Text 23
yat tad bhagavatānadhigatānyopāyena yācñā-cchalenāpahṛta-sva-śarīrāvaśeṣita-loka-trayo varuṇa-pāśaiś ca sampratimukto giri-daryāṁ cāpaviddha iti hovāca.
yat — which; tat — that; bhagavatā — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anadhigata-anya-upāyena — who is not perceived by other means; yācñā-chalena — by a trick of begging; apahṛta — taken away; sva-śarīra-avaśeṣita — with only his own body remaining; loka-trayaḥ — the three worlds; varuṇa-pāśaiḥ — by the ropes of Varuṇa; ca — and; sampratimuktaḥ — completely bound; giri-daryām — in a cave in a mountain; ca — and; apaviddhaḥ — being detained; iti — thus; ha — indeed; uvāca — said.
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead could see no other means of taking everything away from Bali Mahārāja, He adopted the trick of begging from him and took away all the three worlds. Thus only his body was left, but the Lord was still not satisfied. He arrested Bali Mahārāja, bound him with the ropes of Varuṇa and threw him in a cave in a mountain. Nevertheless, although all his property was taken and he was thrown into a cave, Bali Mahārāja was such a great devotee that he spoke as follows.