bali’s temple; Bhagavān Vishṇu at the door)