Primary tabs

SB 8.11: King Indra Annihilates the Demons

SB 8.11.1

śrī-śuka uvāca
atho surāḥ pratyupalabdha-cetasaḥ
 parasya puṁsaḥ parayānukampayā
jaghnur bhṛśaṁ śakra-samīraṇādayas
 tāṁs tān raṇe yair abhisaṁhatāḥ purā
Word for word: 
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; atho — thereafter; surāḥ — all the demigods; pratyupalabdha-cetasaḥ — being enlivened again by revival of their consciousness; parasya — of the Supreme; puṁsaḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; parayā — supreme; anukampayā — by the mercy; jaghnuḥ — began to beat; bhṛśam — again and again; śakra — Indra; samīraṇa — Vāyu; ādayaḥ — and others; tān tān — to those demons; raṇe — in the fight; yaiḥ — by whom; abhisaṁhatāḥ — they were beaten; purā — before.
Translation: 
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thereafter, by the supreme grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Hari, all the demigods, headed by Indra and Vāyu, were brought back to life. Being enlivened, the demigods began severely beating the very same demons who had defeated them before.

SB 8.11.2

vairocanāya saṁrabdho
 bhagavān pāka-śāsanaḥ
udayacchad yadā vajraṁ
 prajā hā heti cukruśuḥ
Word for word: 
vairocanāya — unto Bali Mahārāja (just to kill him); saṁrabdhaḥ — being very angry; bhagavān — the most powerful; pāka-śāsanaḥ — Indra; udayacchat — took in his hand; yadā — at which time; vajram — the thunderbolt; prajāḥ — all the demons; hā hā — alas, alas; iti — thus; cukruśuḥ — began to resound.
Translation: 
When the most powerful Indra became angry and took his thunderbolt in hand to kill Mahārāja Bali, the demons began lamenting, “Alas, alas!”

SB 8.11.3

vajra-pāṇis tam āhedaṁ
 tiraskṛtya puraḥ-sthitam
manasvinaṁ susampannaṁ
 vicarantaṁ mahā-mṛdhe
Word for word: 
vajra-pāṇiḥ — Indra, who always carries in his hand the thunderbolt; tam — unto Bali Mahārāja; āha — addressed; idam — in this way; tiraskṛtya — chastising him; puraḥ-sthitam — standing before him; manasvinam — very sober and tolerant; su-sampannam — well equipped with paraphernalia for fighting; vicarantam — moving; mahā-mṛdhe — on the great battlefield.
Translation: 
Sober and tolerant and well equipped with paraphernalia for fighting, Bali Mahārāja moved before Indra on the great battlefield. King Indra, who always carries the thunderbolt in his hand, rebuked Bali Mahārāja as follows.

SB 8.11.4

naṭavan mūḍha māyābhir
 māyeśān no jigīṣasi
jitvā bālān nibaddhākṣān
 naṭo harati tad-dhanam
Word for word: 
naṭa-vat — like a cheater or rogue; mūḍha — you rascal; māyābhiḥ — by exhibiting illusions; māyā-īśān — unto the demigods, who can control all such illusory manifestations; naḥ — unto us; jigīṣasi — you are trying to become victorious; jitvā — conquering; bālān — small children; nibaddha-akṣān — by binding the eyes; naṭaḥ — a cheater; harati — takes away; tat-dhanam — the property in the possession of a child.
Translation: 
Indra said: O rascal, as a cheater sometimes binds the eyes of a child and takes away his possessions, you are trying to defeat us by displaying some mystic power, although you know that we are the masters of all such mystic powers.

SB 8.11.5

ārurukṣanti māyābhir
 utsisṛpsanti ye divam
tān dasyūn vidhunomy ajñān
 pūrvasmāc ca padād adhaḥ
Word for word: 
ārurukṣanti — persons who desire to come to the upper planetary systems; māyābhiḥ — by so-called mystic power or material advancement of science; utsisṛpsanti — or want to be liberated by such false attempts; ye — such persons who; divam — the higher planetary system known as Svargaloka; tān — such rogues and ruffians; dasyūn — such thieves; vidhunomi — I force to go down; ajñān — rascals; pūrvasmāt — previous; ca — also; padāt — from the position; adhaḥ — downward.
Translation: 
Those fools and rascals who want to ascend to the upper planetary system by mystic power or mechanical means, or who endeavor to cross even the upper planets and achieve the spiritual world or liberation, I cause to be sent to the lowest region of the universe.
Purport: 

There are undoubtedly different planetary systems for different persons. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (14.18), ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ: persons in the mode of goodness can go to the upper planets. Those in the modes of darkness and passion, however, are not allowed to enter the higher planets. The word divam refers to the higher planetary system known as Svargaloka. Indra, King of the higher planetary system, has the power to push down any conditioned soul attempting to go from the lower to the higher planets without proper qualifications. The modern attempt to go to the moon is also an attempt by inferior men to go to Svargaloka by artificial, mechanical means. This attempt cannot be successful. From this statement of Indra it appears that anyone attempting to go to the higher planetary systems by mechanical means, which are here called māyā, is condemned to go to the hellish planets in the lower portion of the universe. To go to the higher planetary system, one needs sufficient good qualities. A sinful person situated in the mode of ignorance and addicted to drinking, meat-eating and illicit sex will never enter the higher planets by mechanical means.

SB 8.11.6

so ’haṁ durmāyinas te ’dya
 vajreṇa śata-parvaṇā
śiro hariṣye mandātman
 ghaṭasva jñātibhiḥ saha
Word for word: 
saḥ — I am the same powerful person; aham — I; durmāyinaḥ — of you, who can perform so much jugglery with illusions; te — of you; adya — today; vajreṇa — by the thunderbolt; śata-parvaṇā — which has hundreds of sharp edges; śiraḥ — the head; hariṣye — I shall separate; manda-ātman — O you with a poor fund of knowledge; ghaṭasva — just try to exist on this battlefield; jñātibhiḥ saha — with your relatives and assistants.
Translation: 
Today, with my thunderbolt, which has hundreds of sharp edges, I, the same powerful person, shall sever your head from your body. Although you can produce so much jugglery through illusion, you are endowed with a poor fund of knowledge. Now, try to exist on this battlefield with your relatives and friends.

SB 8.11.7

śrī-balir uvāca
saṅgrāme vartamānānāṁ
 kāla-codita-karmaṇām
kīrtir jayo ’jayo mṛtyuḥ
 sarveṣāṁ syur anukramāt
Word for word: 
śrī-baliḥ uvāca — Bali Mahārāja said; saṅgrāme — in the battlefield; vartamānānām — of all persons present here; kāla-codita — influenced by the course of time; karmaṇām — for persons engaged in fighting or any other activities; kīrtiḥ — reputation; jayaḥ — victory; ajayaḥ — defeat; mṛtyuḥ — death; sarveṣām — of all of them; syuḥ — must be done; anukramāt — one after another.
Translation: 
Bali Mahārāja replied: All those present on this battlefield are certainly under the influence of eternal time, and according to their prescribed activities, they are destined to receive fame, victory, defeat and death, one after another.
Purport: 

If one is victorious on the battlefield, he becomes famous; and if one is not victorious but is defeated, he may die. Both victory and defeat are possible, whether on such a battlefield as this or on the battlefield of the struggle for existence. Everything takes place according to the laws of nature (prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ). Since everyone, without exception, is subject to the modes of material nature, whether one is victorious or defeated he is not independent, but is under the control of material nature. Bali Mahārāja, therefore, was very sensible. He knew that the fighting was arranged by eternal time and that under time’s influence one must accept the results of one’s own activities. Therefore even though Indra threatened that he would now kill Bali Mahārāja by releasing the thunderbolt, Bali Mahārāja was not at all afraid. This is the spirit of a kṣatriya: yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam (Bg. 18.43). A kṣatriya must be tolerant in all circumstances, especially on the battlefield. Thus Bali Mahārāja asserted that he was not at all afraid of death, although he was threatened by such a great personality as the King of heaven.

SB 8.11.8

tad idaṁ kāla-raśanaṁ
 jagat paśyanti sūrayaḥ
na hṛṣyanti na śocanti
 tatra yūyam apaṇḍitāḥ
Word for word: 
tat — therefore; idam — this whole material world; kāla-raśanam — is moving because of time eternal; jagat — moving forward (this whole universe); paśyanti — observe; sūrayaḥ — those who are intelligent by admission of the truth; na — not; hṛṣyanti — become jubilant; na — nor; śocanti — lament; tatra — in such; yūyam — all of you demigods; apaṇḍitāḥ — not very learned (having forgotten that you are working under eternal time).
Translation: 
Seeing the movements of time, those who are cognizant of the real truth neither rejoice nor lament for different circumstances. Therefore, because you are jubilant due to your victory, you should be considered not very learned.
Purport: 

Bali Mahārāja knew that Indra, King of heaven, was extremely powerful, certainly more powerful than he himself. Nonetheless, Bali Mahārāja challenged Indra by saying that Indra was not a very learned person. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.11) Kṛṣṇa rebuked Arjuna by saying:

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
 prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
 nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

“While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead.” Thus as Kṛṣṇa challenged Arjuna by saying that he was not a paṇḍita, or a learned person, Bali Mahārāja also challenged King Indra and his associates. In this material world, everything happens under the influence of time. Consequently, for a learned person who sees how things are taking place, there is no question of being sorry or happy because of the waves of material nature. After all, since we are being carried away by these waves, what is the meaning of being jubilant or morose? One who is fully conversant with the laws of nature is never jubilant or morose because of nature’s activities. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.14), Kṛṣṇa advises that one be tolerant: tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Following this advice of Kṛṣṇa’s, one should not be morose or unhappy because of circumstantial changes. This is the symptom of a devotee. A devotee carries out his duty in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is never unhappy in awkward circumstances. He has full faith that in such circumstances, Kṛṣṇa protects His devotee. Therefore a devotee never deviates from his prescribed duty of devotional service. The material qualities of jubilation and moroseness are present even in the demigods, who are very highly situated in the upper planetary system. Therefore, when one is undisturbed by the so-called favorable and unfavorable circumstances of this material world, he should be understood to be brahma-bhūta, or self-realized. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.54), brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati: “One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful.” When one is undisturbed by material circumstances, he should be understood to be on the transcendental stage, above the reactions of the three modes of material nature.

SB 8.11.9

na vayaṁ manyamānānām
 ātmānaṁ tatra sādhanam
giro vaḥ sādhu-śocyānāṁ
 gṛhṇīmo marma-tāḍanāḥ
Word for word: 
na — not; vayam — we; manyamānānām — who are considering; ātmānam — the self; tatra — in victory or defeat; sādhanam — the cause; giraḥ — the words; vaḥ — of you; sādhu-śocyānām — who are to be pitied by the saintly persons; gṛhṇīmaḥ — accept; marma-tāḍanāḥ — which afflict the heart.
Translation: 
You demigods think that your own selves are the cause of your attaining fame and victory. Because of your ignorance, saintly persons feel sorry for you. Therefore, although your words afflict the heart, we do not accept them.

SB 8.11.10

śrī-śuka uvāca
ity ākṣipya vibhuṁ vīro
 nārācair vīra-mardanaḥ
ākarṇa-pūrṇair ahanad
 ākṣepair āha taṁ punaḥ
Word for word: 
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; ākṣipya — chastising; vibhum — unto King Indra; vīraḥ — the valiant Bali Mahārāja; nārācaiḥ — by the arrows named nārācas; vīra-mardanaḥ — Bali Mahārāja, who could subdue even great heros; ākarṇa-pūrṇaiḥ — drawn up to his ear; ahanat — attacked; ākṣepaiḥ — by words of chastisement; āha — said; tam — unto him; punaḥ — again.
Translation: 
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After thus rebuking Indra, King of heaven, with sharp words, Bali Mahārāja, who could subdue any other hero, drew back to his ear the arrows known as nārācas and attacked Indra with these arrows. Then he again chastised Indra with strong words.

SB 8.11.11

evaṁ nirākṛto devo
 vairiṇā tathya-vādinā
nāmṛṣyat tad-adhikṣepaṁ
 totrāhata iva dvipaḥ
Word for word: 
evam — thus; nirākṛtaḥ — being defeated; devaḥ — King Indra; vairiṇā — by his enemy; tathya-vādinā — who was competent to speak the truth; na — not; amṛṣyat — lamented; tat — of him (Bali); adhikṣepam — the chastisement; totra — by the scepter or rod; āhataḥ — being beaten; iva — just like; dvipaḥ — an elephant.
Translation: 
Since Mahārāja Bali’s rebukes were truthful, King Indra did not at all become sorry, just as an elephant beaten by its driver’s rod does not become agitated.

SB 8.11.12

prāharat kuliśaṁ tasmā
 amoghaṁ para-mardanaḥ
sayāno nyapatad bhūmau
 chinna-pakṣa ivācalaḥ
Word for word: 
prāharat — inflicted; kuliśam — thunderbolt scepter; tasmai — unto him (Bali Mahārāja); amogham — infallible; para-mardanaḥ — Indra, who is expert in defeating the enemy; sa-yānaḥ — with his airplane; nyapatat — fell down; bhūmau — on the ground; chinna-pakṣaḥ — whose wings have been taken away; iva — like; acalaḥ — a mountain.
Translation: 
When Indra, the defeater of enemies, released his infallible thunderbolt scepter at Bali Mahārāja with a desire to kill him, Bali Mahārāja indeed fell to the ground with his airplane, like a mountain with its wings cut off.
Purport: 

In many descriptions in Vedic literature it is found that mountains also fly in the sky with wings. When such mountains are dead, they fall to the ground, where they stay as very large dead bodies.

SB 8.11.13

sakhāyaṁ patitaṁ dṛṣṭvā
 jambho bali-sakhaḥ suhṛt
abhyayāt sauhṛdaṁ sakhyur
 hatasyāpi samācaran
Word for word: 
sakhāyam — his intimate friend; patitam — having fallen; dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; jambhaḥ — the demon Jambha; bali-sakhaḥ — a very intimate friend of Bali Mahārāja; suhṛt — and constant well-wisher; abhyayāt — appeared on the scene; sauhṛdam — very compassionate friendship; sakhyuḥ — of his friend; hatasya — who was injured and fallen; api — although; samācaran — just to perform friendly duties.
Translation: 
When the demon Jambhāsura saw that his friend Bali had fallen, he appeared before Indra, the enemy, just to serve Bali Mahārāja with friendly behavior.

SB 8.11.14

sa siṁha-vāha āsādya
 gadām udyamya raṁhasā
jatrāv atāḍayac chakraṁ
 gajaṁ ca sumahā-balaḥ
Word for word: 
saḥ — Jambhāsura; siṁha-vāhaḥ — being carried by a lion; āsādya — coming before King Indra; gadām — his club; udyamya — taking up; raṁhasā — with great force; jatrau — on the base of the neck; atāḍayat — hit; śakram — Indra; gajam ca — as well as his elephant; su-mahā-balaḥ — the greatly powerful Jambhāsura.
Translation: 
The greatly powerful Jambhāsura, carried by a lion, approached Indra and forcefully struck him on the shoulder with his club. He also struck Indra’s elephant.

SB 8.11.15

gadā-prahāra-vyathito
 bhṛśaṁ vihvalito gajaḥ
jānubhyāṁ dharaṇīṁ spṛṣṭvā
 kaśmalaṁ paramaṁ yayau
Word for word: 
gadā-prahāra-vyathitaḥ — being aggrieved because of the blow from Jambhāsura’s club; bhṛśam — very much; vihvalitaḥ — upset; gajaḥ — the elephant; jānubhyām — with its two knees; dharaṇīm — the earth; spṛṣṭvā — touching; kaśmalam — unconsciousness; paramam — ultimate; yayau — entered.
Translation: 
Being beaten by Jambhāsura’s club, Indra’s elephant was confused and aggrieved. Thus it touched its knees to the ground and fell unconscious.

SB 8.11.16

tato ratho mātalinā
 haribhir daśa-śatair vṛtaḥ
ānīto dvipam utsṛjya
 ratham āruruhe vibhuḥ
Word for word: 
tataḥ — thereafter; rathaḥ — chariot; mātalinā — by his chariot driver named Mātali; haribhiḥ — with horses; daśa-śataiḥ — by ten times one hundred (one thousand); vṛtaḥ — yoked; ānītaḥ — being brought in; dvipam — the elephant; utsṛjya — keeping aside; ratham — the chariot; āruruhe — got up; vibhuḥ — the great Indra.
Translation: 
Thereafter, Mātali, Indra’s chariot driver, brought Indra’s chariot, which was drawn by one thousand horses. Indra then left his elephant and got onto the chariot.

SB 8.11.17

tasya tat pūjayan karma
 yantur dānava-sattamaḥ
śūlena jvalatā taṁ tu
 smayamāno ’hanan mṛdhe
Word for word: 
tasya — of Mātali; tat — that service (bringing the chariot before Indra); pūjayan — appreciating; karma — such service to the master; yantuḥ — of the chariot driver; dānava-sat-tamaḥ — the best of the demons, namely Jambhāsura; śūlena — by his trident; jvalatā — which was blazing fire; tam — Mātali; tu — indeed; smayamānaḥ — smiling; ahanat — struck; mṛdhe — in the battle.
Translation: 
Appreciating Mātali’s service, Jambhāsura, the best of the demons, smiled. Nonetheless, he struck Mātali in the battle with a trident of blazing fire.

SB 8.11.18

sehe rujaṁ sudurmarṣāṁ
 sattvam ālambya mātaliḥ
indro jambhasya saṅkruddho
 vajreṇāpāharac chiraḥ
Word for word: 
sehe — tolerated; rujam — the pain; su-durmarṣām — intolerable; sattvam — patience; ālambya — taking shelter of; mātaliḥ — the charioteer Mātali; indraḥ — King Indra; jambhasya — of the great demon Jambha; saṅkruddhaḥ — being very angry at him; vajreṇa — with his thunderbolt; apāharat — separated; śiraḥ — the head.
Translation: 
Although the pain was extremely severe, Mātali tolerated it with great patience. Indra, however, became extremely angry at Jambhāsura. He struck Jambhāsura with his thunderbolt and thus severed his head from his body.

SB 8.11.19

jambhaṁ śrutvā hataṁ tasya
 jñātayo nāradād ṛṣeḥ
namuciś ca balaḥ pākas
 tatrāpetus tvarānvitāḥ
Word for word: 
jambham — Jambhāsura; śrutvā — after hearing; hatam — had been killed; tasya — his; jñātayaḥ — friends and relatives; nāradāt — from the source Nārada; ṛṣeḥ — from the great saint; namuciḥ — the demon Namuci; ca — also; balaḥ — the demon Bala; pākaḥ — the demon Pāka; tatra — there; āpetuḥ — immediately arrived; tvarā-anvitāḥ — with great haste.
Translation: 
When Nārada Ṛṣi informed Jambhāsura’s friends and relatives that Jambhāsura had been killed, the three demons named Namuci, Bala and Pāka arrived on the battlefield in great haste.

SB 8.11.20

vacobhiḥ paruṣair indram
 ardayanto ’sya marmasu
śarair avākiran meghā
 dhārābhir iva parvatam
Word for word: 
vacobhiḥ — with harsh words; paruṣaiḥ — very rough and cruel; indram — King Indra; ardayantaḥ — chastising, piercing; asya — of Indra; marmasu — in the heart, etc; śaraiḥ — with arrows; avākiran — covered all around; meghāḥ — clouds; dhārābhiḥ — with showers of rain; iva — just as; parvatam — a mountain.
Translation: 
Rebuking Indra with harsh, cruel words that were piercing to the heart, these demons showered him with arrows, just as torrents of rain wash a great mountain.

SB 8.11.21

harīn daśa-śatāny ājau
 haryaśvasya balaḥ śaraiḥ
tāvadbhir ardayām āsa
 yugapal laghu-hastavān
Word for word: 
harīn — horses; daśa-śatāni — ten times one hundred (one thousand); ājau — on the battlefield; haryaśvasya — of King Indra; balaḥ — the demon Bala; śaraiḥ — with arrows; tāvadbhiḥ — with so many; ardayām āsa — put into tribulation; yugapat — simultaneously; laghu-hastavān — with quick handling.
Translation: 
Quickly handling the situation on the battlefield, the demon Bala put all of Indra’s one thousand horses into tribulation by simultaneously piercing them all with an equal number of arrows.

SB 8.11.22

śatābhyāṁ mātaliṁ pāko
 rathaṁ sāvayavaṁ pṛthak
sakṛt sandhāna-mokṣeṇa
 tad adbhutam abhūd raṇe
Word for word: 
śatābhyām — with two hundred arrows; mātalim — unto the chariot driver Mātali; pākaḥ — the demon named Pāka; ratham — the chariot; sa-avayavam — with all paraphernalia; pṛthak — separately; sakṛt — once, at one time; sandhāna — by yoking the arrows to the bow; mokṣeṇa — and releasing; tat — such an action; adbhutam — wonderful; abhūt — so became; raṇe — on the battlefield.
Translation: 
Pāka, another demon, attacked both the chariot, with all its paraphernalia, and the chariot driver, Mātali, by fitting two hundred arrows to his bow and releasing them all simultaneously. This was indeed a wonderful act on the battlefield.

SB 8.11.23

namuciḥ pañca-daśabhiḥ
 svarṇa-puṅkhair maheṣubhiḥ
āhatya vyanadat saṅkhye
 satoya iva toyadaḥ
Word for word: 
namuciḥ — the demon named Namuci; pañca-daśabhiḥ — with fifteen; svarṇa-puṅkhaiḥ — with golden feathers attached; mahā-iṣubhiḥ — very powerful arrows; āhatya — piercing; vyanadat — resounded; saṅkhye — on the battlefield; sa-toyaḥ — bearing water; iva — like; toya-daḥ — a cloud that delivers rain.
Translation: 
Then Namuci, another demon, attacked Indra and injured him with fifteen very powerful golden-feathered arrows, which roared like a cloud full of water.

SB 8.11.24

sarvataḥ śara-kūṭena
 śakraṁ saratha-sārathim
chādayām āsur asurāḥ
 prāvṛṭ-sūryam ivāmbudāḥ
Word for word: 
sarvataḥ — all around; śara-kūṭena — by a dense shower of arrows; śakram — Indra; sa-ratha — with his chariot; sārathim — and with his chariot driver; chādayām āsuḥ — covered; asurāḥ — all the demons; prāvṛṭ — in the rainy season; sūryam — the sun; iva — like; ambu-dāḥ — clouds.
Translation: 
Other demons covered Indra, along with his chariot and chariot driver, with incessant showers of arrows, just as clouds cover the sun in the rainy season.

SB 8.11.25

alakṣayantas tam atīva vihvalā
 vicukruśur deva-gaṇāḥ sahānugāḥ
anāyakāḥ śatru-balena nirjitā
 vaṇik-pathā bhinna-navo yathārṇave
Word for word: 
alakṣayantaḥ — being unable to see; tam — King Indra; atīva — fiercely; vihvalāḥ — bewildered; vicukruśuḥ — began to lament; deva-gaṇāḥ — all the demigods; saha-anugāḥ — with their followers; anāyakāḥ — without any captain or leader; śatru-balena — by the superior power of their enemies; nirjitāḥ — oppressed severely; vaṇik-pathāḥ — traders; bhinna-navaḥ — whose ship is wrecked; yathā arṇave — as in the middle of the ocean.
Translation: 
The demigods, being severely oppressed by their enemies and being unable to see Indra on the battlefield, were very anxious. Having no captain or leader, they began lamenting like traders in a wrecked vessel in the midst of the ocean.
Purport: 

From this statement it appears that in the upper planetary system there is shipping and that traders there engage in navigation as their occupational duty. Sometimes, as on this planet, these traders are shipwrecked in the middle of the ocean. It appears that even in the upper planetary system, such calamities occasionally take place. The upper planetary system in the creation of the Lord is certainly not vacant or devoid of living entities. From Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam we understand that every planet is full of living entities, just as earth is. There is no reason to accept that on other planetary systems there are no living beings.

SB 8.11.26

tatas turāṣāḍ iṣu-baddha-pañjarād
 vinirgataḥ sāśva-ratha-dhvajāgraṇīḥ
babhau diśaḥ khaṁ pṛthivīṁ ca rocayan
 sva-tejasā sūrya iva kṣapātyaye
Word for word: 
tataḥ — thereafter; turāṣāṭ — another name of Indra; iṣu-baddha-pañjarāt — from the cage of the network of arrows; vinirgataḥ — being released; sa — with; aśva — horses; ratha — chariot; dhvaja — flag; agraṇīḥ — and chariot driver; babhau — became; diśaḥ — all directions; kham — the sky; pṛthivīm — the earth; ca — and; rocayan — pleasing everywhere; sva-tejasā — by his personal effulgence; sūryaḥ — the sun; iva — like; kṣapā-atyaye — at the end of night.
Translation: 
Thereafter, Indra released himself from the cage of the network of arrows. Appearing with his chariot, flag, horses and chariot driver and thus pleasing the sky, the earth and all directions, he shone effulgently like the sun at the end of night. Indra was bright and beautiful in the vision of everyone.

SB 8.11.27

nirīkṣya pṛtanāṁ devaḥ
 parair abhyarditāṁ raṇe
udayacchad ripuṁ hantuṁ
 vajraṁ vajra-dharo ruṣā
Word for word: 
nirīkṣya — after observing; pṛtanām — his own soldiers; devaḥ — the demigod Indra; paraiḥ — by the enemies; abhyarditām — put into great difficulties or oppressed; raṇe — in the battlefield; udayacchat — took up; ripum — the enemies; hantum — to kill; vajram — the thunderbolt; vajra-dharaḥ — the carrier of the thunderbolt; ruṣā — in great anger.
Translation: 
When Indra, who is known as Vajra-dhara, the carrier of the thunderbolt, saw his own soldiers so oppressed by the enemies on the battlefield, he became very angry. Thus he took up his thunderbolt to kill the enemies.

SB 8.11.28

sa tenaivāṣṭa-dhāreṇa
 śirasī bala-pākayoḥ
jñātīnāṁ paśyatāṁ rājañ
 jahāra janayan bhayam
Word for word: 
saḥ — he (Indra); tena — by that; eva — indeed; aṣṭa-dhāreṇa — by the thunderbolt; śirasī — the two heads; bala-pākayoḥ — of the two demons known as Bala and Pāka; jñātīnām paśyatām — while their relatives and soldiers were watching; rājan — O King; jahāra — (Indra) cut off; janayan — creating; bhayam — fear (among them).
Translation: 
O King Parīkṣit, King Indra used his thunderbolt to cut off the heads of both Bala and Pāka in the presence of all their relatives and followers. In this way he created a very fearful atmosphere on the battlefield.

SB 8.11.29

namucis tad-vadhaṁ dṛṣṭvā
 śokāmarṣa-ruṣānvitaḥ
jighāṁsur indraṁ nṛpate
 cakāra paramodyamam
Word for word: 
namuciḥ — the demon Namuci; tat — of those two demons; vadham — the massacre; dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; śoka-amarṣa — lamentation and grief; ruṣā-anvitaḥ — being very angry at this; jighāṁsuḥ — wanted to kill; indram — King Indra; nṛ-pate — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; cakāra — made; parama — a great; udyamam — endeavor.
Translation: 
O King, when Namuci, another demon, saw the killing of both Bala and Pāka, he was full of grief and lamentation. Thus he angrily made a great attempt to kill Indra.

SB 8.11.30

aśmasāramayaṁ śūlaṁ
 ghaṇṭāvad dhema-bhūṣaṇam
pragṛhyābhyadravat kruddho
 hato ’sīti vitarjayan
prāhiṇod deva-rājāya
 ninadan mṛga-rāḍ iva
Word for word: 
aśmasāra-mayam — made of steel; śūlam — a spear; ghaṇṭā-vat — bound with bells; hema-bhūṣaṇam — decorated with ornaments of gold; pragṛhya — taking in his hand; abhyadravat — forcefully went; kruddhaḥ — in an angry mood; hataḥ asi iti — now you are killed; vitarjayan — roaring like that; prāhiṇot — struck; deva-rājāya — unto King Indra; ninadan — resounding; mṛga-rāṭ — a lion; iva — like.
Translation: 
Being angry and roaring like a lion, the demon Namuci took up a steel spear, which was bound with bells and decorated with ornaments of gold. He loudly cried, “Now you are killed!” Thus coming before Indra to kill him, Namuci released his weapon.

SB 8.11.31

tadāpatad gagana-tale mahā-javaṁ
 vicicchide harir iṣubhiḥ sahasradhā
tam āhanan nṛpa kuliśena kandhare
 ruṣānvitas tridaśa-patiḥ śiro haran
Word for word: 
tadā — at that time; apatat — falling like a meteor; gagana-tale — beneath the sky or on the ground; mahā-javam — extremely powerful; vicicchide — cut to pieces; hariḥ — Indra; iṣubhiḥ — by his arrows; sahasradhā — into thousands of pieces; tam — that Namuci; āhanat — struck; nṛpa — O King; kuliśena — with his thunderbolt; kandhare — on the shoulder; ruṣā-anvitaḥ — being very angry; tridaśa-patiḥ — Indra, the King of the demigods; śiraḥ — the head; haran — to separate.
Translation: 
O King, when Indra, King of heaven, saw this very powerful spear falling toward the ground like a blazing meteor, he immediately cut it to pieces with his arrows. Then, being very angry, he struck Namuci’s shoulder with his thunderbolt to cut off Namuci’s head.

SB 8.11.32

na tasya hi tvacam api vajra ūrjito
 bibheda yaḥ sura-patinaujaseritaḥ
tad adbhutaṁ param ativīrya-vṛtra-bhit
 tiraskṛto namuci-śirodhara-tvacā
Word for word: 
na — not; tasya — of him (Namuci); hi — indeed; tvacam api — even the skin; vajraḥ — the thunderbolt; ūrjitaḥ — very powerful; bibheda — could pierce; yaḥ — the weapon which; sura-patinā — by the king of the demigods; ojasā — very forcefully; īritaḥ — had been released; tat — therefore; adbhutam param — it was extraordinarily wonderful; ativīrya-vṛtra-bhit — so powerful that it could pierce the body of the very powerful Vṛtrāsura; tiraskṛtaḥ — (now in the future) which had been repelled; namuci-śirodhara-tvacā — by the skin of Namuci’s neck.
Translation: 
Although King Indra hurled his thunderbolt at Namuci with great force, it could not even pierce his skin. It is very wonderful that the famed thunderbolt that had pierced the body of Vṛtrāsura could not even slightly injure the skin of Namuci’s neck.

SB 8.11.33

tasmād indro ’bibhec chatror
 vajraḥ pratihato yataḥ
kim idaṁ daiva-yogena
 bhūtaṁ loka-vimohanam
Word for word: 
tasmāt — therefore; indraḥ — the King of heaven; abibhet — became very fearful; śatroḥ — from the enemy (Namuci); vajraḥ — the thunderbolt; pratihataḥ — was unable to hit and returned; yataḥ — because; kim idam — what is this; daiva-yogena — by some superior force; bhūtam — it has happened; loka-vimohanam — so wonderful to the people in general.
Translation: 
When Indra saw the thunderbolt return from the enemy, he was very much afraid. He began to wonder whether this had happened because of some miraculous superior power.
Purport: 

Indra’s thunderbolt is invincible, and therefore when Indra saw that it had returned without doing any injury to Namuci, he was certainly very much afraid.

SB 8.11.34

yena me pūrvam adrīṇāṁ
 pakṣa-cchedaḥ prajātyaye
kṛto niviśatāṁ bhāraiḥ
 patattraiḥ patatāṁ bhuvi
Word for word: 
yena — by the same thunderbolt; me — by me; pūrvam — formerly; adrīṇām — of the mountains; pakṣa-cchedaḥ — the cutting of the wings; prajā-atyaye — when there was killing of the people in general; kṛtaḥ — was done; niviśatām — of those mountains which entered; bhāraiḥ — by the great weight; patattraiḥ — by wings; patatām — falling; bhuvi — on the ground.
Translation: 
Indra thought: Formerly, when many mountains flying in the sky with wings would fall to the ground and kill people, I cut their wings with this same thunderbolt.

SB 8.11.35

tapaḥ-sāramayaṁ tvāṣṭraṁ
 vṛtro yena vipāṭitaḥ
anye cāpi balopetāḥ
 sarvāstrair akṣata-tvacaḥ
Word for word: 
tapaḥ — austerities; sāra-mayam — greatly powerful; tvāṣṭram — performed by Tvaṣṭā; vṛtraḥ — Vṛtrāsura; yena — by which; vipāṭitaḥ — was killed; anye — others; ca — also; api — indeed; bala-upetāḥ — very powerful persons; sarva — all kinds; astraiḥ — by weapons; akṣata — without being injured; tvacaḥ — their skin.
Translation: 
Vṛtrāsura was the essence of the austerities undergone by Tvaṣṭā, yet the thunderbolt killed him. Indeed, not only he but also many other stalwart heroes, whose very skin could not be injured even by all kinds of weapons, were killed by the same thunderbolt.

SB 8.11.36

so ’yaṁ pratihato vajro
 mayā mukto ’sure ’lpake
nāhaṁ tad ādade daṇḍaṁ
 brahma-tejo ’py akāraṇam
Word for word: 
saḥ ayam — therefore, this thunderbolt; pratihataḥ — repelled; vajraḥ — thunderbolt; mayā — by me; muktaḥ — released; asure — unto that demon; alpake — less important; na — not; aham — I; tat — that; ādade — hold; daṇḍam — it is now just like a rod; brahma-tejaḥ — as powerful as a brahmāstra; api — although; akāraṇam — now it is useless.
Translation: 
But now, although the same thunderbolt has been released against a less important demon, it has been ineffectual. Therefore, although it was as good as a brahmāstra, it has now become useless like an ordinary rod. I shall therefore hold it no longer.

SB 8.11.37

iti śakraṁ viṣīdantam
 āha vāg aśarīriṇī
nāyaṁ śuṣkair atho nārdrair
 vadham arhati dānavaḥ
Word for word: 
iti — in this way; śakram — unto Indra; viṣīdantam — lamenting; āha — spoke; vāk — a voice; aśarīriṇī — without any body, or from the sky; na — not; ayam — this; śuṣkaiḥ — by anything dry; atho — also; na — nor; ārdraiḥ — by anything moist; vadham — annihilation; arhati — is befitting; dānavaḥ — this demon (Namuci).
Translation: 
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: While the morose Indra was lamenting in this way, an ominous, unembodied voice said from the sky, “This demon Namuci is not to be annihilated by anything dry or moist.”

SB 8.11.38

mayāsmai yad varo datto
 mṛtyur naivārdra-śuṣkayoḥ
ato ’nyaś cintanīyas te
 upāyo maghavan ripoḥ
Word for word: 
mayā — by me; asmai — unto him; yat — because; varaḥ — a benediction; dattaḥ — has been granted; mṛtyuḥ — death; na — not; eva — indeed; ārdra — by either a moist; śuṣkayoḥ — or by a dry medium; ataḥ — therefore; anyaḥ — something else, another; cintanīyaḥ — has to be thought of; te — by you; upāyaḥ — means; maghavan — O Indra; ripoḥ — of your enemy.
Translation: 
The voice also said, “O Indra, because I have given this demon the benediction that he will never be killed by any weapon that is dry or moist, you have to think of another way to kill him.”

SB 8.11.39

tāṁ daivīṁ giram ākarṇya
 maghavān susamāhitaḥ
dhyāyan phenam athāpaśyad
 upāyam ubhayātmakam
Word for word: 
tām — that; daivīm — ominous; giram — voice; ākarṇya — after hearing; maghavān — Lord Indra; su-samāhitaḥ — becoming very careful; dhyāyan — meditating; phenam — appearance of foam; atha — thereafter; apaśyat — he saw; upāyam — the means; ubhaya-ātmakam — simultaneously dry and moist.
Translation: 
After hearing the ominous voice, Indra, with great attention, began to meditate on how to kill the demon. He then saw that foam would be the means, for it is neither moist nor dry.

SB 8.11.40

na śuṣkeṇa na cārdreṇa
 jahāra namuceḥ śiraḥ
taṁ tuṣṭuvur muni-gaṇā
 mālyaiś cāvākiran vibhum
Word for word: 
na — neither; śuṣkeṇa — by dry means; na — nor; ca — also; ārdreṇa — by a moist weapon; jahāra — he separated; namuceḥ — of Namuci; śiraḥ — the head; tam — him (Indra); tuṣṭuvuḥ — satisfied; muni-gaṇāḥ — all the sages; mālyaiḥ — with flower garlands; ca — also; avākiran — covered; vibhum — that great personality.
Translation: 
Thus Indra, King of heaven, severed Namuci’s head with a weapon of foam, which was neither dry nor moist. Then all the sages satisfied Indra, the exalted personality, by showering flowers and garlands upon him, almost covering him.
Purport: 

In this regard, the śruti-mantras say, apāṁ phenena namuceḥ śira indro ’dārayat: Indra killed Namuci with watery foam, which is neither moist nor dry.

SB 8.11.41

gandharva-mukhyau jagatur
 viśvāvasu-parāvasū
deva-dundubhayo nedur
 nartakyo nanṛtur mudā
Word for word: 
gandharva-mukhyau — the two chiefs of the Gandharvas; jagatuḥ — began to sing nice songs; viśvāvasu — named Viśvāvasu; parāvasū — named Parāvasu; deva-dundubhayaḥ — the kettledrums beaten by the demigods; neduḥ — made their sound; nartakyaḥ — the dancers known as Apsarās; nanṛtuḥ — began to dance; mudā — in great happiness.
Translation: 
Viśvāvasu and Parāvasu, the two chiefs of the Gandharvas, sang in great happiness. The kettledrums of the demigods sounded, and the Apsarās danced in jubilation.

SB 8.11.42

anye ’py evaṁ pratidvandvān
 vāyv-agni-varuṇādayaḥ
sūdayām āsur asurān
 mṛgān kesariṇo yathā
Word for word: 
anye — others; api — also; evam — in this way; pratidvandvān — the opposing party of belligerants; vāyu — the demigod known as Vāyu; agni — the demigod known as Agni; varuṇa-ādayaḥ — the demigod known as Varuṇa and others; sūdayām āsuḥ — began to kill vigorously; asurān — all the demons; mṛgān — deer; kesariṇaḥ — lions; yathā — just as.
Translation: 
Vāyu, Agni, Varuṇa and other demigods began killing the demons who opposed them, just as lions kill deer in a forest.

SB 8.11.43

brahmaṇā preṣito devān
 devarṣir nārado nṛpa
vārayām āsa vibudhān
 dṛṣṭvā dānava-saṅkṣayam
Word for word: 
brahmaṇā — by Lord Brahmā; preṣitaḥ — sent; devān — unto the demigods; deva-ṛṣiḥ — the great sage of the heavenly planets; nāradaḥ — Nārada Muni; nṛpa — O King; vārayām āsa — forbade; vibudhān — all the demigods; dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; dānava-saṅkṣayam — the total annihilation of the demons.
Translation: 
O King, when Lord Brahmā saw the imminent total annihilation of the demons, he sent a message with Nārada, who went before the demigods to make them stop fighting.

SB 8.11.44

śrī-nārada uvāca
bhavadbhir amṛtaṁ prāptaṁ
 nārāyaṇa-bhujāśrayaiḥ
śriyā samedhitāḥ sarva
 upāramata vigrahāt
Word for word: 
śrī-nāradaḥ uvāca — Nārada Muni prayed to the demigods; bhavadbhiḥ — by all of you; amṛtam — nectar; prāptam — has been obtained; nārāyaṇa — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhuja-āśrayaiḥ — being protected by the arms; śriyā — by all fortune; samedhitāḥ — have flourished; sarve — all of you; upāramata — now cease; vigrahāt — from this fighting.
Translation: 
The great sage Nārada said: All of you demigods are protected by the arms of Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by His grace you have gotten the nectar. By the grace of the goddess of fortune, you are glorious in every way. Therefore, please stop this fighting.

SB 8.11.45

śrī-śuka uvāca
saṁyamya manyu-saṁrambhaṁ
 mānayanto muner vacaḥ
upagīyamānānucarair
 yayuḥ sarve triviṣṭapam
Word for word: 
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; saṁyamya — controlling; manyu — of anger; saṁrambham — the aggravation; mānayantaḥ — accepting; muneḥ vacaḥ — the words of Nārada Muni; upagīyamāna — being praised; anucaraiḥ — by their followers; yayuḥ — returned; sarve — all of the demigods; triviṣṭapam — to the heavenly planets.
Translation: 
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Accepting the words of Nārada, the demigods gave up their anger and stopped fighting. Being praised by their followers, they returned to their heavenly planets.

SB 8.11.46

ye ’vaśiṣṭā raṇe tasmin
 nāradānumatena te
baliṁ vipannam ādāya
 astaṁ girim upāgaman
Word for word: 
ye — some of the demons who; avaśiṣṭāḥ — remained; raṇe — in the fight; tasmin — in that; nārada-anumatena — by the order of Nārada; te — all of them; balim — Mahārāja Bali; vipannam — in reverses; ādāya — taking; astam — named Asta; girim — to the mountain; upāgaman — went.
Translation: 
Following the order of Nārada Muni, whatever demons remained on the battlefield took Bali Mahārāja, who was in a precarious condition, to the hill known as Astagiri.

SB 8.11.47

tatrāvinaṣṭāvayavān
 vidyamāna-śirodharān
uśanā jīvayām āsa
 saṁjīvanyā sva-vidyayā
Word for word: 
tatra — on that hill; avinaṣṭa-avayavān — the demons who had been killed but whose bodily parts had not been lost; vidyamāna-śirodharān — whose heads were still existing on their bodies; uśanāḥ — Śukrācārya; jīvayām āsa — brought to life; saṁjīvanyā — by the Saṁjīvanī mantra; sva-vidyayā — by his own achievement.
Translation: 
There, on that hill, Śukrācārya brought to life all the dead demoniac soldiers who had not lost their heads, trunks and limbs. He achieved this by his own mantra, known as Saṁjīvanī.

SB 8.11.48

baliś cośanasā spṛṣṭaḥ
 pratyāpannendriya-smṛtiḥ
parājito ’pi nākhidyal
 loka-tattva-vicakṣaṇaḥ
Word for word: 
baliḥ — Mahārāja Bali; ca — also; uśanasā — by Śukrācārya; spṛṣṭaḥ — being touched; pratyāpanna — was brought back; indriya-smṛtiḥ — realization of the actions of the senses and memory; parājitaḥ — he was defeated; api — although; na akhidyat — he did not lament; loka-tattva-vicakṣaṇaḥ — because he was very experienced in universal affairs.
Translation: 
Bali Mahārāja was very experienced in universal affairs. When he regained his senses and memory by the grace of Śukrācārya, he could understand everything that had happened. Therefore, although he had been defeated, he did not lament.
Purport: 

It is significant that Bali Mahārāja is here said to be very experienced. Although defeated, he was not at all sorry, for he knew that nothing can take place without the sanction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since he was a devotee, he accepted his defeat without lamentation. As stated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Bhagavad-gītā (2.47), karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana. Everyone in Kṛṣṇa consciousness should execute his duty, without regard for victory or defeat. One must execute his duty as ordered by Kṛṣṇa or His representative, the spiritual master. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā. In first-class devotional service, one always abides by the orders and will of Kṛṣṇa.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Eleventh Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “King Indra Annihilates the Demons.”