Text 34
taṁ viśva-jayinaṁ śiṣyaṁ
bhṛgavaḥ śiṣya-vatsalāḥ
śatena hayamedhānām
anuvratam ayājayan
tam — unto him (Bali Mahārāja); viśva-jayinam — the conqueror of the entire universe; śiṣyam — because of his being a disciple; bhṛgavaḥ — the brāhmaṇas, descendants of Bhṛgu like Śukrācārya; śiṣya-vatsalāḥ — being very pleased with the disciple; śatena — by one hundred; haya-medhānām — sacrifices known as aśvamedha; anuvratam — following the instruction of the brāhmaṇas; ayājayan — caused to execute.
The brāhmaṇa descendants of Bhṛgu, being very pleased with their disciple, who had conquered the entire universe, now engaged him in performing one hundred aśvamedha sacrifices.
We have seen in the dispute between Mahārāja Pṛthu and Indra that when Mahārāja Pṛthu wanted to perform one hundred aśvamedha-yajñas, Indra wanted to impede him, for it is because of such great sacrifices that Indra was made King of heaven. Here the brāhmaṇa descendants of Bhṛgu decided that although Mahārāja Bali was situated on the throne of Indra, he would not be able to stay there unless he performed such sacrifices. Therefore they advised Mahārāja Bali to perform at least as many aśvamedha-yajñas as Indra. The word ayājayan indicates that all the brāhmaṇas induced Bali Mahārāja to perform such sacrifices.